For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
What does John 3:17 mean?
Jesus was not sent first to condemn the world, but to save it. That does not cancel judgment for unbelief, but it shows the heart of his mission.
Key themes
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Keep this verse inside John 3:16-17 and alongside a few nearby related passages.
Commentary on John 3:17
To condemn the world - Not to judge, or pronounce sentence on mankind. God might justly have sent him for this. Man deserved condemnation, and it would have been right to have pronounced it; but God was willing that there should be an offer of pardon, and the sentence of condemnation was delayed. But, although Jesus did not come then to condemn mankind, yet the time is coming when he will return to judge the living and the dead, Acts 17:31 ; 2 Corinthians 5:10 ; Matthew 25:31-46 .
Key words
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For God sent not his Son into the world,.
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For God sent not his Son into the world,.
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For God sent not his Son into the world,.
Context in John 3
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John 3 belongs to the early movement of the book, especially the section often described as prologue and book of signs. John presents Jesus in contemplative, symbolic, and theological richness as the Word, Lamb, Light, Bread, Shepherd, Resurrection, Way, Vine, and Son. Read this chapter with the wider themes of incarnation, life, and light in view so the individual verses keep their proper weight.
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