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Read the Bible

Good News Translation

John 3:20

Those who do evil things hate the light and will not come to the light, because they do not want their evil deeds to be shown up.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Blindness;   Character;   Darkness;   Jesus, the Christ;   Judgment;   Light;   Sin;   Wicked (People);   Word of God;   Thompson Chain Reference - Concealment-Exposure;   Darkness;   Works;   The Topic Concordance - Condemnation;   Evil;   Hate;   Light;   Manifestation;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Blindness, Spiritual;   Character of the Wicked;   Light;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Nicodemus;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Darkness;   Hatred;   Light;   Persecution;   Propitiation;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Backsliding;   Light;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Episcopacy;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Faith;   Nicodemus;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Chambers of Imagery;   Jesus Christ;   Nicodemus;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Gospels;   John, Gospel of;   John, Theology of;   Logos;   Mss;   Nicodemus;   Scribes;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Death of Christ;   Deceit, Deception, Guile;   Discourse;   Hating, Hatred;   Holy Spirit;   Ignorance (2);   Incarnation (2);   Light;   Light and Darkness;   Love;   Obedience (2);   Property (2);   Reproof;   Righteous, Righteousness;   Sifting;   Sin;   Teaching of Jesus;   Truth (2);   Morrish Bible Dictionary - 30 To Do, Practise;   42 Evil Wicked;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Regeneration;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Tabernacle, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Ephesians, Epistle to the;   Evidence;   Johannine Theology, the;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Nicodemus;  

Devotionals:

- My Utmost for His Highest - Devotion for July 18;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
For everyone who does evil hates
King James Version (1611)
For euery one that doeth euill, hateth the light, neither commeth to the light, lest his deeds should be reproued.
King James Version
For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
English Standard Version
For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.
New American Standard Bible
"For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light, so that his deeds will not be exposed.
New Century Version
All who do evil hate the light and will not come to the light, because it will show all the evil things they do.
Amplified Bible
"For every wrongdoer hates the Light, and does not come to the Light [but shrinks from it] for fear that his [sinful, worthless] activities will be exposed and condemned.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.
Legacy Standard Bible
For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light lest his deeds be exposed.
Berean Standard Bible
Everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come into the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.
Contemporary English Version
People who do evil hate the light and won't come to the light, because it clearly shows what they have done.
Complete Jewish Bible
For everyone who does evil things hates the light and avoids it, so that his actions won't be exposed.
Darby Translation
For every one that does evil hates the light, and does not come to the light that his works may not be shewn as they are;
Easy-to-Read Version
Everyone who does evil hates the light. They will not come to the light, because the light will show all the bad things they have done.
Geneva Bible (1587)
For euery man that euill doeth, hateth the light, neither commeth to light, least his deedes should be reprooued.
George Lamsa Translation
For every one who does detested things hates the light, and he does not come to the light, because his works cannot be covered.
Lexham English Bible
For everyone who practices evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds be exposed.
Literal Translation
For everyone practicing wickedness hates the Light, and does not come to the Light, that his works may not be exposed.
American Standard Version
For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, and cometh not to the light, lest his works should be reproved.
Bible in Basic English
The light is hated by everyone whose acts are evil and he does not come to the light for fear that his acts will be seen.
Hebrew Names Version
For everyone who does evil hates the light, and doesn't come to the light, for fear that his works would be reproved.
International Standard Version
For everyone who practices wickedness hates the light and does not come to the light, so that his actions may not be exposed.exposed that they are evil">[fn]Job 1:24:13,17; Ephesians 5:13;">[xr]
Etheridge Translation
For every one who doeth abominable things hateth the light, and cometh not to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
Murdock Translation
For every one that doeth abominable things, hateth the light, and cometh not to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
For euery one that euyll doeth, hateth the lyght: neither commeth to the light, lest his deedes shoulde be reproued.
English Revised Version
For every one that doeth ill hateth the light, and cometh not to the light, lest his works should be reproved.
World English Bible
For everyone who does evil hates the light, and doesn't come to the light, for fear that his works would be reproved.
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
For every one that doth evil, hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
Weymouth's New Testament
For every wrongdoer hates the light, and does not come to the light, for fear his actions should be exposed and condemned.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
For ech man that doith yuele, hatith the liyt; and he cometh not to the liyt, that hise werkis be not repreued.
Update Bible Version
For every one that does evil hates the light, and does not come to the light, lest his works should be reproved.
Webster's Bible Translation
For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
New English Translation
For everyone who does evil deeds hates the light and does not come to the light, so that their deeds will not be exposed.
New King James Version
For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.
New Living Translation
All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed.
New Life Bible
Everyone who sins hates the Light. He stays away from the Light because his sin would be found out.
New Revised Standard
For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
For, whosoever doth practise corrupt things, hateth the light, and cometh not unto the light, lest his works should be reproved;
Douay-Rheims Bible
For every one that doth evil hateth the light and cometh not to the light, that his works may not be reproved.
Revised Standard Version
For every one who does evil hates the light, and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
For every man that evyll doeth hateth the light: nether commeth to light lest his dedes shuld be reproved.
Young's Literal Translation
for every one who is doing wicked things hateth the light, and doth not come unto the light, that his works may not be detected;
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Whosoeuer doth euell, hateth the light, and cometh not to the light, that his dedes shulde not be reproued.
Mace New Testament (1729)
for every one that doth evil, hateth the light, and shunneth the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
Simplified Cowboy Version
Sorry people hate the light because they are afraid that people will see them for who they really are.

