John 3:21

THE MESSAGE

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
But anyone who lives by

King James Version (1611)
But hee that doeth trueth, commeth to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

King James Version
But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

English Standard Version
But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God."

New American Standard Bible
"But the one who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds will be revealed as having been performed in God."

New Century Version
But those who follow the true way come to the light, and it shows that the things they do were done through God."

Amplified Bible
"But whoever practices truth [and does what is right—morally, ethically, spiritually] comes to the Light, so that his works may be plainly shown to be what they are—accomplished in God [divinely prompted, done with God's help, in dependence on Him]."

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God."

Legacy Standard Bible
But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been done by God."

Berean Standard Bible
But whoever practices the truth comes into the Light, so that it may be seen clearly that what he has done has been accomplished in God."

Contemporary English Version
But everyone who lives by the truth will come to the light, because they want others to know that God is really the one doing what they do.

Complete Jewish Bible
But everyone who does what is true comes to the light, so that all may see that his actions are accomplished through God."

Darby Translation
but he that practises the truth comes to the light, that his works may be manifested that they have been wrought in God.

Easy-to-Read Version
But anyone who follows the true way comes to the light. Then the light will show that whatever they have done was done through God.

Geneva Bible (1587)
But he that doeth trueth, commeth to the light, that his deedes might bee made manifest, that they are wrought according to God.

George Lamsa Translation
But he who does truthful things comes to the light, so that his works may be known, that they are done through God.

Good News Translation
But those who do what is true come to the light in order that the light may show that what they did was in obedience to God.

Lexham English Bible
But the one who practices the truth comes to the light, in order that his deeds may be revealed, that they are done in God.

Literal Translation
But the one doing the truth comes to the Light, that his works may be revealed, that they exist, having been worked in God.

American Standard Version
But he that doeth the truth cometh to the light, that his works may be made manifest, that they have been wrought in God.

Bible in Basic English
But he whose life is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his acts have been done by the help of God.

Hebrew Names Version
But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his works may be revealed, that they have been done in God."

International Standard Version
But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that all may seeso that it may be revealed">[fn] that his actions have been done in God."

Etheridge Translation
But he who doeth the truth cometh to the light, that his works may be known that in Aloha they are wrought.

Murdock Translation
But he that doeth right, cometh to the light, that his works may be known to be done in God.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
But he that doeth trueth, cometh to the lyght, yt his deedes may be knowen, howe that they are wrought in God.

English Revised Version
But he that doeth the truth cometh to the light, that his works may be made manifest, that they have been wrought in God.

World English Bible
But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his works may be revealed, that they have been done with God."

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
But he that practiseth the truth, cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God.

Weymouth's New Testament
But he who does what is honest and right comes to the light, in order that his actions may be plainly shown to have been done in God.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
But he that doith treuthe, cometh to the liyt, that hise werkis be schewid, that thei ben don in God.

Update Bible Version
But he that does the truth comes to the light, that his works may be made manifest, that they have been worked in God.

Webster's Bible Translation
But he that doeth truth, cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

New English Translation
But the one who practices the truth comes to the light, so that it may be plainly evident that his deeds have been done in God.

New King James Version
But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God."

New Living Translation
But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants."

New Life Bible
The man who does what is right comes to the Light. What he does will be seen because he has done what God wanted him to do."

New Revised Standard
But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God."

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
But, he that doeth the truth, cometh unto the light, that his works may be, made manifest, that, in God, have they been wrought.

Douay-Rheims Bible
But he that doth truth cometh to the light, that his works may be made manifest: because they are done in God.

Revised Standard Version
But he who does what is true comes to the light, that it may be clearly seen that his deeds have been wrought in God.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
But he that doth truth commeth to the light that his dedes might be knowen how that they are wrought in God.

Young's Literal Translation
but he who is doing the truth doth come to the light, that his works may be manifested, that in God they are having been wrought.'

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
But he that doth the trueth, commeth to the light, that his workes maye be knowne: for they are done in God.

