Berean Standard Bible
BSB and T4T shown with Greek annotations — · Why we show the Greek →
16For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.
God So Loved the World
For God loved the world in this way: he gave his only-begotten Son, so that everyone who believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
*Monogenes* is rendered "only-begotten" rather than the flattened "one and only," preserving the generative relationship between the Father and the Son — the Son derives his existence from the Father, which is distinct from the Father himself. *Apolesēi* ("perish") is translated at full strength; the contrast is between destruction and *zōēn aiōnion* ("eternal life"), not merely separation. The phrase "in this way" renders *houtōs* accurately, indicating the manner of God's love rather than merely its degree.
Berean Standard Bible
BSB and T4T shown with Greek annotations — · Why we show the Greek →
16For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.
King James Version
BSB and T4T shown with Greek annotations — · Why we show the Greek →
16For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Goodspeed New Testament
BSB and T4T shown with Greek annotations — · Why we show the Greek →
16For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that no one who believes in him should be lost, but that they should all have eternal life.
Translation for Translators
T4T was designed as a tool for Bible translators, not as a devotional text. It makes implicit meaning explicit and flags figurative language with abbreviations. Gold [brackets] indicate translation notes. ◄Triangles► mark alternative renderings.Read more about how to read T4T →BSB and T4T shown with Greek annotations — · Why we show the Greek →
16God loved us people [MTY]MetonymyOne thing represents another — for example "hand" representing power or authority. T4T makes this explicit so translators can find a natural equivalent. in the world so much that he gave his only Son as a sacrifice for us, in order that everyone who believes in him would not be separated from God forever. Instead, they would have eternal life.
Berean Standard Bible
Goodspeed New Testament
BSB and T4T shown with Greek annotations — · Why we show the Greek →
For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.
For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that no one who believes in him should be lost, but that they should all have eternal life.
Berean Standard Bible
Goodspeed New Testament
King James Version
BSB and T4T shown with Greek annotations — · Why we show the Greek →
For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.
For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that no one who believes in him should be lost, but that they should all have eternal life.
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.
SBL
16
Οὕτως so οὕτω hoútō adverb from G3778 (οὗτος); in this way (referring to what precedes or follows) after that, after (in) this manner, as, e γὰρ for γάρ gár a primary particle; properly, assigning a reason (used in argument, explanation or intensification; often with other par ἠγάπησεν love ἀγαπάω agapáō perhaps from (much) (or compare G5689); to love (in a social or moral sense) (be-)love(-ed) ὁ the ὁ ho the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom) the, this, that, one, he, she, θεὸς God θεός theós a deity, especially (with G3588 (ὁ)) the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very X exceeding, Go τὸν the ὁ ho the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom) the, this, that, one, he, she, κόσμον world κόσμος kósmos probably from the base of G2865 (κομίζω); orderly arrangement, i.e. decoration; by implication, the world (in a wide or ὥστε so that ὥστε hṓste from G5613 (ὡς) and G5037 (τέ); so too, i.e. thus therefore (in various relations of consecution, as follow) (insomuch) τὸν the ὁ ho the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom) the, this, that, one, he, she, ⸀ υἱὸν son υἱός huiós apparently a primary word; a son (sometimes of animals), used very widely of immediate, remote or figuratively, kinship τὸν the ὁ ho the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom) the, this, that, one, he, she, μονογενῆ only μονογενής monogenḗs from G3441 (μόνος) and G1096 (γίνομαι); only-born, i.e. sole only (begotten, child) ἔδωκεν give δίδωμι dídōmi a prolonged form of a primary verb (which is used as an alternative in most of the tenses); to give (used in a very wide , ἵνα so that ἵνα hína probably from the same as the former part of G1438 (ἑαυτοῦ) (through the demonstrative idea; compare G3588 (ὁ)); in orde πᾶς all πᾶς pâs including all the forms of declension; apparently a primary word; all, any, every, the whole all (manner of, means), alw ὁ the ὁ ho the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom) the, this, that, one, he, she, πιστεύων believe πιστεύω pisteúō from G4102 (πίστις); to have faith (in, upon, or with respect to, a person or thing), i.e. credit; by implication, to en εἰς into εἰς eis a primary preposition; to or into (indicating the point reached or entered), of place, time, or (figuratively) purpose ( αὐτὸν he αὐτός autós from the particle (perhaps akin to the base of G109 (ἀήρ) through the idea of a baffling wind) (backward); the reflexive μὴ not μή mḗ a primary particle of qualified negation (whereas G3756 (οὐ) expresses an absolute denial); (adverb) not, (conjunction) ἀπόληται perish ἀπόλλυμι apóllymi from G575 (ἀπό) and the base of G3639 (ὄλεθρος); to destroy fully (reflexively, to perish, or lose), literally or figura ἀλλὰ but ἀλλά allá neuter plural of G243 (ἄλλος); properly, other things, i.e. (adverbially) contrariwise (in many relations) and, but (eve ἔχῃ have ἔχω échō a primary verb; to hold (used in very various applications, literally or figuratively, direct or remote; such as possess ζωὴν life ζωή zōḗ from G2198 (ζάω); life (literally or figuratively) life(-time) αἰώνιον eternal αἰώνιος aiṓnios from G165 (αἰών); perpetual (also used of past time, or past and future as well) eternal, for ever, everlasting, world ( .
For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.
The Greek word translated "one and only" is monogenes — a compound of monos (alone, single) and genos (kind, offspring). It does not mean outside the order of creation or beyond sequence and rank among created beings.
It means uniquely begotten, one of a kind, the Father's singular and supreme firstborn among everything that exists. The mainstream reading typically collapses monogenes into a statement about eternal divine identity, turning this verse into a proof-text for a triune ontology that the text itself does not supply.
What John is actually saying is simpler and more staggering: Jehovah, the God of the Shema, loved the world so fully that he gave his most precious thing — the one through whom all creation holds together, his firstborn Pioneer — as the ultimate expression of hesed, that steadfast faithful love threaded through every page of the Hebrew scriptures. The giving is not an abstraction.
The Pioneer was genuinely creaturely, genuinely mortal, genuinely at risk — and that is precisely what makes the Father's act of sending him so costly. Eternal life, then, is not a reward for correct doctrine about the Pioneer's nature. It is the life that opens up when you actually follow the Pattern he demonstrated.
Sit with this
What would it change in you today if you trusted that the Father's love for you is that costly?
Sources
SBL Greek New Testament (SBLGNT)License
The Greek New Testament: SBL Edition
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