| Translation | John 3:16 |
| Greek | Οὕτως γὰρ ἠγάπησεν ὁ θεὸς τὸν κόσμον, ὥστε τὸν υἱὸν τὸν μονογενῆ ἔδωκεν, ἵνα πᾶς ὁ πιστεύων εἰς αὐτὸν μὴ ἀπόληται ἀλλ᾽ ἔχῃ ζωὴν αἰώνιον. |
| American Standard Version | For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life. |
| Amplified Bible | For God so greatly loved and
dearly prized the world that He gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life. |
| Contemporary English Version | God loved the people of this world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who has faith in him will have eternal life and never really die. |
| English Standard Version | For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. |
| Geneva Bible | For God so loved the world, that he hath given his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him, should not perish, but have euerlasting life. |
| GOD'S WORD | God loved the world this way: He gave his only Son so that everyone who believes in him will not die but will have eternal life. |
| Good News Translation | For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not die but have eternal life. |
| Holman Christian Standard Bible | For God loved the world in this way: He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him might not perish but have eternal life. |
| International Standard Version | For this is how God loved the world: He gave his unique Son so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. |
| Jerusalem Bible | Yes, God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not be lost but may have eternal life. |
| King James Version | 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. |
| HSV | For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, so that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. |
| The Living Bible | For God loved the world so much that He gave his only Son so that anyone who believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. |
| The Message | 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. |
| New American Bible | For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. |
| New American Standard Bible | For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. |
| New American Standard Bible Update | For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. |
| New English Bible | God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, that everyone who has faith in him may not die but have eternal life. |
| New English Translation | For this is the way God loved the world: he gave his one and only Son that everyone who believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. |
| New International Version | For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. |
| New Jerusalem Bible | For this is how God loved the world: he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. |
| New King James Version | For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. |
| New Living Translation | For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. |
| New Revised Standard Version | For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. |
| New Simplified Bible | For God loved the world so much, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever has an active faith (believes) in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. |
| New World Translation | For God loved the world so much that he gave his only-begotten Son, in order that everyone exercising faith in him might not be destroyed but have everlasting life. |
| Revised English Bible | God so loved the world that he gave he gave his only son that everyone who has faith in him may not perish buy have eternal life |
| Revised Standard Version | For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. |
| Revised Version | For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life. |
| Today's New International Version | For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. |
| William Tyndale | For God so loveth the world, that he hath given his only son, that none that believe in him, should perish: but should have everlasting life. |
| World English Bible | For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life. |
| The Word on the Street | Cos God's so passionate about the planet that he donates his one and only Son. Whoever invests their life in his Son doesn't die, but gets given this limitless life. |
For a comparison of an Old Testament verse, see Genesis 1:1-3.
Translations of this verse into various language are a familiar part of the front matter of Gideon Bibles.
The text of the verse is also incorporated into the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, as part of a prayer said by the celebrant. This Divine Liturgy is commonly used in the Eastern Orthodox Church and in the Byzantine rite of the Roman Catholic Church.
The phrase "John 3:16" is very short and can be written in large letterson small signs. As a result, some evangelicals occasionally displaythe reference at sporting events (such as football games) so it might be televised (such as in the case of the Rainbow Man Rollen Stewart). This has led to the phrase being parodied in slogans such as "Austin 3:16" and other variants in popular culture.
The various translations differ on whether this is a direct quote of Jesus or a comment of the narrator of the Gospel.