Zytaris
- Aug 18, 2023
- 3 min read

The Book of John - Chapter 3:16-21 - (ESV)

Updated: Sep 23, 2023

For God So Loved the World - {Interlinear <Greek>}

3:16 - “For {γὰρ<gar>} God {ὁ θεὸς<ho theos>} so {οὕτως<houtōs>} loved {ἠγάπησεν<agapaō>} the {τὸν<ho>} world, {κόσμον,<kosmos>} that {ὥστε<hōste>} he → gave {ἔδωκεν,<didōmi>} his • only {τὸν μονογενῆ<ho monogenēs>} Son, {τὸν υἱὸν<ho huios>} that {ἵνα<hina>} whoever {πᾶς ὁ<pas ho>} believes {πιστεύων <pisteuō>} in {εἰς<eis>} him {αὐτὸν<autos>} should → not {μὴ<mē>} perish {ἀπόληται<apollymi>} but {ἀλλ᾽<alla>} have {ἔχῃ<echō>} eternal {αἰώνιον.<aiōnios>} life. {ζωὴν<zōē}

3:17 - For {γὰρ<gar>} God {ὁ θεὸς<ho theos>} did → not {οὐ<ou>} send {ἀπέστειλεν<apostellō>} his • Son {τὸν υἱὸν<ho huios>} into {εἰς<eis>} the {τὸν<ho>} world {κόσμον<kosmos>} to {ἵνα<hina>} condemn {κρίνῃ<krinō>} the {τὸν<ho>} world, {κόσμον,<kosmos>} but {ἀλλ᾽<alla>} in order that {ἵνα<hina>} the {ὁ<ho>} world {κόσμος<kosmos>} might → be → saved {σωθῇ<sōzō>} through {δι᾽<dia>} him. {αὐτοῦ.<autos>}

3:18 - Whoever {ὁ<ho>} believes {πιστεύων<pisteuō>} in {εἰς<eis>} him {αὐτὸν <autos>} is → not {οὐ<ou>} condemned, {κρίνεται·<krinō>} but {δὲ<de>} whoever {ὁ<ho>} does → not {μὴ<mē>} believe {πιστεύων<pisteuō>} is → condemned {κέκριται<krinō>} already, {ἤδη<ēdē>} because {ὅτι<hoti>} he → has → not {μὴ <mē>} believed {πεπίστευκεν<pisteuō>} in {εἰς<eis>} the {τὸ<ho>} name {ὄνομα <onoma>} of → the {οῦ<ho>} only {μονογενοῦς<monogenēs>} Son {υἱοῦ<huios>} of → God. {τοῦ θεοῦ.<ho theos>}

3:19 - And {δέ<de>} this {αὕτη<houtos>} is {ἐστιν<eimi>} the {ἡ<ho>} judgment: {κρίσις<krisis>} • {ὅτι<hoti>} the {τὸ<ho>} light {φῶς<phōs>} has → come {ἐλήλυθεν <erchomai>} into {εἰς<eis>} the {τὸν<ho>} world, {κόσμον,<kosmos>} and {καὶ<kai>} people {οἱ ἄνθρωποι <ho anthrōpos>} loved {ἠγάπησαν<agapaō>} the {τὸ<ho>} darkness {σκότος<skotos>} rather {μᾶλλον<mallon>} than {ἢ<ē>} the {τὸ<ho>} light {φῶς·<phōs>} because {γὰρ<gar>} their {αὐτῶν<autos>} works {τὰ ἔργα.<ho ergon>} were {ἦν<eimi>} evil. {πονηρὰ <ponēros>}

3:20 - For {γὰρ<gar>} everyone {πᾶς<pas>} who {ὁ<ho>} does {πράσσων<prassō>} wicked {φαῦλα<phaulos>} things ← hates {μισεῖ<miseō>} the {τὸ<ho>} light {φῶς <phōs>} and {καὶ<kai>} does → not {οὐκ<ou>} come {ἔρχεται<erchomai>} to {πρὸς <pros>} the {τὸ<ho>} light, {φῶς<phōs>} lest {ἵνα μὴ<hina mē>} his {αὐτοῦ·<autos>} works {τὰ ἔργα<ho ergon>} should → be → exposed. {ἐλεγχθῇ<elenchō>}

3:21 - But {δὲ<de>} whoever {ὁ<ho>} does {ποιῶν<poieō>} what {τὴν<ho>} is • true {ἀλήθειαν<alētheia>} comes {ἔρχεται<erchomai>} to {πρὸς<pros>} the {τὸ<ho>} light, {φῶς<phōs>} so that {ἵνα<hina>} it → may → be → clearly → seen {φανερωθῇ <phaneroō>} that {ὅτι<hoti>} his {αὐτοῦ<autos>} works {τὰ ἔργα <ho ergon>} have → been {ἐστιν<eimi>} carried out {εἰργασμένα.<ergazomai>} in {ἐν<en>} God.” {θεῷ<theos>}

John 3:16–21

The greatness of God’s love is measured in terms of its unsearchable riches as well as in terms of its unimaginable reach. The “world” spoken of in verse 16 is the rebellious world of God’s image-bearers. God loved rebels, fools, and idolaters so much that he gave his only Son, Jesus, to redeem them—to actually purchase a pan-national, trans-generational family for himself (Rev. 7:9–10). Everyone the Father gives to Jesus will be saved (John 6:37–40; 10:14–18). There is no other way. There is no greater love.

For John, eternal life is a quality of life before it is a quantity of life. Eternal life is defined in the Bible as knowing God and his Son (17:3)—a sharing of the life and intimacy of the Godhead. It is earthly entry into the everlasting and ever-blessed life of the age to come, the age of the Messiah—the fullness of covenant life. Through Jesus this promised age arrived, and at our rebirth we are ushered into the initial stages of that eternal life. Indeed, the movement from deservedly condemned sinner to perfectly justified believer is instantaneous and complete.

References:

All contents are reposted from ESV.org.

John 3:16–21

https://www.esv.org/John+3%3A16-21/

The Book of John - Chapter 3:16-21 - (ESV)

John 3:16–21

References:

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