Meaning, commentary and cross references
John 3:17
“For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”In other translations
KJV · King James Version
For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
NIV · New International Version
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
WEB · World English Bible
For God didn’t send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through him.
What does John 3:17 mean?
John Gill · Exposition of the Entire Bible, on John 3:17
For God sent not his Son into the world,.... God did send his Son into the world in the likeness of sinful flesh, being made of a woman, and made under the law; and which is an instance of his great love, and not of any disrespect to his Son, or of any inequality between them: but then this was not to condemn the world; even any part of it, or any in it: not the Gentiles, as the Jews thought he would; for though God had suffered them to walk in their own ways, and had winked at, or overlooked the times of their ignorance, and had sent no prophet unto them, nor made any revelation of his will, or any discovery of his special grace unto them; yet he sent his Son now, not to destroy them for…
John Gill, Exposition of the Entire Bible (1746–63). Public domain. Digital text: Free Use Bible API (bible.helloao.org).
John Calvin · Commentaries, on John 3:13–18
17. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world. It is a confirmation of the preceding statement; for it was not in vain that God sent his own Son to us. He came not to destroy; and therefore it follows, that it is the peculiar office of the Son of God, that all who believe may obtain salvation by him.
John Calvin, Commentaries (Calvin Translation Society English text). Public domain. Digital text: Free Use Bible API (bible.helloao.org).
Context: John 3:14–20 (WEB)
14As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 16For God so loved the world, that he gave his only born Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 17For God didn’t send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through him. 18He 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. 19This is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light, for their works were evil. 20For everyone who does evil hates the light and doesn’t come to the light, lest his works would be exposed.
Cross references
- 1 John 4:14
We have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as the Savior of the world.
- Luke 19:10
For the Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost.”
- John 12:47–48
If anyone listens to my sayings and doesn’t believe, I don’t judge him. For I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.
- John 6:57
As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on me will also live because of me.
- John 6:40
This is the will of the one who sent me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him should have eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”
- 1 Timothy 2:5–6
For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,
- John 6:29
Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”
- John 20:21
Jesus therefore said to them again, “Peace be to you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you.”