John 3

What is the most famous and influential sentence of all time? Was it spoken or written in Mandarin or German or English--or Greek? And who spoke or recorded this sentence? A case could be made that twenty-five words found in the third chapter of the Gospel of John in the New Testament of the Bible are history's most celebrated and powerful sentence. Writing for laypersons and specialists alike, in this little book Murray J. Harris, a specialist in Greek grammar, analyzes John 3:16 with the sort of care and precision that has marked his fruitful career in New Testament scholarship.

""John 3:16 is a key verse epitomizing the message of John's Gospel about God's love being demonstrated in the gift of his one and only Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Here is a wonderfully competent and penetrating analysis of this all-important verse and its invitation to all to believe and have eternal life in Christ. Warmly recommended!""
--Andreas J. K¿stenberger, Founder of Biblical Foundations, Senior Research Professor of New Testament and Biblical Theology, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, Wake Forest, North Carolina

""What a wonderful gem this little book is! Murray Harris, renowned for his mastery of the nuances of Greek grammar and exegesis, has produced an exposition of John 3:16 full of illuminating insights. Here is a model of edifying scholarship in the service of Christ and the church. Reading this book leaves one longing for more. We may hope that Harris will do the same for other key New Testament texts.""
--Donald A. Hagner, George Eldon Ladd Professor Emeritus of New Testament, Fuller Theological Seminary, California

""John 3:16 is one of the best known verses of the Bible, and therefore is a challenge for any exegete to expound in a way that is fresh and captivating. Yet Dr. Murray Harris is equal to this challenge and does not disappoint. With an ease of vocabulary and illustration, and a depth of technical knowledge, the reader is presented with a feast of insights from one who both understands and truly believes this sacred text.""
--Dr. Glenn N. Davies, Archbishop of Sydney, Anglican Diocese of Sydney, Australia


Murray J. Harris is Professor Emeritus of New Testament Exegesis and Theology at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois. Formerly he was director of Tyndale House, a biblical research library in Cambridge, UK, and faculty member of the Divinity School in the University of Cambridge. He has written commentaries on the Greek text of Colossians and Philemon, Second Corinthians, and John's Gospel. He was one of the NIV translators.