John 3:17 kjv
For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
John 3:17 nkjv
For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
John 3:17 niv
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
John 3:17 esv
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
John 3:17 nlt
God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.
John 3 17 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference Note |
|---|---|---|
| Jn 3:16 | For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. | God's love as the motive for sending |
| 1 Jn 4:14 | And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. | Affirmation of Christ as world's Savior |
| 1 Tim 2:4 | who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. | God's desire for universal salvation |
| 2 Pet 3:9 | The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. | God's patience and desire for repentance |
| Lk 19:10 | For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost. | Christ's specific mission to save |
| Isa 45:22 | “Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other." | Old Testament call to global salvation |
| Matt 1:21 | She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins. | Jesus' name signifying His saving work |
| Rom 5:8 | but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. | God's demonstration of love for sinners |
| Jn 12:47 | If anyone hears my words and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. | Christ's words mirroring 3:17 purpose |
| Rom 8:3 | For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh... | God's sending to achieve what law couldn't |
| Eph 2:4-5 | But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— | God's mercy and love as source of salvation |
| Acts 4:12 | And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among mankind by which we must be saved. | Exclusivity of salvation through Christ |
| Jn 6:39 | And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. | Christ's will to lose none saved by God's will |
| 1 Jn 2:2 | He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. | Christ's sacrifice for global sins |
| Jn 5:24 | Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life. | Salvation as passing from judgment |
| Heb 2:9 | But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. | Christ tasted death for all people |
| Tit 2:11 | For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people. | God's grace bringing salvation universally |
| Ps 98:3 | He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness to the house of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. | OT prophetic glimpse of universal salvation |
| Is 49:6 | he says: “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob...I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” | Servant's mission extends to nations |
| Zeph 3:17 | The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness... | God's saving presence and joy |
John 3 verses
John 3 17 Meaning
John 3:17 declares God's primary intention in sending His Son, Jesus Christ, into the world: it was not to condemn humanity but to provide a path for the world to be saved through Him. This verse clarifies that divine judgment, while real, is not the initial and overriding purpose of Christ's first advent. Instead, His mission is fundamentally redemptive and salvific, driven by God's profound love for the world.
John 3 17 Context
John 3:17 forms a crucial part of Jesus' nocturnal discourse with Nicodemus, a prominent Pharisee and ruler of the Jews. The conversation begins with Nicodemus acknowledging Jesus as a teacher from God (Jn 3:2), but quickly shifts to the necessity of being "born again" or "born from above" (Jn 3:3-8), a concept initially perplexing to Nicodemus. Jesus then introduces profound theological truths, including the comparison of the Son of Man being "lifted up" to the bronze serpent in the wilderness (Jn 3:14-15), which foreshadows His crucifixion and the means of salvation. This leads directly into John 3:16, the iconic statement of God's love and the provision of eternal life through faith. Verse 17 directly follows, clarifying the purpose of this divine sending. It counters any potential misunderstanding that God sent His Son primarily for punitive judgment. This distinction is immediately followed by John 3:18-19, which then addresses why judgment still occurs: not because Christ was sent to condemn, but because people condemn themselves by choosing darkness over light, and by not believing in the Son. Thus, John 3:17 stands as the theological pivot, distinguishing God's ultimate desire (salvation) from the inevitable consequence of rejection (condemnation). Historically and culturally, this passage challenged the common Jewish expectation of the Messiah as a conquering king who would judge and destroy Israel's enemies, presenting instead a Savior who comes to redeem all humanity.
John 3 17 Word analysis
- For God (Οὕτως γὰρ ὁ θεὸς, _houtōs gar ho theos_): Signifies the divine initiative and origin of the mission. The Father is the sender, revealing His character and purpose. This underscores His ultimate love and authority.
- did not send (οὐ γὰρ ἀπέστειλεν, _ou gar apesteilen_): The Greek word "ἀπέστειλεν" (_apesteilen_), aorist active indicative of ἀποστέλλω (_apostellō_), means "sent forth with a commission." The strong negative particle "οὐ" (_ou_) emphasizes that condemnation was definitively not the reason for His sending. This is a crucial clarification, setting the record straight about God's intent.
- his Son (τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ, _ton huion autou_): "Υἱὸν" (_huion_) means "Son," denoting Jesus' unique, divine identity and relationship with the Father. He is not merely a prophet or messenger but the beloved and only Son, uniquely qualified to fulfill this redemptive mission. This speaks to His divine nature and supreme authority.
- into the world (εἰς τὸν κόσμον, _eis ton kosmon_): "Κόσμος" (_kosmos_) here refers not merely to the physical earth, but primarily to fallen humanity, separated from God and steeped in sin. It signifies the entire created order, particularly humanity, as the object of God's love and the recipient of salvation. It highlights the expansive scope of God's saving intention.
