God & Savior

John 3:19-21

19And this is the verdict: The Light has come into the world, but men loved the darkness rather than the Light because their deeds were evil. 20Everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come into the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21But 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.”
John 3:19-21
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Study notes

Verse 19

The verdict is that light has come into the world, but people loved darkness more because their deeds were evil.

Explanation

John's Gospel calls Jesus "the Light" (1:4-9; 8:12). The verdict, or judgment, is not that God refused to send light. It is that people preferred darkness when the light came. Their choice exposes what they love.

Original language
  • κρίσις (krisis): judgment
    Greek · Noun, nominative, singular, feminine · Strong's G2920 · text: NA28 (as recorded in TAGNT)

    Judgment or verdict.

    Source: STEP Bible (Tyndale House, Cambridge), TAGNT: Translators Amalgamated Greek New Testament, STEPBible-Data commit ed476a8, John 3:19, word 5

  • φῶς (phōs): light
    Greek · Noun, nominative, singular, neuter · Strong's G5457 · text: NA28 (as recorded in TAGNT)

    Light.

    Source: STEP Bible (Tyndale House, Cambridge), TAGNT: Translators Amalgamated Greek New Testament, STEPBible-Data commit ed476a8, John 3:19, word 8

  • σκότος (skotos): darkness
    Greek · Noun, accusative, singular, neuter · Strong's G4655 · text: NA28 (as recorded in TAGNT)

    Darkness.

    Source: STEP Bible (Tyndale House, Cambridge), TAGNT: Translators Amalgamated Greek New Testament, STEPBible-Data commit ed476a8, John 3:19, word 19

  • πονηρὰ (ponēra): evil/bad
    Greek · Adjective, nominative, plural, neuter · Strong's G4190 · text: NA28 (as recorded in TAGNT)

    Evil.

    Source: STEP Bible (Tyndale House, Cambridge), TAGNT: Translators Amalgamated Greek New Testament, STEPBible-Data commit ed476a8, John 3:19, word 26

Cross-references
  • John 1:4-5 · Same theme

    The light shines in the darkness.

  • John 8:12 · Same theme

    I am the light of the world.

  • John 12:46 · Same theme

    I have come into the world as a light.

Connected events
  • Nicodemus visits Jesus at night
    This verse is part of it · jerusalem

    This verse is part of the conversation.

    John 3:1-21

Sources

Verse 20

Everyone who does evil hates the light and stays away from it, so their deeds are not exposed.

Explanation

Jesus explains why some refuse the light: coming into it would show their actions for what they are. Avoiding the light is a way of avoiding being exposed.

Original language
  • πράσσων (prassōn): to do/require
    Greek · Verb, present, active, participle, nominative, singular, masculine · Strong's G4238 · text: NA28 (as recorded in TAGNT)

    Practicing or doing.

    Source: STEP Bible (Tyndale House, Cambridge), TAGNT: Translators Amalgamated Greek New Testament, STEPBible-Data commit ed476a8, John 3:20, word 5

  • μισεῖ (misei): to hate
    Greek · Verb, present, active, indicative, 3rd person singular · Strong's G3404 · text: NA28 (as recorded in TAGNT)

    Hates.

    Source: STEP Bible (Tyndale House, Cambridge), TAGNT: Translators Amalgamated Greek New Testament, STEPBible-Data commit ed476a8, John 3:20, word 6

  • ἐλεγχθῇ (elegchthēa): to rebuke
    Greek · Verb, aorist, passive, subjunctive, 3rd person singular · Strong's G1651 · text: NA28 (as recorded in TAGNT)

    Be exposed.

    Source: STEP Bible (Tyndale House, Cambridge), TAGNT: Translators Amalgamated Greek New Testament, STEPBible-Data commit ed476a8, John 3:20, word 17

Cross-references
  • Ephesians 5:11-13 · Same theme

    Everything exposed by the light becomes visible.

  • Job 24:13-17 · Same theme

    Those who rebel against the light do their deeds in the dark.

