steve2 wrote: I do agree that there is nothing in the Koine Greek which supports the NWT translators' rendering of the word "to believe in" as "exercising faith". I wonder: Is there even one other translation in existence besides the NWT that renders the word into an active verb?
Steve: As far as I know, there is no other version which reads exactly as the NWT does in John 3.16. On the other hand, the use of "believing" in the Greek sometimes means a lot more than simply acknowledging a fact, such as ‘Jesus is Savior’ in John 3.16. The context of the verse implies that ‘believing’ requires ‘obedience’ to Christ. The ASV reads at John 3.36: "He that believeth on the Son hath eternal life; but he that obeyeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him." On verse 18 of this chapter,The McArthur
Study Bible explains: “The phrase (lit., ‘to believe into the name’
[of v. 18]) means more than mere intellectual assent to the claims of
the gospel. It includes trust and commitment to Christ as
Lord and Saviour, which results in receiving a new nature (v. 7) that
produces a change in heart and obedience to the Lord...” (Sublines added throughout)
Likewise, of the phrase ‘believes... does not believe’ of verse 18, the NIV states: “John is not speaking of momentary beliefs and doubts but of continuing, settled convictions.” And the Recovery Version: “Believing into the Lord is not the same as believing Him (6:30). To believe Him is to believe that He is true and real, but to believe into Him is to receive Him and be united with Him as one. The former [6:30] is to acknowledge a fact objectively; the latter [3:16] is to receive a life subjectively.”
The way the Greek is phrased (Lit., "the believing into him") suggest this. An Introductory Grammar of New Testament Greek, by Paul Kaufman notes: “Another construction which is common in the New Testament (especially in John's Gospel) is πιστεύω [pi·steu'o] with εἰς [eis] and the accusative case [as found at John 3:16] . . . The whole construction of εἰς [eis] plus the accusative must be translated rather than attempting to translate the preposition εἰς [eis] as an isolated word. Faith is thought of as an activity, as something men do, i.e. putting faith into someone. John uses this construction thirty-six (36) times.” (Page 46, Section 93)
So too, Greek
Grammar Beyond the Basics says
concerning pisteuo (everyone who believes [into]) specifically as found at John 3:16:
"The
idea seems to be both gnomic and continual: ‘everyone who
continually believes.’ This is not due to the present
tense only,
but
to the use of the present participle of [pisteúo]."
(Daniel B. Wallace, Zondervan Publ., 1996, p. 620)
The Analytical Lexicon of the Greek New Testament (pisteúo) adds: “(1) as primarily an intellectual evaluation believe […] (2) as primarily a religious commitment, especially with God or Christ as the object of faith believe (in), trust [...] especially denoting the exercise of saving faith, with the object expressed by using [eis] or [epí] and the accusative, believe in or on (JN 3.16; AC 9.42) […] (3) as committing something to someone entrust, trust (LU 16.11); passive, as having something committed to someone be entrusted with [from pisteúo] (RO 3.2).” (Friberg, Friberg - Miller)
Because of the presence of a present participle in the verse, the Analytical
Literal Translation translates:
“every [one] believing [or,
trusting] in Him”
(Brackets his.) So the idea is brought out by the Amplified
Bible, Classic
Edition: “everyone who believes in Him [who cleaves to
Him, trusts Him, and relies on Him].” (Brackets theirs.)
Other versions:
NSB: “that whoever has an active faith in him”
Jonathan Mitchell: “...the one habitually believing and trusting into Him.”
The Simple English Bible: “Every person who commits himself to Jesus will not be destroyed”
Kenneth S. Wuest: “everyone who places his trust in Him”
Martin Luther tells us: "It is impossible, indeed, to separate works from faith, just as it is impossible to separate heat and light from fire. [...] Faith is not an inert thing." (Preface of the Epistle to the Romans as quoted in Martin Luther, selections from his writings, Doubleday Publishing, 1961, pp. 24 & 33).
Thus, the notion of "believing into," "placing trust in," putting faith in," or "exercising faith" in Christ is not incongruous with the gospel message or with Greek usage.