John 3:16-21:
16"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son. 19This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God.
2007-10-04 00:47:29 · 17 answers · asked by frenzy-CIB- Jim's with Jesus 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Baptist, the KJV is one of the worst translations there is. Don't believe me? Compare it to the original Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic. What you find will be an eye-opener.
2007-10-04 01:04:33 · update #1
Wow, such great answers! This is gonna be tough!
2007-10-04 12:27:45 · update #2
First, remember Jesus was speaking to a Jew or Jews. Jesus came to bring Jews back to God. Jesus never taught anyone how to become a Christian because until after the death, burial and resurrection, there were no Christians. The "gospel" according to the apostle Paul is the fact of the death, burial and resurrection and until it came to pass, you could not believe in it to become a Christian.
Christians are not under the Law of Moses. That law and ordinances were nailed to the cross with Jesus. He said "It is finished". The old law was filled full when Jesus died, therefore it was closed or finished. Matthew, Mark, Luke and John are almost completely Old Testament.
Now since we know Jesus was teaching the Jew to be a better Jew, we go to the verses above.
16 Commentators are divided as to whether vv.16-21 are a direct continuation of the conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus or represent only the author's comment on Jesus' words. In either case, they express the most important message of the Gospel, emphasized elsewhere in many ways, that salvation is a gift received only by believing God for it. The nature of belief is implied in the illustration of Moses lifting up the serpent in the wilderness (v.14). It consists of accepting something, not doing something. The result of belief is that one is freed from condemnation, receives eternal life, and lives in a relation of total honesty with God.
"Eternal" (GK G173) refers not only to the duration of existence but also to the quality of life as contrasted with futility. Eternal life is a deepening and growing experience. It can never be exhausted in any measurable span of time, but it introduces a totally new quality of life. The verb "perish" (GK G660) depicts the opposite of salvation. It means to fail completely of fulfilling God's purpose and consequently to be excluded forever from his fellowship. Its use here clearly implies that those without God are hopelessly confused in purpose, alienated from him in their affections, and futile in their efforts.
The presentation of the good news of God's love offers only two options: to believe or to perish. Eternal life, which is accepted by believing, is a gift of God and brings with it the fullest blessings God can bestow. To perish does not mean to cease to exist; it means to experience utter failure, futility, and loss of all that makes existence worthwhile.
17-18 Notwithstanding this gloomy picture of "lost" or "perish," God's purpose toward humankind is positive; it is an attitude of love. He is not seeking an excuse to condemn human beings but is rather endeavoring to save them. His purpose in sending Jesus into the world was to show his love and to draw people to himself. If they are lost, it is because they have not committed themselves to God, the only source of life. Beginning at this point in this gospel, the contrast between belief and unbelief is increasingly exemplified. John has here defined the crux of belief and unbelief and has indicated the effects of each. The progress of both in the characters of those associated with Jesus becomes increasingly evident as the drama of this gospel unfolds.
19-21 The difference between believers and unbelievers does not lie in the guilt or innocence of either; it lies in the different attitudes they take toward the "light." Unbelievers shrink from the light because it exposes their sin; believers willingly come to the light so that their real motives may be revealed (see also 1Jn 1:8-9). Furthermore, darkness (defined as love of evil deeds) keeps people from responding to the light (1Jn 1:5). All of us are held accountable for our actions, and the choice is ours: evil deeds or truth.
The best translation for verse 16 would be should not perish, not will not perish. For a rare instance, the KJV is correct.
2007-10-04 01:11:35 · answer #1 · answered by mesquiteskeetr 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Well, contrary to what "Baptist" seems to claim, it DOES NOT SAY "Whoever UNDERSTANDS Middle English AND believes..."
Light and darkness are common themes through John. Part of his introduction of Jesus in 1:4 calls him "the light of mankind." Here we have this theme from the prologue picked up in Jesus' own words. He (the light) came into the world but was generally rejected by people. Those who came to him and his light would be saved, but those who choose to remain in darkness are lost.
