John 3:36 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.

NIV: Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on them.

NASB: The one who believes in the Son has eternal life; but the one who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.'

CSB: The one who believes in the Son has eternal life, but the one who rejects the Son will not see life; instead, the wrath of God remains on him.

NLT: And anyone who believes in God’s Son has eternal life. Anyone who doesn’t obey the Son will never experience eternal life but remains under God’s angry judgment.'

KJV: He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

NKJV: He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”

John 3:16 is frequently used as a one-sentence summary of the entire gospel. The idea that God loved us enough to send Christ for us is the central theme of Christianity. However, verses such as John 3:18 and John 3:36 are also critical. There are only two options: those who turn to Christ in faith will have "eternal life," and find forgiveness for sin. Those who do not will face judgment. No one is neutral, and no one is exempt. Salvation through Jesus Christ is not an upgrade, it's a rescue from disaster.

This salvation is through Jesus, and Jesus alone (John 14:6), and ignoring it means facing the wrath of God. Verse 36 is the only time John, the apostle, uses the term "wrath" outside of the book of Revelation. The Greek term is orgē, and in this context, it refers to the righteous anger of a judge who is issuing punishment for a crime. This concept is seen often in Revelation (Revelation 6:16–17; Revelation 19:15), and in Paul's explanation of God in the book of Romans (Romans 3:5; Romans 4:15; Romans 5:9; Romans 12:19).

All translations of John 3:36 imply that this rejection of Christ is a deliberate action. The original Greek word, apeithōn, means "rejecting belief," "refusing obedience," or "refusing to be convinced." This is the same idea explained in Scriptures such as John 3:18–19, Romans 1:20, and Romans 3:11. God wants people to be saved (2 Peter 3:9), not destroyed (Ezekiel 18:23). So, He makes Himself visible enough to encourage people to seek Him (Psalm 19:1), and hidden enough that those who want to make excuses can do so (2 Peter 3:3-5; Romans 1:28). Ultimately, those who die separated from God are those who want to be separated from Him (Jeremiah 29:13; Acts 17:27).

John 3:31–36 describes how Jesus’ ministry is from God, but almost everyone will reject it. Verse 36 is an important footnote to the core gospel message, seen in John 3:16–21. Those who put their faith in Christ will be saved, but those who reject Him will face the wrath of God. This passage emphasizes the exclusivity of the gospel: there is absolutely no other way to obtain heaven, but through Jesus Christ. “Testimony,” and the need to believe it, are also crucial in this text.

John chapter 3 is one of the most important in the entire gospel. Many crucial ideas are explained in this passage, including the role of Jesus as Savior. After the loud, public commotion at the temple, John transitions to a quiet, nighttime discussion. These verses make it clear that Christ—and Christ alone—is the means of salvation for the entire world. This text also states that those who reject Jesus are rejecting God.

The gospel of John is meant to prove that Jesus is God. Chapter 3 contains some of the most direct, most important concepts in Christianity. The ideas of spiritual rebirth, and the need to believe in Christ, are reinforced by the rest of the information in this gospel. John continues to use contrast, moving from the loud and public temple cleansing to the quiet of this conversation. After Jesus injects humility into a powerful leader, chapter 4 will transition again, as Jesus gives dignity to an outcast stranger.

The gospel of John was written by the disciple John, decades later than the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. The author assumes that a reader is already familiar with the content of these other works. So, John presents a different perspective, with a greater emphasis on meaning. John uses seven miracles—which he calls “signs”—in order to prove that Jesus is, in fact, God incarnate. Some of the most well-known verses in all of the Bible are found here. None is more famous than the one-sentence summary of the gospel found in John 3:16.