◄  John 3:16  ►

• γὰρ (for) – A conjunction typically appears second in Greek but is translated first in English to introduce a reason.
  • Philippians 1:21, “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”
• ὁ Θεὸς (the God) – The term Θεός means “God” or “deity”; the definite article ὁ (the) indicates not “a god” but “the God.”
  • Psalm 136:26, “Give thanks to the God of heaven, for his steadfast love endures forever.”
• οὕτως (so) – “The word ‘so’ in John never denotes degree (how much) but always manner (in what way), referring back to something previously mentioned” (Calvin’s Commentary).
  • John 3:14, “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up.”
• ἠγάπησεν (loved) – The term is a verb form of ἀγάπη (agape) and is translated as “he loved”; it often refers to a divine, self-giving, and unconditional love.
  • John 15:9, “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love.”
  • Galatians 1:4, “[Jesus Christ] gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father.”
  • Ephesians 5:2, “And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”
• τὸν κόσμον (the world) – The word κόσμος means “world” or “universe,” indicating that Christ’s salvation is universal, not restricted to any time, place, or group like the Jews, but applicable to every believer.
  • 1 John 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.”
  • John 13:1, “Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.
• ἔδωκεν (He gave) – The root is δίδωμι means “to give,” which is the same word used in Galatians 1:4, where it says that Christ gave himself for us. In other words, God’s love is the self-giving love (agape).
  • Romans 8:32, “He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?”
  • Galatians 1:4, “[Jesus Christ] gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father.”
• τὸν υἱὸν τὸν μονογενῆ (the only Son) – “In some older translations ‘μονογενῆ‘ (monogenēs) is translated as ‘only begotten’, but this is misleading, for the word monogenēs emphasizes uniqueness, not ‘begottenness.’ What the text is saying, therefore, is that God had only one Son, and because of his love for humanity he gave him to make eternal life available to the world” (Calvin’s Commentary).
  • Hebrews 11:17, “By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son.”
• πᾶς ὁ πιστεύων (all the believing) – The word πᾶς means “all” or “every”; and πιστεύων is singular participle meaning “believing,” emphasizing the ongoing, active nature of belief. The phrase can be translated as “every believing [one]” or “every believer” (contrasting with “whoever believes,” which implies individual choice). It’s a declarative statement that reveals the purpose of God giving His Son: so that every believer in Him will be saved.
  • John 12:44-46, “Jesus cried out and said, ‘The believing [one] in me, believes not in me but in him who sent me. And whoever sees me sees him who sent me. I have come into the world as light, so that all the believing [ones] in me may not remain in darkness.'”
• ἐν αὐτῷ (in Him) – These words emphasize the object of faith. Salvation is not based on the act of believing alone, but on the person in whom belief is placed, namely Jesus Christ.
  • 1 John 5:20, “And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.”
• μὴ ἀπόληται (shall not perish) – The word “perish” suggests not just physical death, but eternal separation from God. John Calvin wrote, “‘To perish’ means to miss out on the blessings from the fellowship with God, both now and in the age to come, because the wrath of God remains upon us” (Calvin’s Commentary).
  • John 10:28, “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.”
• ἀλλὰ (but) – This conjunction indicates a strong contrast between the doomed perishing and the promise that follows.
  • 1 Corinthians 14:20, “Brothers, do not be children in your thinking. Be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature.”
• ἔχῃ ζωὴν αἰώνιον (have eternal life) – “Eternal life” doesn’t just refer to an unending existence, but a quality of life. John Calvin said, “To ‘have eternal life’ is to know God, i.e. be in relationship with him and experience all the blessings which flow from that, both in the present age and the age to come. In the Fourth Gospel these involve fellowship with God now and a share in the age to come” (Calvin’s Commentary).
  • 1 John 5:13, “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.”

Matthew Henry’s Commentary

• Great Gospel Mystery: “The love of God the Father is the original of our regeneration by the Spirit and our reconciliation by the lifting up of the only Son. This magnifies His love in giving Him for us. He not only sent Him into the world, but He gave Him up to suffer and die for us. In John 3:16, God has commended His love to the world. Now we know that He loves us.”
• Great Gospel Duty: “Believe in Jesus Christ, to accept the Gift, and answer the intention of the Giver. God having given Him to us to be our Prophet, Priest, and King, we must give up ourselves to be ruled, and taught, and saved by Him.”
• Great Gospel Benefit: “‘That whosoever believes in Christ shall not perish.’ They are saved from the miseries of hell, and they are entitled to the joys of heaven.”