What does John 3:16 mean?

Answer  
  

We often see signs and banners at sporting events that say "John 3:16\." Wrongly so, John 3:16 is often written as graffiti on highway overpasses. Some "entertainers" have thrown in a twist and replaced "John" with "something else 3:16\." So, what is the big deal with John 3:16? Why is this one verse so important?  
  

No other verse in the Bible so succinctly summarizes God’s relationship with humanity and the way of salvation. Some consider John 3:16 as the "theme verse" for the entire Bible. John 3:16 tells us of the love God has for us and the extent of that love—so great that He sacrificed His only Son on our behalf. John 3:16 teaches us that anyone who believes in Jesus Christ, God’s Son, will be saved. John 3:16 gives us the glorious hope of eternal life in heaven through the love of God and death of Jesus Christ.  
  

There is no more powerful way to deliver this message than to let John 3:16 speak for itself. Here is John 3:16 in 22 different English Bible translations. The words may be slightly different, but the glorious message is the same.  
  

**New International Version**  

John 3:16, "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."  
  

**King James Version**  

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."  
  

**New King James Version**  

John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."  
  

**New American Standard Bible**  

John 3:16, "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life."  
  

**The Living Bible**  

John 3:16, "For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son so that anyone who believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."  
  

**New Living Translation**  

John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life."  
  

**Holman Christian Standard Bible**  

John 3:16, "For God loved the world in this way: He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life."  
  

**English Standard Version**  

John 3:16, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life."  
  

**Revised Standard Version**  

John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life."  
  

**New Revised Standard Version**  

John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him may not perish but have eternal life."  
  

**New International Readers Version**  

John 3:16, "God loved the world so much that He gave His one and only Son. Anyone who believes in Him will not die but have eternal life."  
  

**The Message**  

John 3:16, "This is how much God loved the world: He gave His Son, His one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in Him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life."  
  

**New Century Version a.k.a. International Children’s Bible**  

John 3:16, "God loved the world so much that He gave His one and only Son so that whoever believes in Him may not be lost, but have eternal life."  
  

**God’s Word Translation**  

John 3:16, "God loved the world this way: He gave His only Son so that everyone who believes in Him will not die but will have eternal life."  
  

**Contemporary English Version**  

John 3:16, "God loved the people of this world so much that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who has faith in Him will have eternal life and never really die."  
  

**New English Bible and Revised English Bible**  

John 3:16, "God loved the world so much that He gave His only Son, that everyone who has faith in Him may not die but have eternal life."  
  

**Good News Bible a.k.a. Today’s English Version**  

John 3:16, "For God loved the world so much, that he gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him, may not die but have eternal life."  
  

**New Jerusalem Bible**  

John 3:16, "Yes, God loved the world so much, that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him, may not die but have eternal life."  
  

**Amplified Bible**  

John 3:16, "For God so greatly loved (dearly prized) the world that He (even) gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life."  
  

**New American Bible**  

John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him might not perish but might have eternal life."  
  

**New English Translation**  

John 3:16, "For this is the way God loved the world: he gave his one and only Son that everyone who believes in him should not perish but have eternal life."  
  

**Literal Translation of the Bible**  

John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that everyone believing into Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."  
  

**Modern English Version**  

John 3:16, "For God so love the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life."  
  

