John 3:16
14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,
15 that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life.
For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.
17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.
18 Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.
Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.
- 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.
- WEB
- For God so loved the world, that he gave his only born Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
- ASV
- For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life.
- DARBY
- For God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believes on him may not perish, but have life eternal.
- BLB
- For God so loved the world that He gave the Son, the only begotten, so that everyone believing in Him shall not perish but shall have eternal life.
- ÅB
- For så har Gud elsket verden at han gav sin Sønn, den enbårne, for at hver den som tror på ham, ikke skal fortapes, men ha evig liv;
- OTB
- For Gud elsket verden så høyt at han ga sin enbårne Sønn, for at hver den som tror på ham, ikke skal gå fortapt, men ha evig liv.
- B1930
- For så har Gud elsket verden at han gav sin Sønn, den enbårne, forat hver den som tror på ham, ikke skal fortapes, men ha evig liv;
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Short explanation
The verse says that God's love is what sets everything in motion: God gives his Son, and whoever believes in him has eternal life. “The world” is the whole of humanity, not just a few. “Eternal life” is a life with God that begins now and never ends.
Context: Jesus says this to Nicodemus, a Pharisee who came to him by night, in a conversation about being born again.
See also: John 3:17, Romans 5:8, 1 John 4:9
The explanation was written by an AI and has not yet been reviewed by a person. All explanations
Cross references
Romans 5:8
But God proves His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Read in context1 John 4:9–10
This is how God’s love was revealed among us: God sent His one and only Son into the world, so that we might live through Him.
Read in contextRomans 8:32
He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also, along with Him, freely give us all things?
Read in contextJohn 3:15
that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life.
Read in contextJohn 11:25–26
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in Me will live, even though he dies.
Read in contextJohn 6:40
For it is My Father’s will that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.”
Read in contextJohn 3:36
Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life. Whoever rejects the Son will not see life. Instead, the wrath of God remains on him.”
Read in context1 John 4:19
We love because He first loved us.
Read in context