And this is the condemnation: that light has come into the world, and men loved darkness more than light, because their deeds were evil.
3:19 And this is the condemnation: that the light came into the world, and men loved the darkness (ignorance and superstition, all kinds of sin, everything that opposes God) more than the light (the truth, the knowledge, the righteousness, 1:4, 5) because their deeds (actions, NASB) were evil. — Jesus does not refer only to drunkenness, murder, theft, etc., but also to religious and intellectual darkness (2Co 10:3-5) . The Pharisees, Sadducees, scribes, and elders — the leaders of the people of Israel — were in darkness and resisted Christ and the apostles because they loved darkness. They had learned what the Scriptures say, but they did not have good and honest hearts (Luke 8:15; Ac 17:11). Men who do not obey the gospel cannot excuse themselves by saying that they do not understand the will of God. His problem is not intellectual but moral. They don’t love the truth 2Thess 2:10-12.
Source: Commentary on the New Testament by Partain
this is damnation. Joh 1:4, Joh 1:9-11; Joh 8:12; Joh 9:39-41; Joh 15:22-25; Matt 11:20-24; Luke 10:11-16; Luke 12:47; Romans 1:32; 2Co 2:15, 2Co 2:16; 2Thess 2:12; Hebrews 3:12, Hebrews 3:13.
because their deeds were evil. Joh 5:44; Joh 7:17; Joh 8:44, Joh 8:45; Joh 10:26, Joh 10:27; Joh 12:43; Isaiah 30:9-12; Luke 16:14; Acts 24:21-26; Romans 2:8; 1Pe 2:8; 2Pe 3:3.
Source: The Treasury of Biblical Knowledge
condemnation alludes to the reason for the trial. The light mentioned here refers to Jesus, the light of the world (Joh 1:7-9; Joh 8:12; Joh 9:5).
Source: New Illustrated Caribbean Bible Commentary
THEY LOVED THE DARKNESS MORE THAN THE LIGHT. A fundamental characteristic of the wicked is that they love darkness, that is, they take pleasure in sin and immorality (Romans 1:18-32; Phil 3:19; 2Ti 3:2-5; 2Pe 2:12-15). On the contrary, those who are truly born again love righteousness and hate wickedness (see Hebrews 1:9note), and are distressed when they see the unjust actions of depraved people (1Co 13:6). They do not indulge in the sensual amusement and the expression of sinful behavior that is so openly manifested in modern society (Ps 97:10; Pr 8:13; Romans 12:9; see 2Pe 2:8note; Rev 2:6note).
Source: Full Life Study Bible
3:19 And this is the condemnation: that light has come into the world, and men loved darkness (ignorance and superstition, all kinds of sin, everything that opposes God) more than light (truth, knowledge, righteousness, 1:4, 5) because their deeds (actions, NASB) were evil. — Jesus does not refer only to drunkenness, murder, theft, etc., but also to religious and intellectual darkness (2Co 10:3-5) . The Pharisees, Sadducees, scribes, and elders — the leaders of the people of Israel — were in darkness and resisted Christ and the apostles because they loved darkness. They had learned what the Scriptures say, but they did not have good and honest hearts (Luke 8:15; Acts 17:11). Men who do not obey the gospel cannot excuse themselves by saying that they do not understand the will of God. His problem is not intellectual but moral. They do not love the truth, 2Thess 2:10-12.
Source: Reeves-Partain Notes
It follows the theme of condemnation that has been introduced in the previous two verses: “This is the condemnation that light came into the world.” To make the sentence more direct, the conjunction “que” can be eliminated: This is the condemnation: the light came into the world. You can also change the meaning by saying: “This is the way in which judgment is present” or “And this is how God judges: I have come into the world” (TLA). In some languages it will be better to keep the agent of judgment explicit: “This is the way God judges all people:”, while in others it may be necessary to express this truth in contrast: “This is the way God declares that people are good or bad.
Men loved the darkness more it is understood in a general sense, making it clear that it is about all people, men and women. In some languages, perhaps the figures of “darkness” and “light” can be preserved, also expressing the idea of night and day. However, we must keep the central idea here, which is the contrast between the bad and the good. The “light” is more than the truth about God. The context indicates that “light” refers to the good acts of people, in relation to following the example of Christ, whom they have accepted. In the same way, “darkness” does not only indicate ignorance or absence of the knowledge of God, but it has to do specifically with the bad and unjust behavior of people. That is why it makes it clearer to translate like this: “But the people loved the darkness of their evil deeds more than the light of truth that comes from God.”
Source: Commentary for Exegesis and Translation
Joh 5:22-30; Joh 12:37-50.
Source: Hispano-American Interdenominational Translation
Joh 1:5; Joh 1:9; Joh 8:12; Joh 9:5; Eph 5:11-13.
Source: Hispano-American Interdenominational Translation
CROSS-REFERENCES
i 145 Joh 1:9; Joh 8:12; Joh 9:5; Joh 12:46
j 146 Joh 1:5
k 147 Job 24:13; Isaiah 5:20; Joh 12:48
Source: New World Translation
the light. That is, Christ (cf. 1:4).
darkness. See comment. at 1:5.
Source: The Bible of the Americas
19 super (1) Or, the trial.
Source: New Testament Commentary Recovery Version
the accusation… → §076.
Source: Textual Bible IV Edition
R426 Καί means: and yet (comp. Joh 4:20).
R964 In this verse, Chrysostom interprets ὅτι to mean because; but this particle apparently has here a declarative sense: that (comp. R1028).
R1184 Δέ appears here in an explanatory parenthesis: And this is…
Source: Grammar Help for the Study of the Greek New Testament
lit. judgment g §076. – §055.
Source: The Textual Bible III Edition
† Or “judgment.”