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OET interlinear YHN (JHN) 1:1

YHN (JHN) 1:1 ↓ → ► ║ ©

SR Greek word order (including unused variant words in grey)

    1. Greek word
    2. Greek lemma
    3. OET-LV words
    4. OET-RV words
    5. Strongs
    6. Role/Morphology
    7. OET Gloss
    8. VLT Gloss
    9. CAPS codes
    10. Confidence
    11. OET tags
    12. OET word #
    1. Ἐν
    2. en
    3. In
    4. -
    5. 17220
    6. P·······
    7. in
    8. in
    9. PS
    10. -
    11. 62338
    1. ἀρχῇ
    2. arχē
    3. +the beginning
    4. beginning
    5. 7460
    6. N····DFS
    7. ˓the˒ beginning
    8. ˓the˒ beginning
    9. -
    10. -
    11. 62339
    1. ἦν
    2. eimi
    3. was
    4. -
    5. 15100
    6. VIIA3··S
    7. was
    8. was
    9. -
    10. -
    11. 62340
    1. ὁ
    2. ho
    3. the
    4. -
    5. 35880
    6. E····NMS
    7. the
    8. the
    9. -
    10. -
    11. 62341
    1. λόγος
    2. logos
    3. message
    4. -
    5. 30560
    6. N····NMS
    7. message
    8. word
    9. -
    10. -
    11. 62342
    1. καί
    2. kai
    3. and
    4. -
    5. 25320
    6. C·······
    7. and
    8. and
    9. -
    10. -
    11. 62343
    1. ὁ
    2. ho
    3. the
    4. -
    5. 35880
    6. E····NMS
    7. the
    8. the
    9. -
    10. -
    11. 62344
    1. λόγος
    2. logos
    3. message
    4. -
    5. 30560
    6. N····NMS
    7. message
    8. word
    9. -
    10. -
    11. 62345
    1. ἦν
    2. eimi
    3. was
    4. -
    5. 15100
    6. VIIA3··S
    7. was
    8. was
    9. -
    10. -
    11. 62346
    1. πρός
    2. pros
    3. with
    4. -
    5. 43140
    6. P·······
    7. with
    8. with
    9. -
    10. -
    11. 62347
    1. τόν
    2. ho
    3. the
    4. -
    5. 35880
    6. E····AMS
    7. ¬the
    8. ¬the
    9. -
    10. -
    11. 62348
    1. Θεόν
    2. theos
    3. god
    4. -
    5. 23160
    6. N····AMS
    7. god
    8. God
    9. GN
    10. Person=God
    11. 62349
    1. καί
    2. kai
    3. and
    4. -
    5. 25320
    6. C·······
    7. and
    8. and
    9. -
    10. -
    11. 62350
    1. ὁ
    2. ho
    3. -
    4. -
    5. 35880
    6. E····NMS
    7. ¬the
    8. ¬the
    9. -
    10. -
    11. 62351
    1. Θεός
    2. theos
    3. god
    4. -
    5. 23160
    6. N····NMS
    7. god
    8. God
    9. GN
    10. Person=God
    11. 62352
    1. ἦν
    2. eimi
    3. was
    4. -
    5. 15100
    6. VIIA3··S
    7. was
    8. was
    9. -
    10. -
    11. 62353
    1. ὁ
    2. ho
    3. the
    4. -
    5. 35880
    6. E····NMS
    7. the
    8. the
    9. -
    10. -
    11. 62354
    1. λόγος
    2. logos
    3. message
    4. -
    5. 30560
    6. N····NMS
    7. message
    8. word
    9. -
    10. F62365; F62369; F62377
    11. 62355

OET (OET-LV) In the_beginning was the message, and the message was with the god, and god was the message.

OET (OET-RV) In the beginning was the message,[fn] and the message was with God, and the message was and is God.

1:1 TD: This passage is complex to translate because the message was also the messenger—that is, Yeshua came not only to teach about getting saved, but also to become the actual way to be saved!

SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 1:1–18: The Word became flesh

In this section the author introduces the subject of his book, Jesus Christ. However, he does not mention Jesus by name until near the end of this section, in 1:17. Instead, he uses figurative language, referring to him as the Word and the light.

Here are other possible section headings:

The Word brought life and light to all people

Jesus is the Word and the light

Paragraph 1:1–5

In this paragraph John introduced his Gospel by writing about a person whom he calls the Word. He emphasized that from the beginning the Word was with God and that the Word was God. God created everything through the Word. Read Genesis 1:1–5 before you translate this section. It is good to use the same words for “beginning,” “made/created,” and “light” that are used there.

This paragraph has a lot of images in it like a poem and may have been a song or hymn.

1:1a

In the beginning was the Word,

In the beginning was the Word: This clause indicates that the Word existed before all things. The Word existed before God created the world. There was never a time before the Word existed. Here are other ways to translate this clause:

In the beginning, the Word already was. (REB)

In the beginning, the Word already existed. (GW)

In the beginning: This phrase refers to the time when the world and the whole universe began. In some languages it may be more natural to say what beginning is being referred to. If this is true in your language, here are some ways you could translate this phrase:

At the beginning of all things

At the beginning of the universe/world

At the beginning of creation

In some languages it may be natural to translate the noun beginning with a verb. For example:

When all things began (NEB)

When the world first existed

This phrase also appears in Genesis 1:1a. If possible, translate it the same way in both places. If you use footnotes, you may want to refer your readers to Genesis 1:1.

the Word: The Greek word that the BSB translates as Word here means “communication,” “speech” or “message.” This is a title for Jesus Christ. It indicates that God reveals himself in and through Jesus. God expresses himself completely in and through his Word. Jesus shows us what God is like. Hebrews 1:2 states that God has spoken to his people through Jesus.

The BSB indicates that the Word is a title for God by using a capital W. If you do not normally capitalize the names of God, you do not need to use a capital letter here. In some languages you may need to say explicitly that this is a title:

the person named/titled the Word

the one who is called the word (CEV)

At this point you should avoid stating explicitly that the Word was Jesus Christ.

1:1b

and the Word was with God,

and: The common Greek conjunction that the BSB translates as and here introduces some more information about the Word. Some English versions, such as the GNT, do not explicitly translate this word. Introduce this new information in a way that is natural in your language.

the Word was with God: The Greek expression that the BSB translates as the Word was with God indicates that there was a close and loving relationship between God and the Word. This was true at the beginning of creation, and it is true still. The verb was does not indicate that the Word has ceased to be with God. It just indicates that it was true in the beginning.

The Greek word translated as with here refers to close relationship. Refer to your translation of this word in Mark 14:49, 2 Corinthians 5:8, and Philemon 13.

Here are some other ways to translate the Word was with God:

the Word was together with God

the Word was a companion of God

the Word and God were united together

1:1c

and the Word was God.

the Word was God: Verse 1:1c is very important to understand the whole of John’s Gospel, and really, the whole of the New Testament. Translate it carefully and check your translation with church leaders and scholars. John indicated that the Word had the essential being of God. The Word had the same nature as God and the same qualities. He has existed forever, from the beginning, as God. Here are other ways to translate this clause:

what God was, the Word was

the Word was fully God (NET)

was truly God (CEV)

It is important that you communicate the idea the Word was God, not “the Word was a god” or “the Word was divine.” There was and is only one God. The Word is not himself, alone, all of the Godhead. Rather, the Word is a part of the life and essential being of the Godhead.

As in 1:1b, the past tense of the verb was does not indicate that the situation has changed. It does not mean that the Word has ceased to be God.

