John 3:16-17 NIV

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - John 3:17

To condemn the world - Not to judge, or pronounce sentence on mankind. God might justly have sent him for this. Man deserved condemnation, and it would have been right to have pronounced it; but God was willing that there should be an offer of pardon, and the sentence of condemnation was delayed. But, although Jesus did not come then to condemn mankind, yet the time is coming when he will return to judge the living and the dead, Act 17:31; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Matthew 25:31-46. read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - John 3:16-19

John 3:16-19. For God so loved the world, &c. Here our Lord proceeds to inform Nicodemus, that men owed the blessings above mentioned to the free and immense love of God the Father, who desired their salvation with such ardency, that he sent his only-begotten Son to bestow it upon them; and that it is designed for all that will accept of it in the way God hath appointed. God, says he, so loved the world, that is, all men under heaven; even those that despise his love, and will for... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - John 3:1-21

21. Jesus and Nicodemus (3:1-21)Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish Council, or Sanhedrin, was impressed with Jesus’ miracles, but faith based on miracles alone is not enough. There must be inner cleansing, a complete change of heart brought about by the creative power of the Spirit of God. Only then can a person enter the kingdom of God (John 3:1-5; cf. Ezekiel 36:25-27).Jews prided themselves that they were born Jews, and thought this guaranteed their entrance into the kingdom of God. Jesus was... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - John 3:16

loved. Greek agapao. App-135 . A word characteristic of this Gospel. See p. 1511. world . Greek. kosmos. App-129 . See note on John 1:9 . only, &c. See John 1:14 . Son . App-108 . everlasting . Same as "eternal" in John 3:15 . See App-151 . read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - John 3:17

sent. Greek. apostello. App-174 . to condemn = to judge. Greek krino. App-122 . A characteristic word of this Gospel. See note on p. 1511. through. Greek. dia. App-104 .John 3:1 . read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - John 3:16

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.We reject the notion of that school of exegetes who make a break at this place, removing this from the interview with Nicodemus and attributing these words, not to Christ, but to John the apostle.This whole chapter may be read in less than five minutes; and thus there is nothing unusual or atypical in the Master's brief exhortation of Nicodemus concerning those... read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - John 3:17

For God sent not his Son into the world to judge the world; but that the world should be saved through him.Here again, these words have a pertinent application to the prejudices of Nicodemus and the class to which he belonged, to such a degree that it is mandatory to believe they were spoken to Nicodemus by the Saviour, and that they were not anything projected into this context from the thoughts of the apostle John. The Sanhedrinists and all of the leaders of Israel were anxiously expecting a... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - John 3:16

John 3:16. For God so loved the world,— Our Lord here assures Nicodemus, that men owed the unspeakable happiness spoken of in the preceding verse, to the free and unutterable love of God the Father, who desired their salvation with such ardency, that he sent his only-begotten Son to bestow everlasting life on those who perseveringlybelieve in him; so far washe from sending him to condemn them, as he had reason to fear. This is one of those bright and heart-affecting passages in the gospel,... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - John 3:17

John 3:17. For God sent not his Son—to condemn the world;— God is often represented as an avenger in the Old Testament: and as mankind had incurred his wrath by their iniquities, it might be expected that when he sent his Son into the world, it would have been to inflict punishments upon them, as the word rendered condemn also implies; but, on the contrary, the Son of God was sent to save the world and to give life, as the Syriac emphatically renders it. read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - John 3:16

16. For God so loved, c.—What proclamation of the Gospel has been so oft on the lips of missionaries and preachers in every age since it was first uttered? What has sent such thrilling sensations through millions of mankind? What has been honored to bring such multitudes to the feet of Christ? What to kindle in the cold and selfish breasts of mortals the fires of self-sacrificing love to mankind, as these words of transparent simplicity, yet overpowering majesty? The picture embraces several... read more