John 3:16 (chapter 3, verse 16 of the Gospel of John) is one of the most widely quoted verses from the Christian Bible,^[1] and has been called the most famous Bible verse.^[2] It has also been called the "Gospel in a nutshell".

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.

— John 3:16

Biblical context[link]

Statue of Nicodemus by Giovanni Angelo Del Maino

The verse occurs in a narrative in the New Testament third chapter of John taking place in Jerusalem. Nicodemus, a member of the ruling council (sanhedrin), comes to talk with Jesus, whom he calls Rabbi. Jesus' miracles have convinced Nicodemus that Jesus is sent from God. In reply, Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit."(John 3:5-6) John 3:16 builds upon Jesus' lesson to Nicodemus: that belief in Jesus is necessary for eternal life.^{[citation needed]}

Translations[link]

The verse in the original Greek is as follows (associated Strong's Number in superscript):

Οὕτως³⁷⁷⁹ γὰρ¹⁰⁶³ ἠγάπησεν²⁵ ὁ³⁵⁸⁸ Θεὸς²³¹⁶ τὸν³⁵⁸⁸ κόσμον²⁸⁸⁹, ὥστε⁵⁶²⁰ τὸν³⁵⁸⁸ Υἱὸν^{[3] 5207} τὸν³⁵⁸⁸ μονογενῆ³⁴³⁹ ἔδωκεν¹³²⁵, ἵνα²⁴⁴³ πᾶς³⁹⁵⁶ ὁ³⁵⁸⁸ πιστεύων⁴¹⁰⁰ εἰς¹⁵¹⁹ Αὐτὸν⁸⁴⁶ μὴ³³⁶¹ ἀπόληται⁶²² ἀλλ᾽²³⁵ ἔχῃ²¹⁹² ζωὴν²²²² αἰώνιον¹⁶⁶

This can be translated literally as:

For in this way God loved the world: that he gave the unique son, so that all the ones trusting in him would not perish, but have eternal life.

A representative sample of published Bible translations renders it as follows. (It is worth noting that since this is perhaps the best-known verse, many translations have tried to maintain a traditional rendering.)

(See also Modern English Bible translations.)

Sense and syntax[link]

Recent translation scholarship has struggled most with the Greek adverb οὕτως (houtos) which traditionally has been simply translated as "so" as in "so loved" in the KJV.

Theologians Gundry and Howell^[4] believe that the sense and syntax of the Greek Οὕτως…ὥστε make it likely that the author of the Gospel of John is emphasizing both (a) the degree to which God loved the world as well as (b) the manner in which God chose to express that love—by sending his only son. Gundry and Howell write that the Οὕτως term more frequently refers to the manner in which something is done (see BDAG 741-42 s.v. οὕτω/οὕτως). However, they add that the ὥστε clause that follows Οὕτως involves the indicative—meaning that it stresses an actual but usually unexpected result. They conclude that the sense and syntax of the Greek construction here focuses on the nature of God's love, addressing its mode, intensity, and extent. Accordingly, it emphasizes the greatness of the gift God has given.

There are other scholars agreeing with this assessment. "The 'so' (houtos) is an adverb of degree which points toward the clause which follows and here serves to express the idea of infinity, a love that is limitless, that is fully adequate."^[5] "The Greek construction…emphasizes the intensity of the love."^[6]

This understanding of the intent in the original Greek is reflected in various scholarly commentaries and translations such as these:

• "For God loved the world so much that he gave his only-begotten Son" (Schnackenburg).^[7]
• "Yes, God loved the world so much that He gave the only Son" (Brown).^[8]
• "God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son" (NEB).
• "God loved the people of this world so much that he gave his only Son" (CEV).
• "For God loved the world so greatly that he gave the only Son" (Beasley-Murray).^[9]

Based on their analysis of the original Greek parallelistic structure of John 3:14-17, Gundry and Howell provide the following English translation showing the grammatical structure of that passage:

PARALLELISTIC STRUCTURE OF JOHN 3:14-17
MAIN CLAUSES (UNINDENTED)
SUBORDINATE CLAUSES (INDENTED)^[4]

And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness,

in this way must the Son of man be lifted up

in order that everyone believing might have in him life eternal,

for in this way God loved the world;

and so God gave the only Son

in order that everyone believing in him might not perish; rather, might have life eternal,

for God did not send the Son into the world

in order that he might judge the world;

rather, in order that the world might be saved through him.

Other information[link]

Translations of this verse into various languages are a familiar part of the front matter of Gideon Bibles.

The text of the verse is incorporated into the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, the fourth century archbishop of Constantinople, as part of a prayer said by the celebrant. This Divine Liturgy is still commonly used in the Eastern Orthodox Church and in the Byzantine rite of the Roman Catholic Church.