Mace New Testament (1729)
but he that doth right, cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, because they are agreeable to the will of God.

Simplified Cowboy Version
But those who want to ride the right way are not afraid to come into the light."

Contextual Overview

¹There was a man of the Pharisee sect, Nicodemus, a prominent leader among the Jews. Late one night he visited Jesus and said, "Rabbi, we all know you're a teacher straight from God. No one could do all the God-pointing, God-revealing acts you do if God weren't in on it." ³ Jesus said, "You're absolutely right. Take it from me: Unless a person is born from above, it's not possible to see what I'm pointing to—to God's kingdom." ⁴ "How can anyone," said Nicodemus, "be born who has already been born and grown up? You can't re-enter your mother's womb and be born again. What are you saying with this ‘born-from-above' talk?" ⁵Jesus said, "You're not listening. Let me say it again. Unless a person submits to this original creation—the ‘wind-hovering-over-the-water' creation, the invisible moving the visible, a baptism into a new life—it's not possible to enter God's kingdom. When you look at a baby, it's just that: a body you can look at and touch. But the person who takes shape within is formed by something you can't see and touch—the Spirit—and becomes a living spirit. ⁷"So don't be so surprised when I tell you that you have to be ‘born from above'—out of this world, so to speak. You know well enough how the wind blows this way and that. You hear it rustling through the trees, but you have no idea where it comes from or where it's headed next. That's the way it is with everyone ‘born from above' by the wind of God, the Spirit of God." ⁹ Nicodemus asked, "What do you mean by this? How does this happen?" ¹⁰Jesus said, "You're a respected teacher of Israel and you don't know these basics? Listen carefully. I'm speaking sober truth to you. I speak only of what I know by experience; I give witness only to what I have seen with my own eyes. There is nothing secondhand here, no hearsay. Yet instead of facing the evidence and accepting it, you procrastinate with questions. If I tell you things that are plain as the hand before your face and you don't believe me, what use is there in telling you of things you can't see, the things of God? ¹³"No one has ever gone up into the presence of God except the One who came down from that Presence, the Son of Man. In the same way that Moses lifted the serpent in the desert so people could have something to see and then believe, it is necessary for the Son of Man to be lifted up—and everyone who looks up to him, trusting and expectant, will gain a real life, eternal life. ¹⁶"This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn't go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it. And why? Because of that person's failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to him. ¹⁹"This is the crisis we're in: God-light streamed into the world, but men and women everywhere ran for the darkness. They went for the darkness because they were not really interested in pleasing God. Everyone who makes a practice of doing evil, addicted to denial and illusion, hates God-light and won't come near it, fearing a painful exposure. But anyone working and living in truth and reality welcomes God-light so the work can be seen for the God-work it is."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

he that: John 1:47, John 5:39, Psalms 1:1-3, Psalms 119:80, Psalms 119:105, Psalms 139:23, Psalms 139:24, Isaiah 8:20, Acts 17:11, Acts 17:12, 1 John 1:6

that his: John 15:4, John 15:5, Isaiah 26:12, Hosea 14:8, 1 Corinthians 15:10, 2 Corinthians 1:12, Galatians 5:22, Galatians 5:23, Galatians 6:8, Ephesians 5:9, Philippians 1:11, Philippians 2:13, Colossians 1:29, Hebrews 13:21, 1 Peter 1:22, 2 Peter 1:5-10, 1 John 2:27-29, 1 John 4:12, 1 John 4:13, 1 John 4:15, 1 John 4:16, Revelation 3:1, Revelation 3:2, Revelation 3:15

they are: 3 John 1:11

Reciprocal: Psalms 25:12 - him Psalms 31:19 - wrought Luke 5:17 - that there John 12:36 - believe Ephesians 2:10 - we are Ephesians 5:13 - for 2 Timothy 3:7 - learning

Cross-References

Genesis 3:2
The Woman said to the serpent, "Not at all. We can eat from the trees in the garden. It's only about the tree in the middle of the garden that God said, ‘Don't eat from it; don't even touch it or you'll die.'"

