John 3:16

The verse speaks of "everlasting life" as a gift contingent on belief, not as an inherent quality of all souls. It implies that without belief, one would "perish," which contradicts the idea of inherent immortality for everyone.

The verse explicitly states that believers "should not perish," directly contrasting with the idea of destruction. While it implies a consequence for not believing, the language used focuses on the positive outcome of belief rather than detailing the negative outcome of non-belief.

The verse does not explicitly state that the wicked will be destroyed, consumed, or cease to exist. Instead, it focuses on the positive outcome for believers ("everlasting life") as opposed to "perishing," which could imply various forms of negative consequence beyond mere annihilation.

The verse states that believers "should not perish, but have everlasting life," which implies a contrast with perishing, but it does not explicitly define "perish" as non-existence or directly state that the unsaved will not live forever in any state.