The various translations differ on whether this is a direct quote of Jesus or a comment of the narrator of the Gospel.^{[citation needed]}

Computer scientist Donald Knuth is the author of 3:16 Bible Texts Illuminated,^[10] in which he examines the Bible by an analysis of chapter 3, verse 16 of each book. Each verse is accompanied by a rendering in calligraphic art, contributed by a group of calligraphers under the leadership of Hermann Zapf. 3:16 was chosen because of this key passage in John. Knuth's Things a Computer Scientist Rarely Talks About reproduces a lecture series that he gave at MIT, centered on his process of production of his book.

David Pawson challenged the meaning and interpretation of the verse in his 2007 book Is John 3:16 the Gospel?^[11]

References in popular culture[link]

John 3:16 printed on the bottom rim of an In-N-Out Burger paper cup.

• The phrase "John 3:16" is very short and can be written inconspicuously in out-of-the-way locations. In the U.S., the In-N-Out Burger chain prints it on the inside of the bottom rim of their paper cups, clothing chain Forever 21 and Heritage (1981) print it on the bottom of their shopping bags, and Tornado Fuel Saver prints it on the box.
• Some people (such as the Rainbow Man) display the reference in large letters at sporting events, seeking the attention of fellow fans, the staff controlling the venue's giant video screens and, if the game is televised, the television audience.^[12]
• The Heisman-winning American football player Tim Tebow printed this reference (among other Bible verses) on his eye black, notably during the 2009 BCS championship.^[13] Exactly three years later on January 8, 2012, was the game that would become known as "The 3:16 game", where Tebow threw for 316 yards in a playoff upset against the Pittsburgh Steelers; a game in which measurements of 3, 16 and 31.6 were also noted, "John 3 16" became the top Google search in the US.^[14][15]
• Various real and fictional characters have parodied the phrase by substituting their own name for "John", or pretending that the verse says something else. A prominent example is Stone Cold Steve Austin whose rise to fame was marked by his catchphrase "Austin 3:16".
• Video installation artist Paul Pfeiffer created a piece called "John 3:16" in which he digitally edited footage from a basketball game so that the ball always stays the same size in the center of the frame.^[16]
• "John 3:16" has been used as a song title by various artists, including Wyclef Jean and DJ Muggs on Soul Assassins, Method Man on The Problem, and KatieJane Garside on The Ventriloquist.

See also[link]

• Conversion to Christianity
• Modern English Bible translations
• Monogenes
• O Monogenes Yios
• Perfect contrition

References[link]

External links[link]

• John 3:16 in Pop Culture, Time magazine photo essay (2009)

Look up John or john in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

John is a common English name and surname:

• John (given name)
• John (surname)

John may also refer to:

People[link]

Religious figures[link]

• John Hyrcanus, ruler of Judea 134–104 BC
• John the Baptist (c. 7 BC – c. 30 AD), regarded as a prophet and the forerunner of Jesus Christ
• John the Apostle (c. 6 – c. 100 AD), one of the twelve apostles of Jesus
  • John the Evangelist, alleged author of the Fourth Gospel, traditionally identified with the Apostle
  • John of Patmos, the Seer of the Book of Revelation, traditionally identified with the Apostle
  • John the Presbyter, an obscure figure either identified with or distinguished from the Apostle, the Evangelist and John of Patmos
• John Mark, possibly the same as Mark the Evangelist
• Pope John of Alexandria (disambiguation), 19 Patriarchs of Alexandria
• Saint John (disambiguation), various people

Popes and Antipopes[link]

• Pope John or Antipope John (disambiguation), a Roman Catholic papal name
• Pope John I
• Pope John II
• Pope John III
• Pope John IV
• Pope John V
• Pope John VI
• Pope John VII
• Pope John VIII
• Pope John IX
• Pope John X
• Pope John XI
• Pope John XII
• Pope John XIII
• Pope John XIV
• Pope John XV
• Antipope John XVI
• Pope John XVII
• Pope John XVIII
• Pope John XIX
• Pope John XX, a numbering never actually used
• Pope John XXI
• Pope John XXII
• Pope John XXIII
• Antipope John XXIII

Rulers and other political figures[link]

• John of Austria (disambiguation) (three people)
• John of Bohemia (1296–1346), called John the Blind, king from 1310
• John of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, better known as Hans of Denmark (1455–1513)
• John of England (1166–1216), king and younger brother of Richard I
• John I of Hungary or János Szapolyai (1487–1540), king from 1526
• John II Sigismund Zápolya (1540–1571), king of Hungary and Prince of Transylvania
• John of Poland (disambiguation), three people
• John of Scotland also known as John de Balliol (c. 1249–1314), king from 1292–1296
• Infante João, Duke of Valencia de Campos (1349–1397)
• Infante João of Portugal (1400–1442), Lord of Reguengos de Monsaraz
• Infante John of Coimbra, Prince of Antioch (1431–1457)
• Infante John, Duke of Viseu (1448–1472), 3rd Duke of Viseu, 2nd Duke of Beja, King Manuel I's older brother
• João, Crown Prince of Portugal (1537–1554)
• Infante João, Duke of Beja (1842–1861)

