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Selected Verse: John 3:20 - King James

Verse	Translation	Text
Joh 3:20	King James	For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

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A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
reproved--by detection.

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

reproved--by detection.

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
That doeth evil - Every wicked person. Hateth the light - This is true of all wicked men. They choose to practice their deeds of wickedness in darkness. They are afraid of the light, because they could be easily detected. Hence, most crimes are committed in the night. So with the sinner against God. He hates the gospel, for it condemns his conduct, and his conscience would trouble him if it were enlightened. His deeds should be reproved - To "reprove" here means not only to "detect" or make manifest, but also includes the idea of "condemnation" when his deeds are detected. The gospel would make his wickedness manifest, and his conscience would condemn him. We learn from this verse: 1. that one design of the gospel is "to reprove" men. It convicts them of sin in order that it may afford consolation. 2. that men by nature "hate" the gospel. No man who is a sinner loves it; and no man by nature is disposed to come to it, any more than an adulterer or thief is disposed to come to the daylight, and do his deeds of wickedness there. 3. The reason why the gospel, is hated is that men are sinners. "Christ is hated because sin is loved." 4. The sinner must be convicted or convinced of sin. If it be not in this world, it will be in the next. There is no escape for him; and the only way to avoid condemnation in the world to come is to come humbly and acknowledge sin here, and seek for pardon.

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]

That doeth evil - Every wicked person.

Hateth the light - This is true of all wicked men. They choose to practice their deeds of wickedness in darkness. They are afraid of the light, because they could be easily detected. Hence, most crimes are committed in the night. So with the sinner against God. He hates the gospel, for it condemns his conduct, and his conscience would trouble him if it were enlightened.

His deeds should be reproved - To "reprove" here means not only to "detect" or make manifest, but also includes the idea of "condemnation" when his deeds are detected. The gospel would make his wickedness manifest, and his conscience would condemn him. We learn from this verse:

1. that one design of the gospel is "to reprove" men. It convicts them of sin in order that it may afford consolation.

2. that men by nature "hate" the gospel. No man who is a sinner loves it; and no man by nature is disposed to come to it, any more than an adulterer or thief is disposed to come to the daylight, and do his deeds of wickedness there.

3. The reason why the gospel, is hated is that men are sinners. "Christ is hated because sin is loved."

4. The sinner must be convicted or convinced of sin. If it be not in this world, it will be in the next. There is no escape for him; and the only way to avoid condemnation in the world to come is to come humbly and acknowledge sin here, and seek for pardon.

Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886]
Doeth (πράσσων) The present participle, indicating habit and general tendency. Evil (φαῦλα) Rev., ill. A different word from that in the previous verse. Originally, light, paltry, trivial, and so worthless. Evil, therefore, considered on the side of worthlessness. See on Jam 3:16. Lest his works should be reproved (ἵνα μὴ ἐλεγχθῇ τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ). Rather, in order that his works may not be reproved. Ελέγχω, rendered reprove, has several phases of meaning. In earlier classical Greek it signifies to disgrace or put to shame. Thus Ulysses, having succeeded in the trial of the bow, says to Telemachus, "the stranger who sits in thy halls disgraces (ἐλέγχει) thee not" ("Odyssey, xxi., 424). Then, to cross-examine or question, for the purpose of convincing, convicting, or refuting; to censure, accuse. So Herodotus: "In his reply Alexander became confused, and diverged from the truth, whereon the slaves interposed, confuted his statements (ἤλεγχον, cross-questioned and caught him in falsehood), and told the whole history of the crime" (i., 115). The messenger in the "Antigone" of Sophocles, describing the consternation of the watchmen at finding Polynices' body buried, says: "Evil words were bandied among them, guard accusing (ἐλέγχων) guard" (260). Of arguments, to bring to the proof; prove; prove by a chain of reasoning. It occurs in Pindar in the general sense of to conquer or surpass. "Having descended into the naked race they surpassed (ἤλεγξαν) the Grecian band in speed ("Pythia," xi., 75). In the New Testament it is found in the sense of reprove (Luk 3:19; Ti1 5:20, etc.). Convince of crime or fault (Co1 14:24; Jam 2:9). To bring to light or expose by conviction (Jam 5:20; Eph 5:11, Eph 5:13; Joh 8:46; see on that passage). So of the exposure of false teachers, and their refutation (Tit 1:9, Tit 1:13; Tit 2:15). To test and expose with a view to correction, and so, nearly equivalent to chasten (Heb 12:5). The different meanings unite in the word convict. Conviction is the result of examination, testing, argument. The test exposes and demonstrates the error, and refutes it, thus convincing, convicting, and rebuking the subject of it. This conviction issues in chastening, by which the error is corrected and the erring one purified. If the conviction is rejected, it carries with it condemnation and punishment. The man is thus convicted of sin, of right, and of judgment (Joh 16:8). In this passage the evil-doer is represented as avoiding the light which tests, that light which is the offspring of love (Rev 3:19) and the consequent exposure of his error. Compare Eph 5:13; Joh 1:9-11. This idea of loving darkness rather than light is graphically treated in Job 24 and runs through Job 24:13-17.

Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886]

Doeth (πράσσων)

The present participle, indicating habit and general tendency.

Evil (φαῦλα)

Rev., ill. A different word from that in the previous verse. Originally, light, paltry, trivial, and so worthless. Evil, therefore, considered on the side of worthlessness. See on Jam 3:16.

Lest his works should be reproved (ἵνα μὴ ἐλεγχθῇ τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ).

Rather, in order that his works may not be reproved. Ελέγχω, rendered reprove, has several phases of meaning. In earlier classical Greek it signifies to disgrace or put to shame. Thus Ulysses, having succeeded in the trial of the bow, says to Telemachus, "the stranger who sits in thy halls disgraces (ἐλέγχει) thee not" ("Odyssey, xxi., 424). Then, to cross-examine or question, for the purpose of convincing, convicting, or refuting; to censure, accuse. So Herodotus: "In his reply Alexander became confused, and diverged from the truth, whereon the slaves interposed, confuted his statements (ἤλεγχον, cross-questioned and caught him in falsehood), and told the whole history of the crime" (i., 115). The messenger in the "Antigone" of Sophocles, describing the consternation of the watchmen at finding Polynices' body buried, says: "Evil words were bandied among them, guard accusing (ἐλέγχων) guard" (260). Of arguments, to bring to the proof; prove; prove by a chain of reasoning. It occurs in Pindar in the general sense of to conquer or surpass. "Having descended into the naked race they surpassed (ἤλεγξαν) the Grecian band in speed ("Pythia," xi., 75).

In the New Testament it is found in the sense of reprove (Luk 3:19; Ti1 5:20, etc.). Convince of crime or fault (Co1 14:24; Jam 2:9). To bring to light or expose by conviction (Jam 5:20; Eph 5:11, Eph 5:13; Joh 8:46; see on that passage). So of the exposure of false teachers, and their refutation (Tit 1:9, Tit 1:13; Tit 2:15). To test and expose with a view to correction, and so, nearly equivalent to chasten (Heb 12:5). The different meanings unite in the word convict. Conviction is the result of examination, testing, argument. The test exposes and demonstrates the error, and refutes it, thus convincing, convicting, and rebuking the subject of it. This conviction issues in chastening, by which the error is corrected and the erring one purified. If the conviction is rejected, it carries with it condemnation and punishment. The man is thus convicted of sin, of right, and of judgment (Joh 16:8). In this passage the evil-doer is represented as avoiding the light which tests, that light which is the offspring of love (Rev 3:19) and the consequent exposure of his error. Compare Eph 5:13; Joh 1:9-11. This idea of loving darkness rather than light is graphically treated in Job 24 and runs through Job 24:13-17.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
For every one that doeth evil hateth the light - He who doth vile or abominable things: alluding to the subject mentioned in the preceding verse. The word φαυλος, evil or vile, is supposed by some to come from the Hebrew פלס phalas, to roll, and so cover oneself in dust or ashes, which was practised in token of humiliation and grief, not only by the more eastern nations, see Job 42:6, but also by the Greeks and Trojans, as appears from Homer, Iliad xviii. l. 26; xxii. l. 414; xxiv. l. 640; compare Virgil, Aen. x. l. 844; and Ovid, Metam. lib. viii. l. 528. From the above Hebrew word, it is likely that the Saxon ful, the English foul, the Latin vilis, and the English vile, are derived. See Parkhurst under φαυλος. Lest his deeds should be reproved - Or discovered. To manifest or discover, is one sense of the original word, ελεγχω, in the best Greek writers; and it is evidently its meaning in this place.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826

For every one that doeth evil hateth the light - He who doth vile or abominable things: alluding to the subject mentioned in the preceding verse.

The word φαυλος, evil or vile, is supposed by some to come from the Hebrew פלס phalas, to roll, and so cover oneself in dust or ashes, which was practised in token of humiliation and grief, not only by the more eastern nations, see Job 42:6, but also by the Greeks and Trojans, as appears from Homer, Iliad xviii. l. 26; xxii. l. 414; xxiv. l. 640; compare Virgil, Aen. x. l. 844; and Ovid, Metam. lib. viii. l. 528. From the above Hebrew word, it is likely that the Saxon ful, the English foul, the Latin vilis, and the English vile, are derived. See Parkhurst under φαυλος.

Lest his deeds should be reproved - Or discovered. To manifest or discover, is one sense of the original word, ελεγχω, in the best Greek writers; and it is evidently its meaning in this place.

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