John 3 · Verse 17

John 3:17

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, King James Version

John 3:17 in other translations

BSBFor God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.
WEBFor God didn’t send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through him.
ASVFor God sent not the Son into the world to judge the world; but that the world should be saved through him.
YLTFor God did not send His Son to the world that he may judge the world, but that the world may be saved through him;
DARBYFor God has not sent his Son into the world that he may judge the world, but that the world may be saved through him.
BBEGod did not send his Son into the world to be judge of the world; he sent him so that the world might have salvation through him.
WebsterFor God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him may be saved.

What does John 3:17 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on John 3:17-21
17-21. not to condemn, &c.--A statement of vast importance. Though "condemnation" is to many the issue of Christ's mission (Joh 3:19), it is not the object of His mission, which is purely a saving one.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 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, Acts 17:31, 2Cor 5:10, Mt 25:31-46.

(o) "For God" Lk 9:56

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 17 For God sent not, etc. - It was the opinion of the Jews that the Gentiles, whom they often term the world, עלמה olmah, and אומות העולם omoth haolam, nations of the world, were to be destroyed in the days of the Messiah. Christ corrects this false opinion; and teaches here a contrary doctrine. God, by giving his Son, and publishing his design in giving him, shows that he purposes the salvation, not the destruction, of the world - the Gentile people: nevertheless, those who will not receive the salvation he had provided for them, whether Jews or Gentiles, must necessarily perish; for this plain reason, There is but one remedy, and they refuse to apply it.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

John 3:17 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

οὐouNotG3756
γὰρgarforG1063
ἀπέστειλενapesteilensentG649
ὁho<the>G3588
θεὸςtheosGodG2316
τὸνtontheG3588
υἱὸνhuionSonG5207
εἰςeisintoG1519
τὸνtontheG3588
κόσμονkosmonworldG2889
ἵναinathatG2443
κρίνῃkrinēHe may judgeG2919
τὸνtontheG3588
κόσμον,kosmonworld,G2889
ἀλλ᾽all᾽butG235
ἵναinathatG2443
σωθῇsōthēamay be savedG4982
ὁhotheG3588
κόσμοςkosmosworldG2889
δι᾽di᾽throughG1223
αὐτοῦ.autouHim.G846

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for John 3:17

  • 1 John 4:14

    And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.

  • Luke 19:10

    For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

  • John 12:47-48

    And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.

  • John 6:57

    As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.

  • John 6:40

    And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

  • John 6:29

    Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

  • 1 Timothy 2:5-6

    For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

  • John 20:21

    Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.

  • 1 John 2:2

    And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

  • John 17:3

    And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

  • John 11:42

    And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.

  • John 5:45

    Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
God.
5:45; 8:15,16; 12:47,48; Lu 9:56
but.
1:29; 6:40; Isa 45:21-23; 49:6,7; 53:10-12; Zec 9:9; Mt 1:23; 18:11
Mt 1:23; 18:11; Lu 2:10,11; 19:10; 1Ti 2:5,6; 1Jo 2:2; 4:14

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • John 3:16

    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.

  • John 3:17

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

  • John 3:18

    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.

Read all of John 3

John 3:17 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Porque no envió Dios á su Hijo al mundo para que condene al mundo, mas para que el mundo sea salvo por él.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Car Dieu n’a pas envoyé son Fils dans le monde afin qu’il juge le monde, mais afin que le monde soit sauvé par lui.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Denn Gott hat seinen Sohn nicht in die Welt gesandt, auf daß er die Welt richte, sondern auf daß die Welt durch ihn errettet werde.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Non enim misit Deus Filium suum in mundum, ut judicet mundum, sed ut salvetur mundus per ipsum.