Contextual Overview

1 There was a Jewish leader named Nicodemus, who belonged to the party of the Pharisees. 2 One night he went to Jesus and said to him, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher sent by God. No one could perform the miracles you are doing unless God were with him." 3 Jesus answered, "I am telling you the truth: no one can see the Kingdom of God without being born again." 4 "How can a grown man be born again?" Nicodemus asked. "He certainly cannot enter his mother's womb and be born a second time!" 5 "I am telling you the truth," replied Jesus, "that no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. 6 A person is born physically of human parents, but is born spiritually of the Spirit. 7 Do not be surprised because I tell you that you must all be born again. 8 The wind blows wherever it wishes; you hear the sound it makes, but you do not know where it comes from or where it is going. It is like that with everyone who is born of the Spirit." 9 "How can this be?" asked Nicodemus. 10 Jesus answered, "You are a great teacher in Israel, and you don't know this?

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

every: John 7:7, 1 Kings 22:8, Job 24:13-17, Psalms 50:17, Proverbs 1:29, Proverbs 4:18, Proverbs 5:12, Proverbs 15:12, Amos 5:10, Amos 5:11, Luke 11:45, James 1:23-25

reproved: or, discovered, Ephesians 5:12, Ephesians 5:13

Reciprocal: Leviticus 13:10 - quick raw flesh 2 Samuel 13:9 - And Amnon 1 Kings 3:20 - midnight Nehemiah 6:10 - in the night Job 21:14 - for we Job 24:16 - they know Psalms 14:1 - abominable Psalms 25:12 - him Psalms 104:22 - General Proverbs 1:22 - fools Proverbs 2:13 - walk Proverbs 8:36 - he Proverbs 10:21 - fools Proverbs 15:10 - grievous Proverbs 16:30 - shutteth Proverbs 17:16 - seeing Proverbs 21:16 - wandereth Isaiah 5:13 - because Isaiah 6:10 - lest Jeremiah 9:6 - refuse Ezekiel 8:12 - in the Hosea 5:4 - They will not frame their doings Hosea 14:9 - but Zechariah 7:12 - lest Matthew 9:34 - General Matthew 13:13 - General Matthew 13:19 - and understandeth Matthew 24:39 - General Luke 2:34 - set Luke 20:7 - that John 1:5 - General John 5:44 - can John 8:45 - General John 15:18 - General Philippians 1:10 - ye 2 Timothy 3:7 - learning 2 Timothy 3:16 - for reproof Hebrews 3:10 - err 2 Peter 3:5 - they willingly 1 John 1:6 - walk 3 John 1:11 - he that doeth evil

