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17 For God did not send the Son into the world to judge and condemn the world [that is, to initiate the final judgment of the world], but that the world might be saved through Him. 18 Whoever believes and has decided to trust in Him [as personal Savior and Lord] is not judged [for this one, there is no judgment, no rejection, no condemnation]; but the one who does not believe [and has decided to reject Him as personal Savior and Lord] is judged already [that one has been convicted and sentenced], because [a]he has not believed and trusted in the name of the [One and] only begotten Son of God [the One who is truly unique, the only One of His kind, the One who alone can save him]. 19 This is the judgment [that is, the cause for indictment, the test by which people are judged, the basis for the sentence]: the Light has come into the world, and people loved the [b]darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil.(A)

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Footnotes

  1. John 3:18 The Greek refers to an unsaved person who has made the decision not to believe in the Son, Jesus Christ, that is, not to accept the salvation offered by the Son and commit to follow Him. Such a person stands condemned by God unless he changes his mind.
  2. John 3:19 See note 1:5.

17 For God did not send his Son into the world(A) to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.(B) 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned,(C) but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.(D) 19 This is the verdict: Light(E) has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.(F)

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