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.
John 3:18 in other translations
| BSB | Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. |
|---|---|
| WEB | He who believes in him is not judged. He who doesn’t believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only born Son of God. |
| ASV | He that believeth on him is not judged: he that believeth not hath been judged already, because he hath not believed on the name of the only begotten Son of God. |
| YLT | he who is believing in him is not judged, but he who is not believing hath been judged already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. |
| DARBY | He that believes on him is not judged: but he that believes not has been already judged, because he has not believed on the name of the only-begotten Son of God. |
| BBE | The man who has faith in him does not come up to be judged; but he who has no faith in him has been judged even now, because he has no faith in the name of the only Son of God. |
| Webster | 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. |
What does John 3:18 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.
Barnes' Notes
Is not condemned. God pardons sin, and delivers us from deserved punishment, because we believe on him. Jesus died in our stead; he suffered for us, and by his sufferings our sins are expiated, and it is consistent for God to forgive. When a sinner, therefore, believes on Jesus, he trusts in him as having died in his place, and God having accepted the offering which Christ made in our stead, as being an equivalent for our sufferings in hell, there is now no farther condemnation, Rom 8:1.
He that believeth not. All who do not believe, whether the gospel has come to them or not. All men by nature.
Is condemned already. By conscience, by law, and in the judgment of God. God disapproves of their character, and this feeling of disapprobation, and the expression of it, is the condemnation. There is no condemnation so terrible as this--that God disapproves our conduct, and that he will express his disapprobation. He will judge according to truth, and woe to that man whose conduct God cannot approve.
Because. This word does not imply that the ground or reason of their condemnation is that they have not believed, or that they are condemned because they do not believe on him, for there are millions of sinners who have never heard of him; but the meaning is this: There is but one way by which men can be freed from condemnation. All men without the gospel are condemned. They who do not believe are still under this condemnation, not having embraced the only way by which they can be delivered from it. The verse may be thus paraphrased:
"All men are by nature condemned. There is but one way ofNevertheless, those to whom the gospel comes greatly heighten their guilt and condemnation by rejecting the offers of mercy, and trampling under foot the blood of the Son of God, Lk 12:47, Mt 11:23, Heb 10:29 Prov 1:24-30. And there are thousands going to eternity under this double condemnation--
being delivered from this state--by believing on the Son
of God. They who do not believe or remain in that state
are still condemned, FOR they have not embraced the only
way in which they can be freed from it."
1st. For positive, open sin; and,
2nd. For rejecting God's mercy, and despising the gospel of his Son. This it is which will make the doom of sinners in Christian lands so terrible.
(p) "He that believeth" Jn 6:40,47
Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain
Adam Clarke's Commentary
Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain
John 3:18 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.
Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).
Cross references for John 3:18
- 1 John 5:10
He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.
- Mark 16:16
He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
- Romans 8:1
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
- John 5:24
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
- 1 John 5:12
He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.
- John 3:36
He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
- Romans 5:1
Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
- 1 John 4:9
In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.
- John 20:31
But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.
- 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.
- Romans 8:34
Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
- John 6:47
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.
Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Context
- 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.
- John 3:19
And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
John 3:18 in other languages
| Spanish Reina-Valera 1909 | El que en él cree, no es condenado; mas el que no cree, ya es condenado, porque no creyó en el nombre del unigénito Hijo de Dios. |
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| French Bible J.N. Darby 1885 | Celui qui croit en lui n’est pas jugé, mais celui qui ne croit pas est déjà jugé, parce qu’il n’a pas cru au nom du Fils unique de Dieu. |
| German Elberfelder 1871 | Wer an ihn glaubt, wird nicht gerichtet; wer aber nicht glaubt, ist schon gerichtet, weil er nicht geglaubt hat an den Namen des eingeborenen Sohnes Gottes. |
| Latin Clementine Vulgate | Qui credit in eum, non judicatur; qui autem non credit, jam judicatus est: quia non credit in nomine unigeniti Filii Dei. |