John 3:15

Simplified Cowboy Version

And everyone who sees and believes in him will live forever on God's outfit."

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
so that everyone who believes in him may

King James Version (1611)
That whosoeuer beleeueth in him, should not perish, but haue eternall life.

King James Version
That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

English Standard Version
that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

New American Standard Bible
so that everyone who believes will have eternal life in Him.

New Century Version
So that everyone who believes can have eternal life in him.

Amplified Bible
so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life [after physical death, and will actually live forever].

New American Standard Bible (1995)
so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life.

Legacy Standard Bible
so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life.

Berean Standard Bible
that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life.

Contemporary English Version
Then everyone who has faith in the Son of Man will have eternal life.

Complete Jewish Bible
so that everyone who trusts in him may have eternal life.

Darby Translation
that every one who believes on him may [not perish, but] have life eternal.

Easy-to-Read Version
Then everyone who believes in him can have eternal life."

Geneva Bible (1587)
That whosoeuer beleeueth in him, shoulde not perish, but haue eternall life.

George Lamsa Translation
So that every man who believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

Good News Translation
so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.

Lexham English Bible
so that everyone who believes in him will have eternal life."

Literal Translation
that everyone believing into Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

American Standard Version
that whosoever believeth may in him have eternal life.

Bible in Basic English
So that whoever has faith may have in him eternal life.

Hebrew Names Version
that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

International Standard Version
so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.[fn]John 3:36; 6:47;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
that every man who believeth in him might not perish, but have the life which is eternal.

Murdock Translation
that every one who believeth in him, may not perish, but may have life eternal.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
That whosoeuer beleueth in hym, perishe not, but haue eternall lyfe.

English Revised Version
that whosoever believeth may in him have eternal life.

World English Bible
that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
so must the Son of man be lifted up, That whosoever believeth on him, may not perish, but have everlasting life.

Weymouth's New Testament
in order that every one who trusts in Him may have the Life of the Ages."

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
that ech man that bileueth in hym, perische not, but haue euerlastynge lijf.

Update Bible Version
that whoever believes may in him have eternal life.

Webster's Bible Translation
That whoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

New English Translation
so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life."

New King James Version
that whoever believes in Him should not perish but [fn] have eternal life.

New Living Translation
so that everyone who believes in him will have eternal life.

New Life Bible
Then whoever puts his trust in Him will have life that lasts forever.

New Revised Standard
that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
That, whosoever believeth in him, may have life age-abiding.

Douay-Rheims Bible
That whosoever believeth in him may not perish, but may have life everlasting.

Revised Standard Version
that whoever believes in him may have eternal life."

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
that none that beleveth in him perisshe: but have eternall lyfe.

Young's Literal Translation
that every one who is believing in him may not perish, but may have life age-during,

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
that who so euer beleueth in him, shulde not perish, but haue euerlastinge life.

Mace New Testament (1729)
that whosoever believeth in him, should not perish, but have eternal life.

Contextual Overview

¹There was a Jewish leader and Pharisee named, Nicodemus, or Nick for short. ²He didn't want anyone to see him talking to Jesus, so one evening after dark, he sought him out and said, "Hey boss, we all know you are from God because of the miracles you can do." ³But Jesus said, "I'm telling you the truth, unless you are born again, you will never see the inside of God's ranch." ⁴"What in the world are you talking about?" Nick exclaimed. "How can a grown man go back to the womb and be born again?" ⁵Jesus said, "I promise you, no one can get on God's outfit unless they are born of water and Spirit. ⁶Humans can only make humans, but the Holy Spirit can give birth to spiritual life. ⁷So don't think it strange when I say, 'You've gotta be born again.' ⁸Let me explain it this way, you can hear the wind, but can't tell where it comes from. It goes wherever it wants, but you can't explain it. Same thing goes for the Holy Spirit." ⁹"How can this happen though?" Nick asked. ¹⁰Jesus said, "Aren't you one of Israel's teachers? How is it that you cannot understand something as simple as this?

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

whosoever: John 3:16, John 3:36, John 1:12, John 6:40, John 6:47, John 11:25, John 11:26, John 12:44-46, John 20:31, Isaiah 45:22, Mark 16:16, Acts 8:37, Acts 16:30, Acts 16:31, Romans 5:1, Romans 5:2, Romans 10:9-14, Galatians 2:16, Galatians 2:20, Hebrews 7:25, Hebrews 10:39, 1 John 5:1, 1 John 5:11-13

not: John 5:24, John 10:28-30, Matthew 18:11, Luke 19:10, Acts 13:41, 1 Corinthians 1:18, 2 Corinthians 4:3

eternal: John 17:2, John 17:3, Romans 5:21, Romans 6:22, Romans 6:23, 1 John 2:25, 1 John 5:13, 1 John 5:20

Reciprocal: Numbers 21:9 - A serpent of 2 Kings 18:4 - the brazen serpent Isaiah 11:10 - which shall Isaiah 51:6 - my salvation Matthew 19:16 - eternal Matthew 25:46 - the righteous Luke 6:19 - sought John 8:51 - If John 9:35 - Dost Acts 20:21 - faith Acts 26:22 - the prophets Acts 28:5 - felt Romans 3:21 - being Romans 4:11 - father 2 Corinthians 5:15 - that they Galatians 3:22 - to 1 Timothy 1:16 - believe 1 Timothy 2:4 - will 1 Timothy 4:10 - the saviour Titus 1:2 - eternal

Cross-References

Matthew 1:23
"A gal that's never been with a man will have her a child and call him Emmanuel"—which is a fancy way of sayin', "God's with us."