- to condemn (ἵνα κρίνῃ, _hina krinē_): "Κρίνῃ" (_krinē_), the subjunctive form of κρίνω (_krinō_), can mean to judge, decide, or condemn. Here, in direct contrast to "saved," it clearly implies a punitive judgment leading to damnation. The phrase "ἵνα μὴ... ἀλλ’ ἵνα" (not in order that... but in order that) explicitly sets up an antithesis between condemnation and salvation as the divine purpose.
- the world (τὸν κόσμον, _ton kosmon_): Reiterates that fallen humanity is the intended target of the contrasting action.
- but (ἀλλ', _all’_): A strong adversative conjunction, emphatically shifting from the negative purpose to the positive and actual purpose.
- in order that (ἵνα, _hina_): Introduces the actual, positive purpose clause, signifying divine intention and design.
- the world might be saved (ὁ κόσμος σωθῇ, _ho kosmos sōthē_): "Σωθῇ" (_sōthē_), the aorist passive subjunctive of σῴζω (_sōzō_), means "to be saved, delivered, made whole, healed." It refers to salvation from sin, eternal death, and reconciliation with God. The passive voice indicates that salvation is a divine act bestowed upon the world.
- through him (δι’ αὐτοῦ, _di’ autou_): "Δι’" (_di'_) indicates the instrumental means or agency. Jesus Christ Himself is the sole and indispensable means by which salvation is accomplished. This emphasizes His centrality in God's redemptive plan.
- "For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world": This opening phrase clearly negates a prevailing view of God as primarily vengeful or a judge executing immediate damnation. It sets the stage by removing a misconception. This polemic might have addressed both general human fear of divine retribution and certain Jewish expectations of a Messiah who would annihilate Gentiles or sinful Israelites. God's act of sending is fundamentally benign and purposed for good.
- "but in order that the world might be saved through him": This establishes the true, positive, and ultimate divine purpose. It reorients the listener to understand the nature of Christ's first coming as one of grace and rescue. The parallel structure "not to X, but to Y" powerfully contrasts the negated purpose with the affirmed one, highlighting salvation as God's highest priority. The emphasis on "through him" establishes the exclusivity and sufficiency of Christ as the unique means of salvation.
John 3 17 Bonus section
This verse functions as an interpretive key to understanding the entirety of Jesus' earthly ministry and God's interaction with humanity. It underscores that divine judgment, though inherent in God's nature and certain in the future (especially at the second advent of Christ), was not the driving force behind the incarnation itself. The emphasis on God sending (ἀποστέλλω) implies a divine commission with a specific purpose, one distinct from His role as sovereign judge. The "world" (kosmos) in John's Gospel often signifies humanity estranged from God; for this "world," God's design was healing, not destruction. This presents a profound contrast to many prevailing ancient thought systems that perceived deities as easily angered and prone to swift punitive action. It also refutes the specific misconception, potentially held by Nicodemus, that the Messiah's coming would herald immediate retribution against unbelievers or occupying powers, rather than universal salvation for those who believe.
John 3 17 Commentary
John 3:17 provides profound insight into the very heart of God's character and the mission of Jesus Christ. Following John 3:16, which speaks of God's intense love as the motivation for sending His Son, verse 17 clarifies the specific intention behind that divine sending. It deliberately dispels the notion that Christ's primary purpose during His first advent was to act as an agent of condemnation or immediate judgment. Instead, His advent was fundamentally redemptive.
The emphatic "not... but" structure highlights a critical distinction: while humanity stood under condemnation due to sin (as the world is "lost" per 3:16 and in need of being "saved"), God's initial and overriding design was not to enforce that condemnation immediately but to provide a pathway out of it. The "world," representing fallen humanity in its entirety, is the object of God's redemptive love.
Christ's arrival introduced a crisis of decision (Jn 3:18-19), but this crisis was the consequence of His salvific presence, not the purpose of His coming. He came as the great physician to heal, not to merely diagnose and leave. This verse showcases God's longsuffering patience and His overwhelming desire for all people to turn to Him for salvation, demonstrating His perfect blend of justice and mercy. Salvation, provided exclusively "through Him," underlines Christ's unique role as mediator and rescuer. This theological truth serves as a cornerstone for understanding the good news of the gospel.
For example, when a child has made a terrible mess, a parent's immediate desire might not be to punish but to help clean it up, provided the child cooperates. Similarly, God's sending of Jesus was primarily an act of intervention for rescue, offering a way out for a world deserving condemnation, before any final judgment.