• Iohannes (consul 456), a politician of the Eastern Roman Empire
• Iohannes (consul 467), a politician of the Eastern Roman Empire, advisor to Emperor Zeno
• John the Scythian, a general and politician of the Eastern Roman Empire, consul in 498
• John the Hunchback, a general and politician of the Eastern Roman Empire, consul in 499

Others[link]

• John of Antioch (chronicler), a chronicler of the 7th century

Fictional characters[link]

• John Arbuckle, fictional character in the comic strip, Garfield
• Dr. John Watson (Sherlock Holmes), best friend of Sherlock Holmes
• John Clayton, English name of Tarzan
• John Carter (character), Edgar Rice Burroughs' protagonist in a series of novels set on Mars
• John (John and Gillian), appearing in the Doctor Who TV comic strip
• John (Tomorrow People), appearing in the children's science-fiction TV series The Tomorrow People
• John from Cincinnati, eponymous TV character
• John, the head of the Visitors force in the science-fiction franchise V
• Red John, the antagonist of The Mentalist
• Dr. John Michael "J.D." Dorian, of the TV sitcom Scrubs
• John Sheppard (Stargate), a US Air Force officer on the TV series Stargate Atlantis
• John Bosley (Charlie's Angels), in the 1976-1981 television series Charlie's Angels
• Detective John Munch, on the TV series Law & Order
• Master Chief (Halo) (John-117), main character in the Halo video game series
• Big Boss (Metal Gear), whose real name is John, one of the main characters from the video game series Metal Gear Solid
• John Marston, the protagonist of Red Dead Redemption

Books of the Bible[link]

• Gospel of John
• 1 John
• 2 John
• 3 John

Songs[link]

• "John" (song), by French singer Desireless
• "John" (Lil Wayne song)
• "john", an iamamiwhoami song

Other[link]

• John Doe, generic name for a male whose identity is either unknown or withheld
• John, slang for a person who patronizes prostitutes
• John, slang for toilet
• John (ship), which disappeared off the coast of Australia in 1806
• Tropical Storm John (disambiguation), tropical cyclones appearing in the eastern Pacific Ocean
• John the bookmaker controversy, a cricket betting scandal in 1994–95 in which Australian cricketers were involved with an Indian bookmaker identified only as "John"
• John the Ripper, a password strength checking program (the executable program is simply "john")
• John, a 1927 play by Philip Barry

See also[link]

• All pages beginning with "John"
• All pages with titles containing "John"
• Yahya
• Johnny (disambiguation)
• Jon
• Ivan (disambiguation)
• Yohannan

This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the same title. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article.

John E. Moore (born in Charleston, West Virginia) is an American politician. In 2002 he was elected on the Democratic Party ticket as the running mate of Governor Kathleen Sebelius; he assumed office as the 46th Lieutenant Governor of Kansas on January 13, 2003. In 2006, Moore chose not to seek re-election.

Lieutenant governor[link]

In addition to his responsibilities as Lieutenant Governor, Moore also served as Chairman of the Governor’s Strategic Military Planning Commission. The Commission was created to preserve and grow the military presence in Kansas during the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process. He also served as Chairman of the Kansas Health Care Cost Containment Commission which focuses upon reducing the cost of health care administration in Kansas.

Moore was also the Kansas Secretary of Commerce until September 1, 2004, before stepping down to become the state’s first fulltime Lieutenant Governor. As Secretary of Commerce, he headed the Prosperity Summit process to develop the Economic Revitalization Act and the Economic Growth Act which were enacted into law in 2004. The 2004 legislative session has been called by many the most important session for economic development in decades.

Business Career and Community Involvement[link]

Prior to seeking public office, Moore had been employed by the Cessna Aircraft Company since 1982. Beginning as Senior Vice President of Human Resources, he was named one of two Executive Vice Presidents of the company in 1999. He resigned in July 2002 in order to run for office. He had been a Republican, but switched affiliation to Democrat days before being introduced on the Sebelius ticket.

Moore is past chairman of the Kansas Chamber of Commerce and Industry. He is also a past chairman of both Kansas, Inc. and Kansas Technology Enterprise Corporation (KTEC), two public/private partnerships focused on economic development. He also served as the first chairman of the Kansas Children’s Cabinet.

Moore has been active in philanthropic and civic activities in the Wichita area. He is a founder and former President of the Kansas Foodbank Warehouse, and he was the founder and the first chairman of the Greater Wichita Area Sports Commission. In 1998, he served as the General Campaign Chairman for the United Way of the Plains. He also served as a board member and President of the Wichita Children’s Home.

Education[link]

Moore received his undergraduate degree from Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia, and his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Kentucky’s College of Law in 1968. He married in 1966 to Marty Spangenberg and has two children—B. Clay Moore of Shawnee and Stacia Wohlford of Lawrence—and five grandchildren.

References[link]

• "Biography". Office of the Lieutenant Governor of Kansas. Archived from the original on 2008-06-03. http://web.archive.org/web/20080603225138/http://www.governor.ks.gov/LtGov/history/bio-moore.htm. Retrieved 2008-07-07.