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John 3:16 is the sixteenth verse in the third chapter of the Gospel of John, one of the four gospels in the New Testament. It is deemed one of the most popular verses from the Bible and is a summary of one of Christianity's central doctrines; the relationship between the Father (God) and the Son of God (Jesus). Particularly famous among evangelical Protestants, the verse has been frequently referenced by the Christian media and figures. In the King James Version, it reads: 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 3:16 appears in the conversation between Nicodemus, a Pharisee, who only appears in the gospel, and Jesus, the son of God, and shows the motives of God the Father on sending Jesus to save humanity. Biblical context The third chapter of the Gospel of John begins with the conversation between Nicodemus, a Pharisee, and Jesus, a Jewish itinerant preacher. Nicodemus is never mentioned in the synoptic Gospels, and this is one of four times John mentions him: the others are 2:23–25, where he appeared but was unmentioned; 7:50; and 19:39. The meeting, likely in Jerusalem, is part of the passion of Jesus. Unlike Matthew, Mark, and Luke, the Gospel of John is the only one to mention Jesus' life not in chronological order. Nicodemus was a member of the Pharisees, a Jewish religious movement in Second Temple Judaism. It was known for its strict adherence to the halakha (Jewish law), and for its highly oppositional attitudes of the ministry of Jesus. To avoid trouble with other Pharisees, Nicodemus came to Jesus at night; it is the only time a Pharisee is presented positively in the presence of Jesus. Later, Nicodemus became a follower of Jesus. Nicodemus said he knew Jesus was "a teacher who came from God". He then added: "For no-one could perform the miraculous signs he was doing if God were not with him." They then discussed the need to be born again before being able to see the Kingdom of God and where the spirit goes after the death of the body. Jesus then spoke about salvation and of the damnation that those who do not believe in him will face. He also criticised Nicodemus for his lack in the understanding of theology. Translations Some of translations for the verse have been provided as below: It can be seen that: some translations (e.g., the Mercian) negate the perishing while most (e.g., the West Saxon) negate the everyone; some translations have "only", others have "only begotten"; Luther and Wright favour "lost" over "perish". Analysis Exegesis John 3:16 has been termed as "the golden text of the Bible", "the gospel in a nutshell", and "everyman's text". One of the verses pivotal to the Johannine theology, it concerns God's motive for sending Jesus. In Christianity, it is thought that believing in Jesus grants eternal life to the believer. Eternal life is a dominant theme throughout John's entire Gospel, and its first appearance in the Gospel is in this verse. Theologian Larry Hurtado sees the verse as reflecting Jesus' importance in Christianity. The Methodist minister C. K. Barrett wrote, "Mention of ... the eternal life given ... to believers ... suggests ... the general setting of the work of Christ in the love and judgement of God." The verse (which has parallels with John 3:15 and John 3:17) has been used by some to support Christian universalism, a view that all humans will eventually be saved by God or denies eternal suffering in Hell. However, Anglican bishop N. T. Wright has argued against this, saying that the "position is quite clear: God in His great love has made one way of salvation for all men without exception. Those who refuse this way have no alternative left to them. And accepting the way of salvation, for John as for Paul, is bound up with faith in Jesus Christ." Purpose Theologians have assumed the verse's purpose to be that of strengthening the faith of Christians rather than as an evangelical tool. This is because John 3:16 does not contain commands of vital sacraments (such as repentance and baptism). In the words of theologian David Pawson, it is problematic to use a verse in evangelism that does not tell the hearers "how to respond in proper detail ... that you get a simple decision which is not enough for a real change in life ... It is not dealing with a gospel situation and outward evangelistic thrust". Instead, the emphasis of the verse is toward continuing belief for Christians. Christian commentary John 3:16 has been popular for theology comments. In evangelist Andreas J. Köstenberger's opinion, the verse summarizes central teachings in Christianity that are to put beliefs in Jesus, and "there is no middle ground: believing in the Son (resulting in eternal life) or refusing to believe (resulting in destruction) are the only options." Christian philosopher William Lane Craig said the verse denotes salvation through Jesus only. According to theologian Paul T. Butler: "God, motivated by infinite love, sent His only son ... not to condemn but to save everyone who believes in His Son ... This text shows God loving us, not for His sake alone, but for our sakes." Biblical scholar F. F. Bruce interpreted John 3:16 that God has a limitless and universal love to all humans. Barrett noted that the salvation would only be advantageous whenever there is a belief in Jesus. Calvinist theologian D. A. Carson said the verse "makes it clear that, as applied to human beings, the love of God is not the consequence of their loveliness but of the sublime truth that 'God is love'." Theologian Robert E. Webber described it as "an invitation to embrace a sweeping story that encompassed the whole of history". Bible commentator J. Ramsey Michaels wrote: "God's intent is a saving intent, and the scope of his salvation is worldwide. His love for the whole human race expressed itself in the giving of his only Son [who would] die on the cross." Bruce Vawter, a Catholic priest, stated: "The only explanation that we shall ever have of the gift of eternal life made possible for us in the redemption achieved in Christ is the incredible love of God for the world." Anglican priest Leon Morris compared the idea of God's universal love with God's exclusive love to Jews, which is frequently mentioned in the Old Testament. He then concluded that "it is a distinctively Christian idea that God's love is wide enough to embrace all mankind. His love is not confined to any national group or any spiritual elite. It is a love which proceeds from the fact that He is love." Presbyterian pastor Lamar Williamson found that John 3:16 emphasises the significance of Jesus in Christianity as God the Son. Catholic theologian Neal M. Flanagan said that the verse is pivotal to the Johannine theology. Status as Jesus' words Beginning in John 3:21, the conversation becomes Jesus' monologue. Because ancient Bible copies do not use quotation marks for dialogues, bib.... Discover the Max Lucado He Gets Us popular books. Find the top 100 most popular Max Lucado He Gets Us books.