God’s Word Translation
John 3:16
16God loved the world this way: He gave his only Son so that everyone who believes in him will not die but will have eternal life.
John 3:16 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
- New International Version (NIV)For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
- English Standard Version (ESV)"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
- New King James Version (NKJV)For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
Context of John 3:16
14“As Moses lifted up the snake ⌞on a pole⌟ in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up. 15Then everyone who believes in him will have eternal life.” God loved the world this way: He gave his only Son so that everyone who believes in him will not die but will have eternal life. 17God sent his Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but to save the world. 18Those who believe in him won’t be condemned. But those who don’t believe are already condemned because they don’t believe in God’s only Son.
Read all of John 3John 3:16 word by word
οὕτως γὰρ ἠγάπησεν ὁ θεὸς τὸν κόσμον, ὥστε τὸν υἱὸν τὸν μονογενῆ ἔδωκεν, ἵνα πᾶς ὁ πιστεύων εἰς αὐτὸν μὴ ἀπόληται ἀλλ᾽ ἔχῃ ζωὴν αἰώνιον.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Forγάρgar · forG1063
- Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
- soοὕτωςhoutō · thus(-ly)G3779
- lovedἀγαπάωagapaō · to loveG25
- the worldκόσμοςkosmos · worldG2889
- thatὥστεhōste · soG5620
- he gaveδίδωμιdidōmi · to giveG1325
- hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- only begottenμονογενήςmonogenēs · uniqueG3439
- Sonυἱόςuihos · sonG5207
- thatἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
- whosoeverπᾶςpas · allG3956
- believethπιστεύωpisteuō · to trust (in)G4100
- inεἰςeis · towardG1519
- shouldἀπολλύωapollumi · to destroyG622
- notμήmē · notG3361
- butἀλλάalla · butG235
- haveἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
- everlastingαἰώνιοςaiōnios · eternalG166
- lifeζωήzōē · lifeG2222
Cross-references for John 3:16
- Luke 2:14“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those who have his good will!”
- Romans 5:8Christ died for us while we were still sinners. This demonstrates God’s love for us.
- 2 Corinthians 5:19In other words, God was using Christ to restore his relationship with humanity. He didn’t hold people’s faults against them, and he has given us this message of restored relationships to tell others.
- 1 John 4:9God has shown us his love by sending his only Son into the world so that we could have life through him.
- John 1:14The Word became human and lived among us. We saw his glory. It was the glory that the Father shares with his only Son, a glory full of kindness and truth.
- Genesis 22:12“Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you did not refuse to give me your son, your only son.”
- Mark 12:6“He had one more person to send. That person was his son, whom he loved. Finally, he sent his son to them. He thought, ‘They will respect my son.’
- Romans 5:10If the death of his Son restored our relationship with God while we were still his enemies, we are even more certain that, because of this restored relationship, the life of his Son will save us.
- Romans 8:32God didn’t spare his own Son but handed him over ⌞to death⌟ for all of us. So he will also give us everything along with him.
- John 3:15Then everyone who believes in him will have eternal life.”
- Matthew 9:13Learn what this means: ‘I want mercy, not sacrifices.’ I’ve come to call sinners, not people who think they have God’s approval.”
- 1 Timothy 1:15This is a statement that can be trusted and deserves complete acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, and I am the foremost sinner.
Commentaries on John 3:16
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16For God so loved the world - Such a love as that which induced God to give his only begotten son to die for the world could not be described: Jesus Christ does not attempt it. He has put an eternity of meaning in the particle ̔, so, and left a subject for everlasting contemplation, wonder, and praise, to angels and to men. The same evangelist uses a similar mode of expression, 1 John 3:1; : Behold, What Manner of love, , the Father hath bestowed upon us…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16For God so loved - This does not mean that God approved the conduct of men, but that he had benevolent feelings toward them, or was “earnestly desirous” of their happiness. God hates wickedness, but he still desires the Happiness of those who are sinful. “He hates the sin, but loves the sinner.” A parent may love his child and desire his welfare, and yet be strongly opposed to the conduct of that child. When we approve the conduct of another, this is the…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 16The truth that God loved the world is basic to Christian understanding (1 John 4:9–10). God's love extends beyond the limits of race and nation, even to those who oppose him (see “The World” Theme Note). The Son came to save, not to condemn, people who often choose spiritual darkness (3:17, 19–21).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 14-1614-16. And as Moses, &c.--Here now we have the "heavenly things," as before the "earthly," but under a veil, for the reason mentioned in Joh 3:12. The crucifixion of Messiah is twice after this veiled under the same lively term--"uplifting," Joh 8:28; 12:32, 33. Here it is still further veiled--though to us who know what it means, rendered vastly more instructive--by reference to the brazen serpent. The venom of the fiery serpents, shooting through the…Read the comment
Topics related to John 3:16
In the dictionaries
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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