Genesis 3:7
Immediately the two of them did "see what's really going on"—saw themselves naked! They sewed fig leaves together as makeshift clothes for themselves.

Isaiah 61:10
I will sing for joy in God , explode in praise from deep in my soul! He dressed me up in a suit of salvation, he outfitted me in a robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom who puts on a tuxedo and a bride a jeweled tiara. For as the earth bursts with spring wildflowers, and as a garden cascades with blossoms, So the Master, God , brings righteousness into full bloom and puts praise on display before the nations.

2 Corinthians 5:21
How? you ask. In Christ. God put the wrong on him who never did anything wrong, so we could be put right with God.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

But he that doth truth,.... That which is true, right and good: "he whose work is just", as the Ethiopic version renders it; or, "he that does that which is right", so the Persic; that which is according to the will of God, and from a principle of love to him, and with a view to his glory:

cometh to the light; to Christ, and to his word, and ordinances:

that his deeds may be made manifest; being brought to the light, to the test, and standard, whether they, are right, or wrong; and that it may appear,

that they are wrought in God; or "by God"; by his assistance, and gracious influence, without which men can do nothing; for it is God that works in them both to will and to do: or, "according to God", as others render it; according to the will of God, both for matter and manner: or "for God", as the Ethiopic version renders it; for the glory of God, which ought to be the aim, and end of every action. The Persic version reads the whole thus, "that the work which is between God and him may be known"; that such deeds may be discovered, which are only known to God and himself.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Are that doeth truth - He who does right, or he that obeys the truth. Truth here is opposed to error and to evil. The sinner acts from falsehood and error. The good man acts according to truth. The sinner believes a lie - that God will not punish, or that there is no God, or that there is no eternity and no hell. The Christian believes all these, and acts as if they were true. This is the difference between a Christian and a sinner.

Cometh to the light - Loves the truth, and seeks it more and more. By prayer and searching the Scriptures he endeavors to ascertain the truth, and yield his mind to it.

May be made manifest - May be made clear or plain; or that it may be made plain that his deeds are performed in God. He searches for truth and light that he may have evidence that his actions are right.

Wrought in God - That they are performed according to the will of God, or perhaps by the assistance of God, and are such as God will approve. The actions of good people are performed by the influence and aid of God, Philippians 2:12. Of course, if they are performed by his aid, they are such as he will approve. Here is presented the character of a good man and a sincere Christian. We learn respecting that character:

1. He does truth. He loves it, seeks it, follows it.
2. He comes to the light. He does not attempt to deceive himself or others.
3. He is willing to know himself, and aims to do it. He desires to know the true state of his heart before God.
4. A special object of his efforts is that his deeds may be “wrought in God.” He desires to be a good man; to receive continual aid from God, and to perform such actions as he will approve.

This is the close of our Lord’s discourse with Nicodemus - a discourse condensing the gospel, giving the most striking exhibition and illustration of truth, and representing especially the fundamental doctrine of regeneration and the evidence of the change. It is clear that the Saviour regarded this as lying at the foundation of religion. Without it we cannot possibly be saved. And now it becomes every reader, as in the presence of God, and in view of the judgment-seat of Christ, solemnly to ask himself whether he has experienced this change? whether he knows by experience what it is to be born of that Spirit? If he does he will be saved. If not, he is in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity, and should give no sleep to his eyes until he has made his peace with God.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse John 3:21. Wrought in God. — In his presence, and through his assistance. This is the end of our Lord's discourse to Nicodemus; and though we are not informed here of any good effects produced by it, yet we learn from other scriptures that it had produced the most blessed effects in his mind, and that from this time he became a disciple of Christ. He publicly defended our Lord in the Sanhedrin, of which he was probably a member, John 7:50, and, with Joseph of Arimathea, gave him an honourable funeral, John 19:39, when all his bosom friends had deserted him. See Dodd.