What does John 3:16 mean?
Jesus said this during a night conversation with Nicodemus, a respected Jewish teacher who came with questions about being born again. Often called the gospel in a single sentence, the verse moves from God's love, to his gift, to our response. "The world" means all people, not one nation or group. "Gave" points to Jesus coming and dying on the cross. "Believeth" means more than agreeing with facts; it is trusting Jesus personally. The promise is that anyone who trusts him will not perish but will receive everlasting life, a life with God that begins now and never ends.
John 3:16 in the 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.
Context
15 that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
16 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.
17 For God didn’t send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through him.
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Frequently asked questions
What does John 3:16 mean?
Jesus said this during a night conversation with Nicodemus, a respected Jewish teacher who came with questions about being born again. Often called the gospel in a single sentence, the verse moves from God's love, to his gift, to our response. "The world" means all people, not one nation or group. "Gave" points to Jesus coming and dying on the cross. "Believeth" means more than agreeing with facts; it is trusting Jesus personally. The promise is that anyone who trusts him will not perish but will receive everlasting life, a life with God that begins now and never ends.
What does John 3:16 say in the KJV?
John 3:16 (KJV) reads: “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.”