16 “For God so (A)loved the world, that He (B)gave His (C)only Son, so that everyone who (D)believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life. 17 For God (E)did not send the Son into the world (F)to judge the world, but so that the world might be saved through Him. 18 (G)The one who believes in Him is not judged; the one who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of (H)the only Son of God. 19 And this is the judgment, that (I)the Light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the Light; for (J)their deeds were evil. 20 (K)For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light, so that his deeds will not be exposed. 21 But the one who (L)practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds will be revealed [a]as having been performed in God.”

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Footnotes

  1. John 3:21 Lit that they have been

16 “For God so [greatly] loved and dearly prized the world, that He [even] gave His [One and] [a]only begotten Son, so that whoever believes and trusts in Him [as Savior] shall not perish, but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send the Son into the world to judge and condemn the world [that is, to initiate the final judgment of the world], but that the world might be saved through Him. 18 Whoever believes and has decided to trust in Him [as personal Savior and Lord] is not judged [for this one, there is no judgment, no rejection, no condemnation]; but the one who does not believe [and has decided to reject Him as personal Savior and Lord] is judged already [that one has been convicted and sentenced], because [b]he has not believed and trusted in the name of the [One and] only begotten Son of God [the One who is truly unique, the only One of His kind, the One who alone can save him]. 19 This is the judgment [that is, the cause for indictment, the test by which people are judged, the basis for the sentence]: the Light has come into the world, and people loved the [c]darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil.(A) 20 For every wrongdoer hates the Light, and does not come to the Light [but shrinks from it] for fear that his [sinful, worthless] activities will be exposed and condemned. 21 But whoever practices truth [and does what is right—morally, ethically, spiritually] comes to the Light, so that his works may be plainly shown to be what they are—accomplished in God [divinely prompted, done with God’s help, in dependence on Him].”

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Footnotes

  1. John 3:16 Jesus, God’s only Son, the One who is truly unique, the only one of His kind.
  2. John 3:18 The Greek refers to an unsaved person who has made the decision not to believe in the Son, Jesus Christ, that is, not to accept the salvation offered by the Son and commit to follow Him. Such a person stands condemned by God unless he changes his mind.
  3. John 3:19 See note 1:5.

16 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.

17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

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