Connected events
  • Nicodemus visits Jesus at night
    This verse is part of it · jerusalem

    This verse is part of the conversation.

    John 3:1-21

Sources

Verse 21

Whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so it can be seen that what they do has been done in God.

Explanation

This is the other side of verse 20. A person who "practices the truth" comes to the light, and that coming shows that their life is God's work in them. Nicodemus himself has come to Jesus, the Light, even though he came at night.

Original language
  • ποιῶν (poiōn): to do/make
    Greek · Verb, present, active, participle, nominative, singular, masculine · Strong's G4160G · text: NA28 (as recorded in TAGNT)

    Doing or practicing.

    Source: STEP Bible (Tyndale House, Cambridge), TAGNT: Translators Amalgamated Greek New Testament, STEPBible-Data commit ed476a8, John 3:21, word 3

  • ἀλήθειαν (alētheian): truth
    Greek · Noun, accusative, singular, feminine · Strong's G0225 · text: NA28 (as recorded in TAGNT)

    Truth.

    Source: STEP Bible (Tyndale House, Cambridge), TAGNT: Translators Amalgamated Greek New Testament, STEPBible-Data commit ed476a8, John 3:21, word 5

  • φανερωθῇ (phanerōthēa): to manifest
    Greek · Verb, aorist, passive, subjunctive, 3rd person singular · Strong's G5319 · text: NA28 (as recorded in TAGNT)

    Be shown clearly.

    Source: STEP Bible (Tyndale House, Cambridge), TAGNT: Translators Amalgamated Greek New Testament, STEPBible-Data commit ed476a8, John 3:21, word 11

  • εἰργασμένα (eirgasmena): to work
    Greek · Verb, perfect, passive, participle, nominative, plural, neuter · Strong's G2038 · text: NA28 (as recorded in TAGNT)

    Have been done or worked.

    Source: STEP Bible (Tyndale House, Cambridge), TAGNT: Translators Amalgamated Greek New Testament, STEPBible-Data commit ed476a8, John 3:21, word 19

Cross-references
  • 1 John 1:6-7 · Same theme

    Walking in the light, as He is in the light.

  • John 18:37 · Same theme

    Everyone who is of the truth listens to My voice.

Connected events
  • Nicodemus visits Jesus at night
    This verse is part of it · jerusalem

    This verse is part of the conversation.

    John 3:1-21

Sources

Original language and places

Reference data from open datasets, shown as published by their sources. Word-by-word English is a literal guide, not a translation.

Verse 19

Original language (Greek)

αὕτη δέ ἐστιν ἡ κρίσις ὅτι τὸ φῶς ἐλήλυθεν εἰς τὸν κόσμον, καὶ ἠγάπησαν οἱ ἄνθρωποι μᾶλλον τὸ σκότος ἢ τὸ φῶς· ἦν γὰρ αὐτῶν πονηρὰ τὰ ἔργα.

