John 3:15

Believeth in Him [π ι σ τ ε υ ω ν ε ι ς α υ τ ο ν]. The best texts read ejn aujtw, construing with have eternal life, and rendering may in Him have eternal life. So Rev..

Should not perish, but. The best texts omit.

Have eternal life. A characteristic phrase of John for live forever. See vv. 16, 36; John 5:24; John 6:40; John 6:47; John 6:54; 1 John 3:15; 1 John 5:12.

The interview with Nicodemus closes with ver. 15; and the succeeding words are John's. This appears from the following facts :

1. The past tenses loved and gave, in ver. 16, better suit the later point of view from which John writes, after the atoning death of Christ was an accomplished historic fact, than the drift of the present discourse of Jesus before the full revelation of that work.

2. It is in John's manner to throw in explanatory comments of his own (i. 16 - 18; 1Jo 12:37 - 41), and to do so abruptly. See John 1:15; John 1:16, and on and, John 1:16.

3. Ver. 19 is in the same line of thought with John 1:9-11 in the Prologue; and the tone of that verse is historic, carrying the sense of past rejection, as loved darkness; were evil.

4. The phrase believe on the name is not used elsewhere by our Lord, but by John (i. 12; John 2:23; 1 John 5:13).

5. The phrase only - begotten son is not elsewhere used by Jesus of himself, but in every case by the Evangelist (i. 14, 18; 1 John 4:9).

6. The phrase to do truth (ver. 21) occurs elsewhere only in 1 John 1:6; 1 John 1:2; 1 John 1:3