<P> In Exodus 4: 22, the Israelites as a people are called "my firstborn son" by God using the singular form . In John, the focus shifts to the person of Jesus as representative of that title . The verse is part of the New Testament narrative in the third chapter of John in the discussion at Jerusalem between Jesus and Nicodemus, who is called a "ruler of the Jews". (v. 1) After speaking of the necessity of a man being born again before he could "see the kingdom of God", (v. 3) Jesus spoke also of "heavenly things" (v. 11 - 13) and of salvation (v. 14 - 17) and the condemnation (v. 18, 19) of those that do not believe in Jesus . "14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: 15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life ." (John 3: 14 - 15) Note that verse 15 is nearly identical to the latter part of John 3: 16 . </P> <P> A representative sample of published Bible translations renders it as follows . (It is worth noting that since this is perhaps the best - known verse, many translations have tried to maintain a traditional rendering). </P> <Table> <Tr> <Th> Century & distinctive features </Th> <Th> Translation </Th> <Th> John 3: 16 </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> C1, Greek </Td> <Td> Original Koine Greek </Td> <Td> Οὕτως γὰρ ἠγάπησεν ὁ θεὸς τὸν κόσμον, ὥστε τὸν υἱὸν τὸν μονογενῆ ἔδωκεν, ἵνα πᾶς ὁ πιστεύων εἰς αὐτὸν μὴ ἀπόληται ἀλλ _̓ ἔχῃ ζωὴν αἰώνιον . Houtōs gar ēgapēsen ho theos ton kosmon, hōste ton huion ton monogenē edōken, hina pas ho pisteuōn eis auton mē apolētai all _̓ echē zōēn aiōnion . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> C2, Syriac </Td> <Td> Peshitta Bible </Td> <Td> ܗܟܢܐ ܓܝܪ ܐܝܝܩ ܐܠܗܐ ܠܥܠܡܐ ܐܝܟܢܐ ܕܠܒܪܗ ܝܚܝܕܝܐ ܢܬܠ ܕܟܠ ܡܢ ܕܡܗܝܡܢ ܟܗ ܠܐ ܢܐܟܙ ܐܠܐ ܢܗܘܘܢ ܠܗ ܝܚܐ ܕܠܥܠܡ ܀ Hāḵanā gér ʼaḥeḇ ʼalāhā lʻālmā ʼaykanā dlaḇreh yḥyḏāyā yetel dkul man damhaymen beh lā naḇaḏ élā nehwuwn leh ḥayé dalʻālam . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> C4, Latin </Td> <Td> Vulgate </Td> <Td> Sic enim Deus dilexit mundum, ut Filium suum unigenitum daret: ut omnis qui credit in eum, non pereat, sed habeat vitam æternam . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> C14, Middle English </Td> <Td> Wycliffe's Bible </Td> <Td> For God louede so the world that he ȝaf his oon bigetun sone, that ech man that beliueth in him perische not, but haue euerlastynge lijf . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> C16, Protestant </Td> <Td> Tyndale Bible </Td> <Td> For God so loveth the world, that he hath given his only son, that none that believe in him, should perish: but should have everlasting life . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> C16, Roman Catholic </Td> <Td> Douay--Rheims Bible 1899 American Edition </Td> <Td> For God so loved the world, as to give his only begotten Son; that whosoever believeth in him, may not perish, but may have life everlasting . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> C17, replaced Latin as a long - lasting standard </Td> <Td> Authorized King James Version </Td> <Td> For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> C19, forerunner of modern version </Td> <Td> Revised Version </Td> <Td> For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> C20, formal equivalence </Td> <Td> New American Standard Bible </Td> <Td> For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> C20, dynamic equivalence </Td> <Td> Good News Translation </Td> <Td> For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not die but have eternal life . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> C20, in - between approach, best - seller </Td> <Td> New International Version </Td> <Td> For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> C21, formal equivalence </Td> <Td> English Standard Version (unchanged from RSV) </Td> <Td> For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> C21, paraphrase </Td> <Td> The Message </Td> <Td> This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son . And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> C21, "optimal equivalence" </Td> <Td> Christian Standard Bible </Td> <Td> For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life . </Td> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Th> Century & distinctive features </Th> <Th> Translation </Th> <Th> John 3: 16 </Th> </Tr>

What is the scripture for god so loved the world