  1. αὕτηhautē“This”
    Demonstrative pronoun, nominative, singular, feminine · from οὗτος · “this/he/she/it” · Strong's G3778
  2. δέde“now”
    Conjunction · “but/and” · Strong's G1161
  3. ἐστινestin“is”
    Verb, present, active, indicative, 3rd person singular · from εἰμί · “to be” · Strong's G1510
  4. ἡhē“the”
    Article, nominative, singular, feminine · from ὁ · “the/this/who” · Strong's G3588
  5. κρίσιςkrisis“judgement”
    Noun, nominative, singular, feminine · “judgment” · Strong's G2920
  6. ὅτιhoti“that”
    Conjunction · “that/since” · Strong's G3754G
  7. τὸto“the”
    Article, nominative, singular, neuter · from ὁ · “the/this/who” · Strong's G3588
  8. φῶςphōs“Light”
    Noun, nominative, singular, neuter · “light” · Strong's G5457
  9. ἐλήλυθενelēluthen“has come”
    Verb, 2nd perfect, active, indicative, 3rd person singular · from ἔρχομαι · “to come/go” · Strong's G2064
  10. εἰςeis“into”
    Preposition · “toward” · Strong's G1519
  11. τὸνton“the”
    Article, accusative, singular, masculine · from ὁ · “the/this/who” · Strong's G3588
  12. κόσμον,kosmon“world,”
    Noun, accusative, singular, masculine · from κόσμος · “world” · Strong's G2889
  13. καὶkai“and”
    Conjunction · from καί · “and” · Strong's G2532
  14. ἠγάπησανēgapēsan“loved”
    Verb, aorist, active, indicative, 3rd person plural · from ἀγαπάω · “to love” · Strong's G0025
  15. οἱhoi“<the>”
    Article, nominative, plural, masculine · from ὁ · “the/this/who” · Strong's G3588
  16. ἄνθρωποιanthrōpoi“men”
    Noun, nominative, plural, masculine · from ἄνθρωπος · “a human” · Strong's G0444
  17. μᾶλλονmallon“rather”
    Adverb · “more” · Strong's G3123H
  18. τὸto“the”
    Article, accusative, singular, neuter · from ὁ · “the/this/who” · Strong's G3588
  19. σκότοςskotos“darkness”
    Noun, accusative, singular, neuter · “darkness” · Strong's G4655
  20. ἢē“than”
    Conjunction · from ἤ · “or/than” · Strong's G2228
  21. τὸto“the”
    Article, accusative, singular, neuter · from ὁ · “the/this/who” · Strong's G3588
  22. φῶς·phōs“Light;”
    Noun, accusative, singular, neuter · from φῶς · “light” · Strong's G5457
  23. ἦνēn“were”
    Verb, imperfect, active, indicative, 3rd person singular · from εἰμί · “to be” · Strong's G1510
  24. γὰρgar“for”
    Conjunction · from γάρ · “for” · Strong's G1063
  25. αὐτῶνautōn“of them”
    Personal pronoun, genitive, plural, masculine · from αὐτός · “he/she/it/self” · Strong's G0846
  26. πονηρὰponēra“evil”
    Adjective, nominative, plural, neuter · from πονηρός · “evil/bad” · Strong's G4190
  27. τὰta“the”
    Article, nominative, plural, neuter · from ὁ · “the/this/who” · Strong's G3588
  28. ἔργα.erga“deeds.”
    Noun, nominative, plural, neuter · from ἔργον · “work” · Strong's G2041

Verse 20

Original language (Greek)

πᾶς γὰρ ὁ φαῦλα πράσσων μισεῖ τὸ φῶς καὶ οὐκ ἔρχεται πρὸς τὸ φῶς ἵνα μὴ ἐλεγχθῇ τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ·

  1. πᾶςpas“Everyone”
    Adjective, nominative, singular, masculine · “all” · Strong's G3956
  2. γὰρgar“for”
    Conjunction · from γάρ · “for” · Strong's G1063
  3. ὁho“<the>”
    Article, nominative, singular, masculine · “the/this/who” · Strong's G3588
  4. φαῦλαphaula“evil”
    Adjective, accusative, plural, neuter · from φαῦλος · “evil” · Strong's G5337
  5. πράσσωνprassōn“practicing”
    Verb, present, active, participle, nominative, singular, masculine · from πράσσω · “to do/require” · Strong's G4238
  6. μισεῖmisei“hates”
    Verb, present, active, indicative, 3rd person singular · from μισέω · “to hate” · Strong's G3404
  7. τὸto“the”
    Article, accusative, singular, neuter · from ὁ · “the/this/who” · Strong's G3588
  8. φῶςphōs“Light”
    Noun, accusative, singular, neuter · “light” · Strong's G5457
  9. καὶkai“and”
    Conjunction · from καί · “and” · Strong's G2532
  10. οὐκouk“not”
    Particle, negative · from οὐ · “no” · Strong's G3756
  11. ἔρχεταιerchetai“comes”
    Verb, present, middle or passive (deponent), indicative, 3rd person singular · from ἔρχομαι · “to come/go” · Strong's G2064
  12. πρὸςpros“to”
    Preposition · from πρός · “to/with” · Strong's G4314
  13. τὸto“the”
    Article, accusative, singular, neuter · from ὁ · “the/this/who” · Strong's G3588
  14. φῶςphōs“Light”
    Noun, accusative, singular, neuter · “light” · Strong's G5457
  15. ἵναina“so that”
    Conjunction · “in order that/to” · Strong's G2443
  16. μὴmē“not”
    Particle, negative · from μή · “not” · Strong's G3361
  17. ἐλεγχθῇelegchthēa“may be exposed”
    Verb, aorist, passive, subjunctive, 3rd person singular · from ἐλέγχω · “to rebuke” · Strong's G1651
  18. τὰta“the”
    Article, nominative, plural, neuter · from ὁ · “the/this/who” · Strong's G3588
  19. ἔργαerga“works”
    Noun, nominative, plural, neuter · from ἔργον · “work” · Strong's G2041
  20. αὐτοῦ·autou“of him;”
    Personal pronoun, genitive, singular, masculine · from αὐτός · “he/she/it/self” · Strong's G0846

