• John 3:14
    The Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures

    • 14 καὶ And καθὼς according as Μωυσῆς Moses ὕψωσεν put high up τὸν the ὄφιν serpent ἐν in τῇ the ἐρήμῳ, desolate [place], οὕτως thus ὑψωθῆναι to be put on high up δεῖ it is necessary τὸν the υἱὸν Son τοῦ of the ἀνθρώπου, man,

  • John Study Notes—Chapter 3
    New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (Study Edition)

    • 3:14

      so the Son of man must be lifted up: Jesus here likens his being executed on the stake to the placing of the copper serpent on a pole in the wilderness. In order to live, the Israelites bitten by the poisonous serpents had to gaze at the copper serpent put up by Moses. Similarly, sinful humans who desire to gain everlasting life must look intently at Jesus by exercising faith in him. (Nu 21:4-9; Heb 12:2) To many, the fact that Jesus was put to death on a stake made him appear to be an evildoer and a sinner; according to the Mosaic Law, a person hung on a stake was considered cursed. (De 21:22, 23) Quoting from this passage of the Law, Paul explains that Jesus had to be hung on a stake to release the Jews “from the curse of the Law by becoming a curse instead of [them].”​—Ga 3:13; 1Pe 2:24.