John 3:15

King James Version

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

Parallel Translations

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

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

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]

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.

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.

English Standard Version
that whoever believes in him may 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.

English Revised Version
that whosoever believeth may 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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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."

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

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

Contextual Overview

¹ There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: ² The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. ³ Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. ⁴ Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? ⁵ Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. ⁶ That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. ⁷ Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. ⁸ The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. ⁹ Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be? ¹⁰ Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?

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

Genesis 3:1
Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?

Genesis 3:3
But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.

Genesis 3:4
And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:

Genesis 3:6
And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

Genesis 3:7
And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.

Genesis 3:8
And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden.

Genesis 3:10
And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.

Genesis 3:13
And the Lord God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.

Genesis 3:14
And the Lord God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:

Genesis 3:15
And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

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.