John 3:18

18 He that believeth in him, is not deemed; but he that believeth not, is now deemed [He that believeth into him is not deemed, or condemned; forsooth he that believeth not, is now condemned], for he believeth not in the name of the one begotten Son of God.

John 3:18 Meaning and Commentary

John 3:18

He that believeth on him is not condemned
Whether Jew or Gentile, because a believer is openly in Christ; and there is no condemnation to those that are in him: and though the sentence of death passed upon all in Adam, and judgment came upon all men to condemnation in him; yet this sentence being executed on Christ, the surety of his people, who has been condemned to death, and has suffered it in their stead, his death is a security to them from all condemnation: and they are delivered by him from the curse and condemnation of the law: and having in conversion openly passed from death to life, they shall never enter into condemnation; and this is the happy case of every one that believes in Christ:

but he that believeth not is condemned already.
The Persic version renders it, "from the beginning"; he remains under the sentence of condemnation passed in Adam upon him; the law accuses him, and pronounces him guilty before God; he is under the curse of it, and it is a ministration of condemnation and death to him; nor has he any thing to secure him from its charge, curse, and condemnation: this must be understood of one that is a final unbeliever, or that lives, and dies, in a state of impenitence, and unbelief:

because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of
God;
whom God has sent to be the Saviour of lost sinners, and to deliver them from wrath to come; and there is no other name but his, whereby men can be saved; so that such that do not believe in him, must be damned.

John 3:18 In-Context

16 For God loved so the world [Forsooth God so loved the world], that he gave his one begotten Son, that each man that believeth in him perish not, but have everlasting life.
17 For God sent not his Son into the world, that he judge the world, but that the world be saved by him.
18 He that believeth in him, is not deemed; but he that believeth not, is now deemed [He that believeth into him is not deemed, or condemned; forsooth he that believeth not, is now condemned], for he believeth not in the name of the one begotten Son of God.
19 And this is the doom, for light came into the world, and men loved more darknesses than light; for their works were evil.
20 For each man that doeth evil, hateth the light; and he cometh not to the light [and cometh not to the light], that his works be not reproved.
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.