My four translations read four slightly different ways where John 3:19 is concerned:
KJV: "And this is the
condemnation, that light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil"; NIV: "This is the
verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of Light because their deeds were evil"; Living Bible: "Their
sentence is based on this fact: that the Light from heaven came into the world, but they loved the darkness more than the Light, for their deeds were evil"; RS: "And this is the
judgement, that light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil."
Condemnation, verdict, sentence, judgement: Fascinating courtroom drama! It's almost possible to hear the voice of the Judge as I stand before Him literally black with sin, "Sinner, how do you plead?" My answer? "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only son that
whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to
condemn the world, but to save the world through Him. Whoever believes in Him is
not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son" (John 3:16-18).
"Sinner, how do you plead?"
"Lord, I plead the blood of Christ."
The gavel comes down, "Innocent!"
He's the only defense we need.
Condemnation, sentence, verdict, judgement: Could have been bad for me. But Praise God for His unspeakable gift!
3:19 And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.