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ λόγος καί ὁ λόγος ἦν πρός τόν Θεόν καί Θεός ἦν ὁ λόγος)

This phrase refers to the very earliest time before God created the heavens and the earth. It does not refer to time in the distant past. You could include this information if that would be helpful to your readers. Alternate translation: [Before the beginning of the universe there was] or [Before the universe began there was]

Note 2 topic: guidelines-sonofgodprinciples

ὁ λόγος

the word

Here, the Word refers to Jesus. It does not refer to a spoken word. The ULT capitalizes Word to indicate that this is a title for Jesus. Be sure to retain this title in your translation. Use whatever convention your language uses to indicate that this is a title. If “word” is feminine in your language, it could be translated as “the one who is called the Word.” See the discussion in the chapter introduction for more information. Alternate translation: [Jesus, who is the Word]

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)

    1. OET-LV words
    2. OET-RV words
    3. Strongs
    4. Greek word
    5. Greek lemma
    6. Role/Morphology
    7. OET Gloss
    8. VLT Gloss
    9. CAPS codes
    10. Confidence
    11. OET tags
    12. OET word #
    1. In
    2. -
    3. 17220
    4. PS
    5. en
    6. P-·······
    7. in
    8. in
    9. PS
    10. -
    11. 62338
    1. +the beginning
    2. beginning
    3. 7460
    5. arχē
    6. N-····DFS
    7. ˓the˒ beginning
    8. ˓the˒ beginning
    9. -
    10. -
    11. 62339
    1. was
    2. -
    3. 15100
    5. eimi
    6. V-IIA3··S
    7. was
    8. was
    9. -
    10. -
    11. 62340
    1. the
    2. -
    3. 35880
    5. ho
    6. E-····NMS
    7. the
    8. the
    9. -
    10. -
    11. 62341
    1. message
    2. -
    3. 30560
    5. logos
    6. N-····NMS
    7. message
    8. word
    9. -
    10. -
    11. 62342
    1. and
    2. -
    3. 25320
    5. kai
    6. C-·······
    7. and
    8. and
    9. -
    10. -
    11. 62343
    1. the
    2. -
    3. 35880
    5. ho
    6. E-····NMS
    7. the
    8. the
    9. -
    10. -
    11. 62344
    1. message
    2. -
    3. 30560
    5. logos
    6. N-····NMS
    7. message
    8. word
    9. -
    10. -
    11. 62345
    1. was
    2. -
    3. 15100
    5. eimi
    6. V-IIA3··S
    7. was
    8. was
    9. -
    10. -
    11. 62346
    1. with
    2. -
    3. 43140
    5. pros
    6. P-·······
    7. with
    8. with
    9. -
    10. -
    11. 62347
    1. the
    2. -
    3. 35880
    5. ho
    6. E-····AMS
    7. ¬the
    8. ¬the
    9. -
    10. -
    11. 62348
    1. god
    2. -
    3. 23160
    4. GN
    5. theos
    6. N-····AMS
    7. god
    8. God
    9. GN
    10. Person=God
    11. 62349
    1. and
    2. -
    3. 25320
    5. kai
    6. C-·······
    7. and
    8. and
    9. -
    10. -
    11. 62350
    1. god
    2. -
    3. 23160
    4. GN
    5. theos
    6. N-····NMS
    7. god
    8. God
    9. GN
    10. Person=God
    11. 62352
    1. was
    2. -
    3. 15100
    5. eimi
    6. V-IIA3··S
    7. was
    8. was
    9. -
    10. -
    11. 62353
    1. the
    2. -
    3. 35880
    5. ho
    6. E-····NMS
    7. the
    8. the
    9. -
    10. -
    11. 62354
    1. message
    2. -
    3. 30560
    5. logos
    6. N-····NMS
    7. message
    8. word
    9. -
    10. F62365; F62369; F62377
    11. 62355

OET (OET-LV) In the_beginning was the message, and the message was with the god, and god was the message.

OET (OET-RV) In the beginning was the message,[fn] and the message was with God, and the message was and is God.

1:1 TD: This passage is complex to translate because the message was also the messenger—that is, Yeshua came not only to teach about getting saved, but also to become the actual way to be saved!

Note: The OET-RV is still only a first draft, and so far only a few words have been (mostly automatically) matched to the Hebrew or Greek words that they’re translated from.

Acknowledgements: The SR Greek text, lemmas, morphology, and VLT gloss are all thanks to the CNTR.

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YHN (JHN) 1:1 ↑ → ► ║ ©