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John 3:16 KJV
John · chapter 3 · verse 16
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.John 3:16 · King James Version
What John 3:16 means
Jesus says this at night, to a religious leader who came with questions. The love is God's, the giving costs him his Son, and the offer is open to whosoever — not to a short list of people who had it together. Believing here isn't agreeing that it happened. It's trusting him with where you end up.
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John 3:16 in context
14And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
15That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
16For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
18He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
Commentary
Cross references
Key words (Strong's)
- everlastingaiōnioswithout beginning and end, that which always has been and always will be, without…G166 →
- whosoeverpasindividually, each, every, any, all, the whole, everyone, all things, everything…G3956 →
- believethpisteuōto think to be true, to be persuaded of, to credit, place confidence in, of the thing…G4100 →
- begottenmonogenēssingle of its kind, only, used of only sons or daughters , used of Christ, denotes the…G3439 →
- perishapollymito destroy, to put out of the way entirely, abolish, put an end to ruin, render useless…G622 →
- lovedagapaōof persons, to welcome, to entertain, to be fond of, to love dearly, of things, to be…G25 →
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We found, in the close of the foregoing chapter, that few were brought to Christ at Jerusalem; yet here was one, a considerable one. It is worth while to go a great way for the salvation though but of one soul. Observe, I. Who this Nicodemus was. Not many mighty and noble are called; yet some are, and here was one.
— Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on verses 1-21