John 3:14-15 in Greek,
along with transliteration and translation:
Greek Text (John 3:14-15)
14 καὶ καθὼς Μωϋσῆς ὕψωσεν τὸν ὄφιν ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ, οὕτως ὑψωθῆναι δεῖ τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου,
15 ἵνα πᾶς ὁ πιστεύων ἐν αὐτῷ ἔχῃ ζωὴν αἰώνιον.
Transliteration
14 Kai kathōs Mōüsēs hypsōsen ton ophin en tē erēmō, houtōs hypsōthēnai dei ton huion tou anthrōpou,
15 hina pas ho pisteuōn en autō echē zōēn aiōnion.
English Translation (NKJV)
14 “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
15 that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.”
Key Observations
| Greek Word | Transliteration | Meaning | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|
| καθὼς | kathōs | “just as” / “even as” | Draws a direct comparison |
| ὕψωσεν | hypsōsen | “lifted up” | Same word used for the cross |
| οὕτως | houtōs | “in this way” / “so” | Same word used in John 3:16 |
| ὑψωθῆναι δεῖ | hypsōthēnai dei | “must be lifted up” | Divine necessity |
| ἵνα | hina | “that” / “so that” | Purpose clause |
| πιστεύων | pisteuōn | “believing” | Faith is the condition |
How These Verses Connect
Jesus is making a direct typological connection between:
- Numbers 21 — Moses lifting up The Bronze Serpent on a pole.
- John 3:14-15 — The Son of Man (Jesus) must be lifted up on the cross.
The word οὕτως (houtōs) in verse 14 is the same word used in verse 16. It means “in this way” or “in this manner.”
So when Jesus says in John 3:16, “God so loved the world…”, He is referring back to verse 14. In other words:
“God loved the world in this way — by lifting up His Son on the cross, just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness.”