Matthew 1:25
But he didn't never go to her bed like a husband would usually do until after Jesus was born.

Matthew 3:7
When John saw the real religious folks ride over the hill followed by a bunch of no-account politicians, he hollered at them, "You den of rattlesnakes! Who told you to ride as fast as you could from the comin' anger?

Matthew 12:34
Y'all know-it-alls are a den of snakes! How can a snake tell someone what is good? Whatever is in your heart will spill up and out of your mouth.

Matthew 13:38
The pasture where the cattle lived is like this old world we're living in right now. The pure-bred calves are like the cowboys who live for the Boss. The cull calves are people who follow the Counterfeit.

Matthew 23:33
You're all coyotes! You're the bastard sons of coyotes! How are you gonna escape the truck that leads to the slaughterhouse?

Mark 16:18
They will pick up snakes without being bitten and even have poison given to them without it killing 'em. They will place their hands on people and heal them."

Luke 1:76
And listen, my little child, you will be called a prophet of the Boss. You will blaze a trail for the Top Hand.

Luke 10:19
But listen close, I have given you authority over all the powers of darkness. You can even trample over snakes and scorpions without injury.

Luke 22:53
I taught right beside you in the church courtyard, and you did nothing. I know why, though. This is your time and place because your hearts are as dark as night."

Gill's Notes on the Bible

That whosoever believeth in him,.... Whether Jew or Gentile, a greater, or a lesser sinner, and of whatsoever state and condition, age or sex; and though ever so weak a believer, provided his faith, is of the right kind: not an historical or temporary one, a mere assent to the truth of things respecting his person, office, and work; but such a faith, by which a soul sees a glory, fulness, and suitableness in him as a Saviour; goes to him, ventures on him, commits itself to him, lays hold on him, and receives him, leans and relies upon him, and trusts in him, and lives upon him; and which is the faith of God's elect; a gift of his grace, and the operation of his Spirit; and which works by love, and is attended with the fruits of righteousness: now the end of Christ's crucifixion and death is, that such an one

should not perish; though he is in a lost and perishing condition in Adam, and by nature, and sees himself to be so, and comes to Christ as such; and though his frames and comforts are perishing, and he sometimes fears he shall be utterly lost; and though he is subject to slips and falls, and great spiritual decays; and shall perish as to the outward man by death; yet he shall never perish eternally, or be punished with everlasting destruction, as the wicked will:

but have eternal life; not by his works, but as the gift of God: and which he that truly believes; has already in the covenant of grace, in Christ his head, in faith and hope; and has the earnest and pledge of it, the Spirit of God; and the beginning of it, which is the knowledge of God in Christ; and shall hereafter possess it fully, and in person, to all eternity: even a life of perfect holiness and knowledge; a life of never ending pleasure; a life free from all the sorrows, distresses, and imperfections of this; and which will always continue.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

That whosoever - This shows the fulness and freeness of the gospel. All may come and be saved.Believeth in him - Whosoever puts confidence in him as able and willing to save. All who feel that they are sinners, that they have no righteousness of their own, and are willing to look to him as their only Saviour.

Should not perish - They are in danger, by nature, of perishing - that is, of sinking down to the pains of hell; of being “punished with everlasting destruction” from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power, 2 Thessalonians 1:9. All who believe on Jesus shall be saved from this condemnation and be raised up to eternal life. And from this we learn:

1.That there is salvation in no other.

2.That salvation is here full and free for all who will come.

3.That it is easy. What was more easy for a poor, wounded, dying Israelite, bitten by a poisonous serpent, than to look up to a brass serpent? So with the poor, lost, dying sinner. And what more foolish than for such a wounded, dying man to refuse to look on a remedy so easy and effectual? So nothing is more foolish man for a lost and dying sinner to “refuse” to look on God’s only Son, exalted on a cross to die for the sins of men, and able to save to the uttermost “all” who come to God by him.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse John 3:15. That whosoever believeth — Bp. Pearce supposes that this verse is only the conclusion of the 16th, and that it has been inserted in this place by mistake. The words contain the reason of the subject in the following verse, and seem to break in upon our Lord's argument before he had fully stated it. The words, μη αποληται αλλα, may not perish but, are omitted by some very ancient MSS. and versions.