WHAT IT MEANS
God’s Love and the Gospel
God’s love is shown in giving His Son so that believing in Christ leads to eternal life, not condemnation.
VERSE STUDY • ASV
John 3:16
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.
CONTEXT
What is happening here?
Jesus is speaking with Nicodemus about the new birth. The verse sits inside a conversation about humanity’s need for spiritual rebirth and God’s saving initiative.
APPLY IT
For today
Receive the verse as an invitation to trust Christ, not merely as a slogan. Let God’s love reshape how you view Him and how you love others.
Read it in 5 translations
KJV King James Version
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.
BSB Berean Standard Bible
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.
WEB World English Bible
For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
ASV American Standard Version
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.
YLT Young’s Literal Translation
for God did so love the world, that His Son—the only begotten—He gave, that every one who is believing in him may not perish, but may have life age-during.
Surrounding context — John 3
13 And no one hath ascended into heaven, but he that descended out of heaven, even the Son of man, who is in heaven.
14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up;
15 that whosoever believeth may in him have eternal life.
16 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.
17 For God sent not the Son into the world to judge the world; but that the world should be saved through him.
18 He that believeth on him is not judged: he that believeth not hath been judged already, because he hath not believed on the name of the only begotten Son of God.
19 And this is the judgment, that the light is come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their works were evil.
Topics connected to this verse
Original-language word links
These Hebrew/Greek tokens are linked by Strong's number. Click one for its lexicon definition and other occurrences.
οὕτωςG3779 · ohutō, ohutōsthus(-ly)γὰρG1063 · garforἠγάπησενG25 · agapaōto loveὁG3588 · hothe/this/whoθεὸςG2316 · theosGodτὸνG3588 · hothe/this/whoκόσμον,G2889 · kosmosworldὥστεG5620 · hōstesoτὸνG3588 · hothe/this/whoυἱὸνG5207 · uhiossonτὸνG3588 · hothe/this/whoμονογενῆG3439 · monogenēsuniqueἔδωκεν,G1325 · didōmito giveἵναG2443 · hinain order that/toπᾶςG3956 · pasallὁG3588 · hothe/this/whoπιστεύωνG4100 · pisteuōto trust (in)εἰςG1519 · eistowardαὐτὸνG846 · autosit/s/heμὴG3361 · mēnotἀπόληταιG622 · apolluōto destroyἀλλ᾽G235 · allabutἔχῃG2192 · echōto have/beζωὴνG2222 · zōēlifeαἰώνιον.G166 · aiōnioseternal
Cross-references
Romans 5:8But God commendeth his own love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.1 John 4:9-10Herein was the love of God manifested in us, that God hath sent his only begotten Son into the world that we might live through him.Romans 8:32He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not also with him freely give us all things?John 3:15that whosoever believeth may in him have eternal life.John 11:25-26Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth on me, though he die, yet shall he live;John 6:40For this is the will of my Father, that every one that beholdeth the Son, and believeth on him, should have eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.John 3:36He that believeth on the Son hath eternal life; but he that obeyeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him.1 John 4:19We love, because he first loved us.John 10:28and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, and no one shall snatch them out of my hand.1 Timothy 1:15-16Faithful is the saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief:Romans 5:10For if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, shall we be saved by his life;John 1:29On the morrow he seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold, the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world!2 Thessalonians 2:16Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace,2 Corinthians 5:19-21to wit, that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not reckoning unto them their trespasses, and having committed unto us the word of reconciliation.Ephesians 2:4but God, being rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,Matthew 9:13But go ye and learn what this meaneth, I desire mercy, and not sacrifice: for I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.Revelation 1:5and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loveth us, and loosed us from our sins by his blood;John 1:14And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father), full of grace and truth.
CLASSIC COMMENTARY & PREACHING
Spurgeon on John 3:16
Read Charles H. Spurgeon material whose primary Scripture is this verse or passage.
HISTORICAL INTERPRETATION
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