What Do Others Say About John : 16
There is no shortage of commentary on John 3:16 meaning and its application to our lives. GotQuestions.org perhaps summarizes it best:
No other verse in the Bible so succinctly summarizes God’s relationship with humanity and the way of salvation. Some consider John 3:16 as the “theme verse” for the entire Bible. John 3:16 tells us of the love God has for us and the extent of that love so great that He sacrificed His only Son on our behalf. John 3:16 teaches us that anyone who believes in Jesus Christ, God’s Son, will be saved. John 3:16 gives us the glorious hope of eternal life in heaven through the love of God and death of Jesus Christ.
Renowned Bible commentary Matthew Henry also offered some well-thought out perspective on John 3:16 meaning, explaining how Gods love was shown in giving His Son for the world. Henry noted that John 3:16 explains that God sent Christ in love and to negotiate a peace between heaven and Earth.
Here is the great gospel benefit: That whosoever believes in Christ shall not perish, he wrote. It is the unspeakable happiness of all true believers, for which they are eternally indebted to Christ, that they are saved from the miseries of hell, delivered from going down to the pit they shall not perish. God has taken away their sin, they shall not die a pardon is purchased, and so the attainder is reversed.
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For God So Loved The World That He Gave His Only Begotten Son That Whoever Believes In Him Should Not Perish But Have Everlasting Life
Its one of the most beloved and quoted verses in the Bible. Even those who are unfamiliar with the verses content have likely seen it referenced inside homes, on mugs, on billboards, stuck on bumpers or threaded into clothing.
Unfortunately, as with many widely quoted verses, the meaning can become distorted, the impact weakened, and the true significance diminished. The words can become so familiar that we dont even think about the depth of meaning behind them.
The power of this verse is in its meaning, not in its display somewhere as a commonplace slogan.
So how do we explain John 3:16?
John 3:16 summarizes one of the most foundational beliefs of Christianity: that God willingly sacrificed His own Son to save the world. Every true Christian should have a deep understanding of the meaning and power of this verse.
The Promise Of Salvation
The larger conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus is interesting on several levels. You can read the whole thing here in John 3:2-21. However, the central theme of that conversation was the doctrine of salvation — especially the question of what it means for a person to be “born again.”
To be frank, Nicodemus was deeply confused by what Jesus was trying to tell him. As a Jewish leader of his day, Nicodemus likely believed that he was born “saved” — meaning, that he was born into a healthy relationship with God. The Jews were God’s chosen people, after all, which means they had a special connection with God. And they had been given a way to maintain that relationship through keeping the law of Moses, offering sacrifices to receive forgiveness of sin, and so on.
Jesus wanted Nicodemus to understand that things were about to change. For centuries, God’s people had been operating under God’s covenant with Abraham to build up a nation that would eventually bless all the people of the earth . But God’s people had failed to keep their end of the covenant. In fact, most of the Old Testament shows how the Israelites were unable to do what was right, but instead walked away from their covenant in favor of idolatry and other forms of sin.
Similarly, Jesus was about to be lifted up on the cross. And anyone who wants to be forgiven for their sins needs only look to Him in order to experience healing and salvation.
Jesus’ final words to Nicodemus are important, as well:
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What Is The John 3/16 Bible Verse
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. For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not die but have eternal life.
What Does It Look Like To Believe In Him
What we know from elsewhere in Scripture is that even the demons believe in Jesus . Surely, demons will not experience eternal life in Christ. So, what exactly does it mean that those of us who believe in Jesus will have eternal life?
The Greek word for believe in this verse is , which has a much deeper meaning than what we may think the word believe means.
In this verse, the word believe in the original Greek language indicates that belief is actively happening. Furthermore, this Greek word for believe means to trust, commit to, and have faith in. It is not enough to simply believe Jesus existed or walked this earth to be saved. What we learn from this verse is that believing in Jesus is a continuous action that is about trust, commitment, and a deep sense of faith which leads to salvation and eternal life. To believe in Jesus, in the way John 3:16 describes, is to truly give our hearts and lives to Jesus.
