2007-05-20 09:03:57 · 22 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
World
Definition: When translated from the Greek word ko´smos, “world” can mean (1) humankind as a whole, apart from their moral condition or course of life, (2) the framework of human circumstances into which a person is born and in which he lives, or (3) the mass of mankind apart from Jehovah’s approved servants. Some Bible translators have conveyed inaccurate impressions by also using “world” as the equivalent of Greek terms that mean “earth,” “inhabited earth,” and “system of things.”
2007-05-20 09:06:49 · answer #1 · answered by Tim 47 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In the Bible the word "world" has three different meanings.
1. The Universe.
2. The People of the Universe.
3. The evil society that promotes sin. (They are of the world.)
The verse you are asking about is referring to the people of the universe.
2007-05-20 16:12:46 · answer #2 · answered by Freedom 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In verse 17, "For God did not send His son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved." From the beginning of time God's plan was to save the people from eternal death (Hell), therefore His Son was to save the people. To provide a way for us to have eternal life.
2007-05-20 16:10:50 · answer #3 · answered by Birdbrain 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Technically in this case it means "people" because the verse goes on to say "that He gave His only Begotten Son, so that *all who believe in Him* should have eternal life." But God does love all His creation, including planet Earth.
2007-05-20 16:08:39 · answer #4 · answered by Oogglebooggle 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
All the people that is in the world
2007-05-20 16:09:31 · answer #5 · answered by Gifted 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If you put the verse back into context of John 3:1-21, Jesus is talking about the people in the world.
There was a man named Nicodemus. He was a proud religious law-keeper and a leader of the Jews. He came to Jesus at night and said, "Teacher, we know You have come from God to teach us. No one can do these powerful works You do unless God is with Him."
Jesus Tells Of The New Kind Of Birth
Jesus said to him, "For sure, I tell you, unless a man is born again, he cannot see the holy nation of God." Nicodemus said to Him, "How can a man be born when he is old? How can he get into his mother's body and be born the second time?" Jesus answered, "For sure, I tell you, unless a man is born of water and of the Spirit of God, he cannot get into the holy nation of God. Whatever is born of the flesh is flesh. Whatever is born of the Spirit is spirit.
"Do not be surprised that I said to you, 'You must be born again.' The wind blows where it wants to and you hear its sound. You do not know where it comes from or where it goes. It is the same with everyone who is born of the Spirit of God."
Nicodemus said to Him, "How can this be?" Jesus said, "Are you a teacher among the Jews and do not know these things? For sure, I tell you, We are talking about things We know. We tell of what We have seen. Yet you do not take Our words to be true. I tell you about things of the earth and you do not believe them. How will you believe if I tell you things about heaven?
"No one has gone up into heaven except the One Who came down from heaven. That One is the Son of Man *Who is in heaven. As Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up. Then whoever puts his trust in Him will have life that lasts forever. For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son. Whoever puts his trust in God's Son will not be lost but will have life that lasts forever. For God did not send His Son into the world to say it is guilty. He sent His Son so the world might be saved from the punishment of sin by Him. Whoever puts his trust in His Son is not guilty. Whoever does not put his trust in Him is guilty already. It is because he does not put his trust in the name of the only Son of God.
"The Light has come into the world. And the light is the test by which men are guilty or not. People love darkness more than the light because the things they do are sinful. Everyone who sins hates the Light. He stays away from the Light because his sin would be found out. The man who does what is right comes to the Light. What he does will be seen because he has done what God wanted him to do."
2007-05-20 16:21:12 · answer #6 · answered by journey 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It means His people on the Earth, but we can also say that as He created the Earth He loves it too.
2007-05-20 16:07:33 · answer #7 · answered by Sentinel 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
it means both really but more so the people . GOD could have caused the earth to have never been .
2007-05-20 16:06:55 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
This means everything that He has created. I remember learning this verse at a very early age.
2007-05-20 16:06:06 · answer #9 · answered by aali_and_harith 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The people, you need to read the rest of the chapter, should be quite clear. The earth doesn't have to believe.
2007-05-20 16:18:56 · answer #10 · answered by stvn967 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