16
ForγὰρGodὁ θεὸςlovedἠγάπησενthe worldτὸν κόσμονin this way:Οὕτωςthatὥστεhe gaveἔδωκενhis onlyτὸν μονογενῆSon,τὸν υἱὸνso thatἵναeveryoneπᾶςwhoὁbelievesπιστεύωνinεἰςhimαὐτὸνmay notμὴperishἀπόληταιbutἀλλὰhaveἔχῃeternalαἰώνιονlife.ζωὴν
John 3:16
Study it in the app“For God loved the world in this way: that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but have eternal life.”
Jesus tells Nicodemus how far God's love wentGraceGod gave his only Son so that everyone who believes has lifeLoveGod gave his Son so that whoever believes in him may not perish but have eternal lifeDeath and Eternal Life
With the Greek beneath
John 3:16, word by word
- Godθεὸςtheos
God
The Creator and Lord of all, the one God of Israel.
Where else “theos” appears- lovedἠγάπησενēgapēsen
love
Love: to seek the good of the other, even of someone who does not deserve it.
Where else “ēgapēsen” appears- the worldκόσμονkosmon
world of people
People everywhere, whom God loves.
Where else “kosmon” appears- thatὥστεhōste
so that
So much that, to the point that.
Where else “hōste” appears- he gaveἔδωκενedōken
give
To hand something to another freely, as a gift.
Where else “edōken” appears- his onlyμονογενῆmonogenē
only, unique
Only, unique; the only one of its kind.
Where else “monogenē” appears- Sonυἱὸνhuion
Son
Jesus, the Son of God.
Where else “huion” appears- believesπιστεύωνpisteuōn
trust
To trust in God or in Jesus.
Where else “pisteuōn” appears- perishἀπόληταιapolētai
perish
To die, or be cut off from God forever.
Where else “apolētai” appears- haveἔχῃechēi
have
To count something or someone as one's own: goods, family, faith, power.
Where else “echēi” appears- eternalαἰώνιονaiōnion
eternal
Without end, like the life God gives.
Where else “aiōnion” appears- lifeζωὴνzōēn
eternal life
What God gives to live with him without end.
Where else “zōēn” appears
Translation note
“In this way” renders houtōs: God’s love was shown in his giving his Son. Some read 3:16-21 as the evangelist’s comment rather than words of Jesus; here they are marked as his.
The context
15so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.
16 · This verse (above)
17For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but so that the world might be saved through him.
To study John 3 in a group
1. What it says
What does Jesus answer Nicodemus when he visits at night and says God is with him? (vv. 1-8)
2. What it means
Verse 16 says God loved the world and gave his Son. What does the text say God wants for the world? (vv. 16-17)
3. How I live it
Jesus speaks of those who come to the light and those who prefer darkness (vv. 19-21). What helps you live with more clarity and truth?