John 3:20

John 3:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
• New International Version (NIV)Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed.
• New King James Version (NKJV)For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.
• New Living Translation (NLT)All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed.

Context of John 3:20

18Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. 21But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God." 22After this Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside, and he remained there with them and was baptizing.

John 3:20 word by word

πᾶς γὰρ ὁ φαῦλα πράσσων μισεῖ τὸ φῶς καὶ οὐκ ἔρχεται πρὸς τὸ φῶς ἵνα μὴ ἐλεγχθῇ τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ·Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Forγάρgar · forG1063
• everyπᾶςpas · allG3956
• one that doethπράσσωprassō · to do/requireG4238
• evilφαῦλοςphaulos · evilG5337
• hatethμισέωmiseō · to hateG3404
• the lightφῶςphōs · lightG5457
• ·καίkai · andG2532
• neitherοὐou · noG3756
• comethἔρχομαιerchomai · to come/goG2064
• toπρόςpros · to/withG4314
• ·ἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
• lestμήmē · notG3361
• hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• deedsἔργονergon · workG2041
• should be reprovedἐλέγχωelegchō · to rebukeG1651

Cross-references for John 3:20

• John 7:7The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify about it that its works are evil.
• 1 Kings 22:8And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of the Lord, Micaiah the son of Imlah, but I hate him, for he never prophesies good concerning me, but evil." And Jehoshaphat said, "Let not the king say so."
• Job 24:13"There are those who rebel against the light, who are not acquainted with its ways, and do not stay in its paths.
• Psalms 50:17For you hate discipline, and you cast my words behind you.
• Proverbs 1:29Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord,
• Proverbs 4:18But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day.
• Proverbs 5:12and you say, "How I hated discipline, and my heart despised reproof!
• Proverbs 15:12A scoffer does not like to be reproved; he will not go to the wise.
• Amos 5:10They hate him who reproves in the gate, and they abhor him who speaks the truth.
• Luke 11:45One of the lawyers answered him, "Teacher, in saying these things you insult us also."
• James 1:23For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror.
• Ephesians 5:12For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret.

Commentaries on John 3:20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20For every one that doeth evil hateth the light - He who doth vile or abominable things: alluding to the subject mentioned in the preceding verse. The word , evil or vile, is supposed by some to come from the Hebrew פלס phalas, to roll, and so cover oneself in dust or ashes, which was practised in token of humiliation and grief, not only by the more eastern nations, see Job 42:6, but also by the Greeks and Trojans, as appears from Homer, Iliad xviii. l…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20That doeth evil - Every wicked person. Hateth the light - This is true of all wicked men. They choose to practice their deeds of wickedness in darkness. They are afraid of the light, because they could be easily detected. Hence, most crimes are committed in the night. So with the sinner against God. He hates the gospel, for it condemns his conduct, and his conscience would trouble him if it were enlightened. His deeds should be reproved - To “reprove”…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 19-20When people live in spiritual darkness (a life separated from God), they do not want the light that Jesus brings. Jesus called himself "the light of the world" (8:12; 9:5). His light shows truth and exposes sin. Darkness does not simply ignore the light. It resists it and tries to overcome it. But the darkness cannot defeat the light (1:5). Those who refuse to believe continue to live in darkness (13:30). They stumble because they cannot see clearly…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 17-2117-21. not to condemn, &c.--A statement of vast importance. Though "condemnation" is to many the issue of Christ's mission (Joh 3:19), it is not the object of His mission, which is purely a saving one.Read the comment

Topics related to John 3:20

• Blindness
• Character
• Darkness
• Jesus, the Christ
• Judgment
• Light
• Sin
• Wicked (People)
• Word of God

In the dictionaries

• Born
• Condemn
• Condemnation
• Darkness
• Decrease
• Faith
• Increase
• Love
• Nicodemus
• Testify

Commentaries on John 3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Catena Aurea
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• John Lightfoot Commentary
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings