John 3:18 kjv
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.
John 3:18 nkjv
"He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
John 3:18 niv
Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.
John 3:18 esv
Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.
John 3:18 nlt
"There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God's one and only Son.
John 3 18 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Rom 8:1 | There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. | No condemnation for believers. |
| Jn 5:24 | Whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned... | Eternal life and freedom from judgment through faith. |
| Mk 16:16 | Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. | Faith linked to salvation, unbelief to condemnation. |
| Jn 3:36 | Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son will not see life... | Belief leads to life, disobedience/unbelief to wrath. |
| Acts 4:12 | And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name... | Salvation exclusively through Jesus. |
| Heb 11:6 | And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe... | Faith as fundamental to relationship with God. |
| Jn 1:12 | But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God... | Power to become children of God through belief. |
| Rom 10:9-10 | Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. | Core elements of saving faith. |
| Eph 2:8-9 | For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God... | Salvation is by grace through faith. |
| Jn 14:6 | Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." | Jesus as the only way to God. |
| Is 45:22 | "Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other." | Divine call to salvation through God alone. |
| Jn 1:14 | And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father... | Jesus as the unique Son. |
| Jn 1:18 | No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known. | The unique position of the Son to reveal God. |
| 1 Jn 4:9 | In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. | God's love shown in sending His only Son. |
| Heb 1:1-3 | In these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things... | Jesus' divine identity and role in revelation. |
| Acts 2:38 | Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins..." | "In the name" signifying authority. |
| Acts 3:6 | But Peter said, "I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!" | Power residing in Jesus' name. |
| Php 2:9-11 | Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name... | The supreme authority and exaltation of Jesus' name. |
| Rom 1:18 | For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men... | God's wrath against ungodliness. |
| Jn 12:48 | The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day. | Rejection of Christ's words leads to judgment. |
| Heb 10:26-29 | For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins... | Grave consequences for deliberate rejection of Christ. |
| Rev 21:8 | But as for the cowardly, the faithless... their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur... | The fate of the faithless. |
| Ps 9:8 | and he judges the world with righteousness; he judges the peoples with uprightness. | God as righteous judge. |
John 3 verses
John 3 18 Meaning
Whoever places their trust in Jesus, the unique Son of God, will not face eternal damnation. However, anyone who rejects or refuses to believe in Him is already under the sentence of condemnation, because their rejection signifies a failure to embrace the person and divine authority of God's only begotten Son. This verse highlights the immediate and present consequence of one's decision concerning Christ: salvation or ongoing judgment.
John 3 18 Context
John chapter 3 begins with Nicodemus, a prominent Jewish leader, visiting Jesus at night, seeking understanding of the "new birth." Jesus clarifies that one must be born of water and Spirit to enter God's kingdom. This dialogue sets the stage for profound truths about salvation and God's love for the world, culminating in the famous verse John 3:16. Verse 17 states God sent His Son not to condemn but to save, which verse 18 immediately expounds upon by explaining the dual outcome of this mission: salvation for those who believe, and continued condemnation for those who do not. Historically, the Jewish audience was accustomed to a covenantal understanding of righteousness through law and lineage. Jesus' teaching radically shifted this to one of personal faith in Him, directly challenging existing beliefs about the path to God and judgment.
John 3 18 Word analysis
- He that believeth (ὁ πιστεύων - ho pisteuōn): The Greek uses a present active participle, denoting ongoing, continuous belief or trust, not merely a single act of intellectual assent. It implies active commitment to the person of Jesus. Its significance is that salvation is tied to an abiding faith.
- on him (εἰς αὐτόν - eis auton): "On him" or "into him." This preposition implies direction and immersion, suggesting a belief that goes beyond simply acknowledging facts about Jesus; it means believing into Him, trusting and committing one's self to Him as the object of faith.
- is not condemned (οὐ κρίνεται - ou krinetai): Krinetai (κρίνεται) is from the verb krinō (κρίνω), which means "to judge." In this context, in contrast to "is condemned already," it carries the strong sense of not being subjected to the verdict of damnation or eternal separation from God. This is a divine declaration of acquittal for the believer.
- but (δὲ - de): A strong adversative conjunction, indicating a sharp contrast between the fate of the believer and the unbeliever.
- he that believeth not (ὁ μὴ πιστεύων - ho mē pisteuōn): Again, a present active participle, denoting continuous unbelief, a persistent state of rejecting the testimony of Jesus. The particle mē (μή) implies a subjective or willed rejection.
- is condemned already (ἤδη κέκριται - ēdē kekritai): Ēdē (ἤδη) means "already," emphasizing the present reality of the judgment. Kekritai (κέκριται) is a perfect passive indicative of krinō, meaning "has already been judged." This is profound: the non-believer does not await a future judgment for their unbelief; they are already, in their current state of unbelief, standing under the verdict of condemnation. Their choice now seals their present spiritual standing.
- because (ὅτι - hoti): Introduces the reason for the "already condemned" status.
- he hath not believed (μὴ πεπίστευκεν - mē pepisteuken): Perfect active indicative, emphasizing a completed action with continuing results—a state of unbelief that has commenced and persists.
- in the name (εἰς τὸ ὄνομα - eis to onoma): "Belief into the name" signifies belief into the very person, character, authority, and identity that the name represents. It encompasses everything that Jesus is and everything He claimed to be. To believe in "the name" of the Son of God is to accept His divine claims and authority. This directly countered any Jewish thought that might acknowledge Jesus as a prophet but reject His divine Sonship.
- of the only begotten Son of God (τοῦ μονογενοῦς Υἱοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ - tou monogenous Huiou tou Theou): Monogenēs (μονογενὴς) means "unique," "one of a kind," or "only-begotten." This is not a reference to a created being, but to Jesus' unique, essential, and eternal relationship with the Father, making Him distinct from any other "sons of God." This highlights Jesus' incomparable divine status, further elevating the stakes of belief or unbelief. This term asserts His pre-eminence and divine origin, making Him the sole mediator between God and humanity.
John 3 18 Bonus section
The teaching of "condemned already" implies that humanity's natural state is fallen and separated from God. Sin is the baseline condition from which one needs rescue. Jesus offers this rescue. Therefore, for unbelievers, judgment isn't about being found guilty after they encounter Jesus; it's about being found guilty for refusing the solution to a pre-existing guilt. It speaks to the active choice of will involved in unbelief, rejecting God's love expressed through His unique Son. This verse also introduces the contrast between "light" (represented by Jesus) and "darkness" (representing the condition of unbelief and sin), further elaborated in John 3:19-21, where people love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil. The judgment isn't arbitrary but is aligned with one's posture toward divine truth.
John 3 18 Commentary
John 3:18 serves as a clear declaration of divine judgment and grace. It reveals that humanity is inherently under a state of spiritual separation from God, a condition that only faith in Jesus can rectify. God's purpose in sending His Son was redemptive (v. 17), offering a pathway out of this inherent condemnation. The decisive factor is not merely a cognitive assent to Jesus' existence but a deep, active, and abiding trust (pisteuōn) in who He is—the "only begotten Son of God"—and what He has done. For the believer, this trust brings immediate liberation from the sentence of eternal condemnation (Rom 8:1). Conversely, the non-believer remains in their inherent state of judgment. The stark phrase "is condemned already" emphasizes the gravity and immediacy of unbelief, illustrating that rejecting Jesus does not bring about a new judgment but confirms and perpetuates an existing spiritual death sentence by refusing the only remedy offered by God. This verdict is a righteous one, based on the rejection of the divine revelation presented in Christ's person and work.