If we take only verses 16ff from the passage, we are likely to miss the apparent significance of the light metaphor. Go back up to the beginning of the conversation: Jn 3:1 "There was a Pharisee named Nicodemus. He was one of the Jewish rulers. 2 He came to Jesus at night..." Ponder the significance of Jesus discussing light and darkness in this context with a Jewish leader who came to him AT NIGHT. What does that say about how we must come to Jesus?
2007-10-04 01:57:37 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
In my opinion, believe in Him is not enough. I mean, believe in His existence and that He is the son of God is not enough. It is necessary to believe and TO FOLLOW what he told us to do and to be, otherwise, there is no heaven. Just being a Christian (especially being proud of being a Christian) is not enough. Just go to the church and put money in the bowl is not enough. Just read the Bible compulsively is not enough. Your actions, your deeds, your work based on what He taught us is what counts.
However, who among us is so perfect as Him? Nobody! We would be all lost if we didn't have several chances to improve ourselves and learn more and more and this is only done by living several lives, through Reincarnation.
Relax, learn and have patience! We will all get there!
Peace!
2007-10-04 03:47:21 · answer #3 · answered by Janet Reincarnated 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Baptist is about a genius that doesn't know English. They say the exact same thing only using different words.
There's not even different meanings between the 2 translations. What a ridiculous argument.
2007-10-04 01:01:34 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Basically it says this:
1) Jesus is your ticket Home. If you want to go Home, follow Him.
2) You are NOT forced to follow Him. You don't HAVE to go Home. You can stay away forever if you want to.
3) Going Home is lots nicer than staying away. You'll like it there. You probably will come to hate being an exile, but that's your choice.
4) You WILL have to make that choice BEFORE you finish crossing over into eternity.
Therefore, to choose Him = choosing everything, including self. Choosing to ignore or dismiss Him = choosing self and self ALONE forever.
2007-10-04 01:07:13 · answer #5 · answered by Granny Annie 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Our mother/father God sent us the message, (light), though Christ. When we live this message we are living in the light. When we continue to stay in the dark, and we refuse to follow the message it is an indication of evil. Christ did this through God. This begs the question, what was the message? Do you know?
Peace
2007-10-04 01:06:05 · answer #6 · answered by Linda B 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
First of all, those were not the words of Jesus Christ, they are words attributed to the Apostle John. There is no way to determine, however, that it was actually the Apostle that wrote it. Traditional Christians would say that it is "proof" that only Christians go to heaven. According to verse 19, all who are not Christians are evil and will not have eternal life. So the likes of Dennis Rader (BTK) will enjoy eternal life, but the Buddhist monk who won't kill a BUG will not. Doesn't seem like a "just" God to me.
2007-10-04 01:00:51 · answer #7 · answered by Cathy M 4 · 2⤊ 3⤋
What wisdom? The recognition that Christianity is based on a carrot-and-stick approach to wisdom. And since Jesus is the only carrot, most of us must accept the stick.
But you see, it's not just a willow switch that will sting the rump, the way a mule might feel. It's the lake of fire or the outer darkness or whatever: something really horrible for all of eternity. Just for failing to believe something which has no substantial evidence in its favor, and lots of evidence against it.
Nice God you got there, kiddo!
2007-10-04 00:55:12 · answer #8 · answered by auntb93 7 · 2⤊ 6⤋
What does it matter to you what we read. KJV is not the worst translation. NIV is.
The wisdom is whososever will. Salvation is a whosoever will accept Jesus.
2007-10-04 01:18:43 · answer #9 · answered by iwant_u2_wantme2000 6 · 0⤊ 3⤋
This is how it should be: Stop using that other garbage.
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. 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
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. 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. 3:20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. 3:21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
Revelation 22:18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: 22:19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
2007-10-04 00:57:03 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 8⤋