John 3:20

20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed.

John 3:20 in Other Translations

20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.

NLT

20 All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed.

MSG

20 Everyone who makes a practice of doing evil, addicted to denial and illusion, hates God-light and won't come near it, fearing a painful exposure.

CSB

20 For everyone who practices wicked things hates the light and avoids it, so that his deeds may not be exposed.

John 3:20 Meaning and Commentary

John 3:20

For every one that doth evil, hateth the light
Every man, the series of whose life and conversation is evil, hates Christ and his Gospel, cause they make manifest his evil deeds, convict him of them, and rebuke him for them:

neither cometh to the light;
to hear Christ preach, or preached; to attend on the Gospel ministration and means of grace:

lest his deeds should be reproved;
or discovered, and made manifest, and he be brought to shame, and laid under blame, and advised to part with them, which he cares not to do; see ( Ephesians 5:11-13 ) .

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

John 3:20 In-Context

18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.

19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.

20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed.

21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.

22 After this, Jesus and his disciples went out into the Judean countryside, where he spent some time with them, and baptized.

Cross References 1

1. Ephesians 5:11,13