3:15

that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life: This is a result clause. The pronoun Him refers to Jesus. God gives eternal life to all those who believe in Jesus Christ. In some languages it will be more natural to translate this as a separate sentence. For example:

Then everyone who believes in him will have eternal life. (Revised English Bible)
-or-
Then everyone who has faith in the Son of Man will have eternal life. (Contemporary English Version)

believes in Him: This phrase includes the idea of believing the facts about who Jesus was and what he did. But it also includes the idea of trusting Jesus instead of trusting oneself or someone else. Both ideas are very closely related. If someone believes the facts about Jesus, it should result in trusting him. See how you translated this idea in 1:7b and 1:12b. The pronoun Him refers to Jesus.

Here are other ways to translate this idea here:

has faith in the Son of Man (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
trusts in him

in Him: Scholars have two different interpretations about what word or words this phrase is connected to:

(1) It is connected to “believes.” For example:

so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life (Good News Translation)

(Berean Standard Bible, NET Bible, New Revised Standard Version, Revised Standard Version, English Standard Version, Contemporary English Version, Good News Translation, King James Version, God’s Word, New Living Translation (2004))

(2) It is connected to “have eternal life.” For example:

that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him (New International Version)

(New American Standard Bible, New International Version, New Century Version, Revised English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible)

The Greek preposition that is translated in is never used anywhere else in John to connect to “believes.” However, the word is a synonym of the word that is normally used. And even if in Him does not connect to “believes,” it is implied that one believes in Jesus. Therefore, the meanings of the two interpretations are very close. It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1) and most English translations.

eternal life: The word eternal refers to something that does not end. The phrase eternal life refers to the new spiritual life that God gives us when we believe in Jesus. This life enables us to have a close relationship with God and it will never end. This is an important idea in John and it is recommended that you translate it the same way every time. Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

forever life ⌊from God⌋
-or-

⌊spiritual⌋ life that never ends
-or-
living forever ⌊with God⌋

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