I read something that said the Greek word translated "in" is much stronger than a superficial acceptance of a fact. It is more believing to the point of commitment. He said that it should be believe "into".
1. in a true translation the word is translated 'He/him' as the greek word is O'ho which is a pronoun or definate article . Let's look 'into' the greek:
ὁ ho, ho; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):—the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.
The words
the,
this,
that,
one,
he,
she, and
it belong to different parts of speech depending on how they are used in a sentence, primarily acting as [Articles/Determiners, Pronouns], or [Demonstratives]. [
1,
2,
3]
G3588 - ὁ ho, ho; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):—the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.
www.blueletterbible.org
Meaning the greek word O'ho can be translated into any definite article that fits the grammar of the language it is being translated in, and the agenda/context of the one doing the translation.
So, no, in the strictest sense translating "O'ho" can not be translated into the word into, as it is being used as a pronoun, and a stronger translation would be the word "He/Him." Which is probably why the NIV translated this word in the passage into the word 'Him.'
24 “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes
him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.
So the command is not to believe in Jesus, but rather to believe in God (Him) who has sent Jesus. Because contextually Jesus primary purpose in this passage is not to describe a path to eternal life, but to bring the idea that Jesus is in direct contact with the Father and that He and the Father share the same thoughts and ideas concerning His worship.
I say all of this to point out that salvation takes more than simple belief/acknowledgement in Jesus.