Cross-References

Genesis 2:20
So the man named all the birds and all the animals; but not one of them was a suitable companion to help him.
Genesis 2:23
Then the man said, "At last, here is one of my own kind— Bone taken from my bone, and flesh from my flesh. ‘Woman' is her name because she was taken out of man."
Genesis 5:29
and said, "From the very ground on which the Lord put a curse, this child will bring us relief from all our hard work"; so he named him Noah.
Genesis 16:11
You are going to have a son, and you will name him Ishmael, because the Lord has heard your cry of distress.
Genesis 35:18
But she was dying, and as she breathed her last, she named her son Benoni, but his father named him Benjamin.
Exodus 2:10
Later, when the child was old enough, she took him to the king's daughter, who adopted him as her own son. She said to herself, "I pulled him out of the water, and so I name him Moses."
1 Samuel 1:20
So it was that she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, and explained, "I asked the Lord for him."
Matthew 1:21
She will have a son, and you will name him Jesus—because he will save his people from their sins."
Matthew 1:23
"A virgin will become pregnant and have a son, and he will be called Immanuel" (which means, "God is with us").
Acts 17:26
From one human being he created all races of people and made them live throughout the whole earth. He himself fixed beforehand the exact times and the limits of the places where they would live.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

For every one that doth evil, hateth the light,.... Every man, the series of whose life and conversation is evil, hates Christ and his Gospel, cause they make manifest his evil deeds, convict him of them, and rebuke him for them:

neither cometh to the light; to hear Christ preach, or preached; to attend on the Gospel ministration and means of grace:

lest his deeds should be reproved; or discovered, and made manifest, and he be brought to shame, and laid under blame, and advised to part with them, which he cares not to do; see Ephesians 5:11.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

That doeth evil - Every wicked person.

Hateth the light - This is true of all wicked men. They choose to practice their deeds of wickedness in darkness. They are afraid of the light, because they could be easily detected. Hence, most crimes are committed in the night. So with the sinner against God. He hates the gospel, for it condemns his conduct, and his conscience would trouble him if it were enlightened.

His deeds should be reproved - To “reprove” here means not only to “detect” or make manifest, but also includes the idea of “condemnation” when his deeds are detected. The gospel would make his wickedness manifest, and his conscience would condemn him. We learn from this verse:

1.That one design of the gospel is “to reprove” men. It convicts them of sin in order that it may afford consolation.

2.That men by nature “hate” the gospel. No man who is a sinner loves it; and no man by nature is disposed to come to it, any more than an adulterer or thief is disposed to come to the daylight, and do his deeds of wickedness there.

  1. The reason why the gospel, is hated is that men are sinners. “Christ is hated because sin is loved.”
  2. The sinner must be convicted or convinced of sin. If it be not in this world, it will be in the next. There is no escape for him; and the only way to avoid condemnation in the world to come is to come humbly and acknowledge sin here, and seek for pardon.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse John 3:20. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light — He who doth vile or abominable things: alluding to the subject mentioned in the preceding verse.

The word φαυλος, evil or vile, is supposed by some to come from the Hebrew פלס phalas, to roll, and so cover oneself in dust or ashes, which was practised in token of humiliation and grief, not only by the more eastern nations, see Job 42:6, but also by the Greeks and Trojans, as appears from Homer, Iliad xviii. l. 26; xxii. l. 414; xxiv. l. 640; compare Virgil, AEn. x. l. 844; and Ovid, Metam. lib. viii. l. 528. From the above Hebrew word, it is likely that the Saxon ful, the English foul, the Latin vilis, and the English vile, are derived. See Parkhurst under φαυλος.

Lest his deeds should be reproved. — Or discovered. To manifest or discover, is one sense of the original word, ελεγχω, in the best Greek writers; and it is evidently its meaning in this place.


 
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