Believing in Jesus is a daily choice to dedicate our lives to him, and to seek his kingdom rather than indulge ourselves. Believing in Jesus means to trust him daily and to have a relationship with God that leads to strong faith. The result of believing in Jesus is to have eternal life in the presence of God.
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Parallel Verses From Different Bible Version
For God so loved the world so much that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have an eternal life. John 3:16 NIV
For this is how God loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him shall never perish but have life eternal. John 3:16 NLT
- This verse is often cited in the Bible and sums up the Christian belief that God has sacrificed His Son to save humanity. It is related to signs that fans often bring to sporting events.
- John 3:16 is a postulation explanation for some Christians. God has sacrificed His Son Jesus Christ for the transgressions and sins of humanity. If you believe in Him, your soul can be saved. Scholars have shown that Christians began to show John 3:16 in sports arenas during the 1970s to share their gospel and to see how many fans held banners reading Defense!
- John 3:16 is a verse that millions of Christians have loved over the centuries. It is a powerful statement from our all-benevolent God. John 3:16 perfectly captures the theme of the Bible. God loves humanity , so He gave the greatest gift He can, the Son of God, which is the perfect sacrifice. Anyone who believes in Him, will be spared from all punishment and receive eternal life.
For God so dearly loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him shall not perish, but have life everlasting. John 3:16 ASV
Heaven without us is not what you wanted,
Jesus, you brought heaven down.
Should Not Perish But Have Everlasting Life
Notice that Jesus said perish. That word means cease to exist.
When all is said and done, every human beingpast, present and futurewill face one of two possible outcomes: eternal death or eternal life .
Dear readers, please understand that this basic biblical truth contradicts the pervasive myth of the immortal soulthe idea that upon death human beings live forever in either hell or heaven. Malachi 4:3 clearlyexplains that the end result of the wicked is to become ashes under the soles of the feet of the righteous. Notice it does not say that they will be tormented forever in hellfire. They will simply perishcease to exist.
To learn more about the biblical teaching on hell, read What Is Hell?
Also, we find in Genesis 3 that after God expelled Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden, He sent cherubim and a flaming sword to guard the entrance lest they take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever .
These verses plainly indicate that human beings do not have life inherent within them. God kept the tree of life, or we could say immortality, under lock and key.
The key to that lock is Jesus Christ.
Gods entire plan of salvation would be impossible without His death and sacrifice. Through faith in His shed blood, which leads to repentance and baptism, we are, symbolically, given access to the tree of life.
To learn more about your ultimate purpose in life, read Why Were You Born?
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John : 16 Meaning: Understand This Transformative Bible Verse
Topics:Bible Verses
John 3:16 is without a doubt one of the most popular and well-known Bible verses in the Christian world. It provides the core context of the Christian gospel, revealing the fact that God so intensely loved humanity that He sent His Son to die on the cross to save mankind from its sin. It is the reality in this verse that underpins the entirety of the biblical narrative.
The wording of the verses changes a bit depending on the version of scripture one is reading, but the John 3:16 meaning is always the same: Jesus came and died for human beings and belief in that reality will guarantee eternal life.
The New International Version of John 3:16 reads: For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
Heres Why John : 16 Is So Popular In Sports
Its been memorized by countless Sunday school students, displayed on signs at major sporting events, and printed on the bottom of shopping bags and soda cups.
Now, perhaps the most familiar verse in the New Testament has once again been thrust into the public eye after Aaron Hernandez scrawled John 3:16 on his forehead with red ink before taking his own life.
The Bible verse, regarded by many as the most concise expression of Christian faith, reads in the King James translation: 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.
If you were going to choose one particular verse to underscore the meaning of the Gospel and Christian truth, that would be it, said Douglas Webster, a professor of pastoral theology at Beeson Divinity School at Samford University in Birmingham, Ala.
The verse first leapt into popular culture in the 1970s, when born-again Christians started holding John 3:16 signs at stadiums as a way to spread the Gospel, said Bryan P. Stone, a professor of evangelism at Boston University School of Theology.
The most famous figure of that era was an eccentric named Rollen Stewart, who wore a rainbow-colored wig and danced with a John 3:16 sign behind the goal posts at football games, home plate at baseball games, and the backboard at basketball games.
