Ὁ πιστεύων εἰς αὐτὸν οὐ κρίνεται· ὁ δὲ μὴ πιστεύων ἤδη κέκριται, ὅτι μὴ πεπίστευκεν εἰς τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ μονογενοῦς υἱοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ. (John 3:18)
The one who believes in him is not judged; but the one who does not believe has already been judged, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
Present Tense with Eternal Stakes
The participle ὁ πιστεύων (present active nominative masculine singular) functions as a substantive—“the one who believes.” Present tense signals an ongoing or characteristic belief. The passive verb κρίνεται (from κρίνω) means “is judged,” with a legal or eschatological sense. In Classical Greek, κρίνω involves judgment in courts, debate, or decision-making. In John, it becomes theological: ultimate judgment before God. The syntax is binary and weighty: a simple participle governs eternal consequence.
Contrast Through Construction
- ὁ δὲ μὴ πιστεύων – The exact parallel construction to ὁ πιστεύων, but with μὴ expressing negation of belief. The symmetry intensifies the contrast.
- ἤδη κέκριται – “Has already been judged.” The perfect passive κέκριται indicates a past action with present result. In Classical rhetoric, this form often carries finality (e.g., “he has been tried”). Here it speaks not of future judgment, but present standing based on past response.
Reason Clause with Rare Force
ὅτι μὴ πεπίστευκεν εἰς τὸ ὄνομα… – The explanatory clause is built on the perfect active indicative πεπίστευκεν (“he has not believed”). The perfect aspect suggests fixed, completed unbelief. The object εἰς τὸ ὄνομα (“in the name”) reflects Semitic expression adapted to Greek. In Classical usage, belief is typically expressed in factual terms or with dative; εἰς + accusative (“into the name”) conveys full commitment, relational trust—found especially in the LXX and New Testament Greek.
Not Just Theology—Also Linguistic Shift
| Phrase | Typical Classical Use | In This Verse | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| πιστεύειν εἰς | Rare—πιστεύειν + dative preferred for trust | Deep personal belief “into” Christ’s name | Koine reworks construction to express relational faith |
| κρίνεσθαι | Debate, trial, civic decisions | Heavenly judgment—spiritual consequence | Semantic shift from legal to eschatological courtroom |
| μονογενής | “Only-born” or “unique in kind” (e.g., Herodotus) | Title for Christ as uniquely divine Son | From biological rarity to theological identity |
Sound and Structure
The verse uses rhetorical balance: participle + negated verb | participle + perfect verb. This mirroring structure intensifies the theological dualism. Classical Greek values symmetry, but John’s Gospel adds the weight of final judgment and salvation to it. The phrase ἤδη κέκριται is jarring—it closes the window on neutrality. Syntax becomes fate.
Closing Reflection
This verse uses familiar Greek forms—participles, perfects, indirect speech—but for a radically new purpose. The weight rests on what has or hasn’t been believed. Not tomorrow’s verdict, but today’s reality. It’s courtroom language charged with gospel immediacy: the trial has already taken place in the heart of the hearer.
