What does John 3:16 mean?

John 3:16 (KJV) 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." — This verse is from John in the New Testament. Read the full in-depth commentary at thelivingsword.org/commentary/john/3/16.

What is the context of John 3:16?

John 3:16 is found in John chapter 3, verse 16. John is part of the New Testament. Read the full chapter at thelivingsword.org/read/john/3.

Commentary on John 3:16 — The Living Sword

Q: What does "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten S…" mean in the Bible?

This is John 3:16 from the King James Version. Read the full in-depth commentary and application notes at The Living Sword Bible: thelivingsword.org/commentary/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 3:16 (King James Version)

This page contains an in-depth Bible commentary on John 3:16 — covering historical context, meaning, and application. The full AI-powered commentary is available in the interactive Bible reader.

Read in Full Context

About this Passage

John 3:16 is verse 16 of chapter 3 in the Book of John, part of the New Testament. In the King James Version (1611), 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 (King James Version): "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 Book of John, New Testament, chapter 3, verse 16. The Book of John was written by Obadiah (c. 586 BC (after Jerusalem's fall) or c. 845 BC). Obadiah is the shortest book in the Old Testament — just 21 verses — containing a single message of judgment against the nation of Edom (descendants of Esau, the twin brother of Jacob). When Babylon sacked Jerusalem in 586 BC, the Edomites cheered, looted, and handed over fleeing Israelites. Obadiah declares that this treachery against a brother nation will not go unpunished. The central spiritual Key themes in John include: judgment, pride, Edom, day of the Lord. To study John 3:16 in depth — including word-by-word analysis in the original Greek, cross-references, multiple translations (KJV, WEB, Geneva, ASV, YLT, Darby), and AI-powered commentary — visit The Living Sword Bible at thelivingsword.org.

Study John 3:16 at The Living Sword

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