Tebow has said that 94 million people Googled John 3:16 during the game and it was a pretty cool moment.
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John : 16 Interpretation
Various translations differ on whether this is a direct quote of Jesus or a comment of the narrator of the Gospel. For example, the Good News Bible ends the quotation marks after verse 13 after which there is a footnote The quotation may continue through verse 21.
David Pawson challenged the meaning and interpretation of the verse in his 2007 book Is John 3:16 the Gospel?
The Implications Of John : 16 To Your Life
So, what about you? How will the meaning of this powerful verse impact your life?
Read the words one more time and meditate on the deep meaning of each element they cover:
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
Because of Gods incredible love and the sacrifice of His Son, you can believe in Him and allow that belief to change the way you live. If you stay faithful and committed to that way of life, you will not perish. You can live forever in the eternal family of God.
That is the amazing and awe-inspiring meaning of John 3:16, the purpose God so lovingly has for you and me.
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What Is The Context Of John : 16 And ‘for God So Loved The World’
In this third chapter of Johns Gospel, we read the account of a Pharisee named Nicodemus who had come to Jesus in the middle of the night. Nicodemus declared that some of the Pharisees recognized Jesus had been sent by God. It is possible that Nicodemus visited Jesus on behalf of himself and other Pharisees who were wanting to know more about Jesus. Yet in the dialogue recounted in this chapter, it is apparent that Nicodemus struggled to make sense of what it meant to follow Jesus. His unbelief was apparent in this exchange between him and Jesus.
It is in the context of this conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus that we find this well-known verse. Jesus himself spoke this verse to Nicodemus, and it is filled with powerful truth. This verse declares exactly who Jesus is and the profound impact of putting ones belief in him. Belief that he is the Messiah, sent by God, to save the world. Jesus spoke candidly and openly to Nicodemus when it came to revealing who he was and the eternal impact of the choice to follow him or not.
What Is The Meaning Of 3 John
There is no doctrine laid out in 3 John, which is strictly a personal letter, but the overall theme is the importance of hospitality, especially when it comes to men who were working to spread the gospel. Third John is the shortest book of the Bible by word count, though 2 John has fewer verses.
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Who Do You Say That I Am Usccb
15He said to them, But who do you say that I am? 16* j Simon Peter said in reply, You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God. 17Jesus said to him in reply, Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood* has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father.
Where Does John : 16 Come From
The King James Version of Chapter 3, Verse 16 of the New Testaments Gospel of John, simply referred to as John 3:16, 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.
For many Christians, John 3:16 serves as a thesis statement of their faith: God sacrificed his son, Jesus, for the sins of humanity, and if you believe in him, your soul will be saved. So much so, according to theologians, that in the 1970s born-again Christians began displaying John 3:16 at sports stadiums to spread their gospel similarly to how other fans would hold up banners reading Defense!
One notable sports evangelist was Rollen Stewart, nickamed Rainbow Man for his rainbow-colored wig, which he wore along with a John 3:16 t-shirt while dancing around goal postswhere the TV cameras put eyes on his message. Another was quarterback Tim Tebow, who wore John 3:16 eye black in a 2009 college championship game and coincidentally threw 316 yards with the paint under his eyes in a 2012 NFL game.
Mind Blown
In 1996, professional wrestler Stone Cold Steve Austin memorably riffed on John 3:16 during a speech that gave birth to his catchphrase, Austin 3:16: You sit there and you thump your Bible, and you say your prayers, and it didnt get you anywhere! Talk about your Psalms, talk about John 3:16 Austin 3:16 says I just whipped your ass!
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Why Did Jesus Use An Old Testament Reference To Explain His Point
“‘Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.’ For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of Gods one and only Son” .
To illustrate the point further to Nicodemus, Jesus referenced the bronze snake Moses raised in the wilderness, back when the Israelites wandered in the desert vacillating between rebellion and repentance . As recorded in the Book of Numbers, a book Nicodemus would have been extremely familiar with, the Israelites chose rebellion and were punished for it in the form of venomous snake bites. To receive healing, they had to look at a bronze snake on a pole. Looking at the snake on the pole was an act of faith, and when they looked they were healed by God. The Israelites knew this was the only way they could be saved from this certain death by venom.