John 3:16-36

Holman Christian Standard Bible

¹⁶ “For God loved^(A) the world in this way:^[a] He gave His One and Only^(B) Son,^(C) so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.^{(D) 17} For God did not send His Son into the world that He might condemn^(E) the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. ¹⁸ Anyone who believes in Him is not condemned, but anyone who does not believe is already condemned,^(F) because he has not believed in the name^(G) of the One and Only Son^(H) of God.

¹⁹ “This, then, is the judgment: The light^(I) has come into the world,^(J) and people loved darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil. ²⁰ For everyone who practices wicked things hates^(K) the light and avoids it,^[b] so that his deeds^(L) may not be exposed. ²¹ But anyone who lives by^[c] the truth comes to the light, so that his works^(M) may be shown to be accomplished by God.”^[d]

Jesus and John the Baptist

²² After this, Jesus and His disciples went to the Judean countryside, where He spent time with them and baptized. ²³ John^(N) also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water there. People were coming and being baptized, ²⁴ since John had not yet been thrown into prison.^(O)

²⁵ Then a dispute arose between John’s disciples^(P) and a Jew^[e] about purification.^{(Q) 26} So they came to John and told him, “Rabbi,^(R) the One you testified about, and who was with you across the Jordan,^(S) is baptizing—and everyone is flocking to Him.”^(T)

²⁷ John responded, “No one can receive a single thing unless it’s given to him from heaven. ²⁸ You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah,^(U) but I’ve been sent ahead of Him.’^{(V) 29} He who has the bride^(W) is the groom. But the groom’s friend, who stands by and listens for him, rejoices greatly^[f] at the groom’s voice. So this joy^(X) of mine is complete. ³⁰ He must increase, but I must decrease.”

The One from Heaven

³¹ The One who comes from above^(Y) is above all. The one who is from the earth is earthly and speaks in earthly terms.^[g] The One who comes from heaven is above all.^{(Z) 32} He testifies^(AA) to what He has seen and heard, yet no one accepts His testimony. ³³ The one who has accepted His testimony has affirmed that God is true.^{(AB) 34} For God sent Him, and He speaks God’s words, since He^[h] gives the Spirit^(AC) without measure. ³⁵ The Father loves the Son^(AD) and has given all things into His hands.^{(AE) 36} The one who believes in the Son has eternal life, but the one who refuses to believe in the Son will not see life; instead, the wrath of God remains on him.^(AF)