What Does John 3:19 Mean in the King James?
And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The light’s arrival is itself the judgment: what people love when the light is present reveals what their deeds are.
THE MEANING
Light has come into the world, and its presence brings a choice into view: people love darkness more because their deeds are evil. Condemnation is bound to this revealed preference for concealment while light is present. The same pattern is alive wherever harmful deeds are kept hidden from the light.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
The lie that judgment is an arbitrary sentence imposed from outside: this verse locates it in light’s arrival and in the love of darkness because the deeds are evil.
THE ROOT
κρίσις
krisis
GROWS FROM
κριν-
krin-
to distinguish, decide, judge
English “condemnation” can sound like only a sentence, while the κριν- family also carries the act of judging and deciding. The verse locates that judgment in the encounter with arriving light: a person’s preference for darkness becomes visible.
ALSO GROWS
krinō: to judge or decide
κρίνω
This verb shows the act of judgment contained in the word family behind “condemnation.”
krima: a judgment or verdict
κρίμα
This related noun links the decision to its resulting judgment.
φῶς
phōs
GROWS FROM
φωτ-
phōt-
light, illumination
The φῶς family includes both light itself and words for illuminating or making visible. Here light’s arrival makes the human response legible, so judgment is bound to what the light brings into view.
ALSO GROWS
phōtizō: to illuminate, make visible
φωτίζω
This verb shows light acting to reveal what is present.
phōstēr: a luminary or light-bearer
φωστήρ
This related word carries the image of a source that gives light.
THE PATTERN
Light makes what is concealed visible, and the response to light reveals what a person is joined to.
He discovereth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth out to light the shadow of death.But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.THE THREAD
That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.The same Greek noun φῶς (phōs, light) appears in both verses: John 1:9 says this light reaches every person entering the world. John 3:19 shows how that presence becomes judgment when people love darkness more.
Read the SDV Bible.
Every verse has a Deep Dive in the app.
The iPhone Bible app with the Selah Decoded Version.
Does something in this reading look wrong? Tell us