Verse 21

Original language (Greek)

ὁ δὲ ποιῶν τὴν ἀλήθειαν ἔρχεται πρὸς τὸ φῶς ἵνα φανερωθῇ αὐτοῦ τὰ ἔργα ὅτι ἐν θεῷ ἐστιν εἰργασμένα.

  1. ὁho“the [one]”
    Article, nominative, singular, masculine · “the/this/who” · Strong's G3588
  2. δὲde“however”
    Conjunction · from δέ · “but/and” · Strong's G1161
  3. ποιῶνpoiōn“practicing”
    Verb, present, active, participle, nominative, singular, masculine · from ποιέω · “to do/make” · Strong's G4160G
  4. τὴνtēn“the”
    Article, accusative, singular, feminine · from ὁ · “the/this/who” · Strong's G3588
  5. ἀλήθειανalētheian“truth”
    Noun, accusative, singular, feminine · from ἀλήθεια · “truth” · Strong's G0225
  6. ἔρχεταιerchetai“comes”
    Verb, present, middle or passive (deponent), indicative, 3rd person singular · from ἔρχομαι · “to come/go” · Strong's G2064
  7. πρὸςpros“to”
    Preposition · from πρός · “to/with” · Strong's G4314
  8. τὸto“the”
    Article, accusative, singular, neuter · from ὁ · “the/this/who” · Strong's G3588
  9. φῶςphōs“Light”
    Noun, accusative, singular, neuter · “light” · Strong's G5457
  10. ἵναina“that”
    Conjunction · “in order that/to” · Strong's G2443
  11. φανερωθῇphanerōthēa“may be manifest”
    Verb, aorist, passive, subjunctive, 3rd person singular · from φανερόω · “to manifest” · Strong's G5319
  12. αὐτοῦautou“his”
    Personal pronoun, genitive, singular, masculine · from αὐτός · “he/she/it/self” · Strong's G0846
  13. τὰta“<the>”
    Article, nominative, plural, neuter · from ὁ · “the/this/who” · Strong's G3588
  14. ἔργαerga“works”
    Noun, nominative, plural, neuter · from ἔργον · “work” · Strong's G2041
  15. ὅτιhoti“that”
    Conjunction · “that/since” · Strong's G3754G
  16. ἐνen“in”
    Preposition · “in/on/among” · Strong's G1722
  17. θεῷtheō“God”
    Noun, dative, singular, masculine · from θεός · “God” · Strong's G2316
  18. ἐστινestin“have been”
    Verb, present, active, indicative, 3rd person singular · from εἰμί · “to be” · Strong's G1510
  19. εἰργασμένα.eirgasmena“done.”
    Verb, perfect, passive, participle, nominative, plural, neuter · from ἐργάζομαι · “to work” · Strong's G2038
  • Prepared by the God & Savior team. Not yet reviewed by an editor.
  • Greek words: STEP Bible (STEPBible.org), based on work at Tyndale House, Cambridge. CC BY 4.0. Source (version ed476a8)