YHN 1:16 Interlinear View

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. Ὅτι
2. hoti
3. Because
4. Because
5. 37540
6. C·······
7. because
8. because
9. S
10. Y5; TJohn's_Witness
11. 62569
1. καί
2. kai
3. -
4. -
5. 25320
6. C·······
7. and
8. and
9. -
10. -
11. 62570
1. ἐκ
2. ek
3. of
4. -
5. 15370
6. P·······
7. of
8. of
9. -
10. Y5; TJohn's_Witness
11. 62571
1. τοῦ
2. ho
3. the
4. -
5. 35880
6. E····GNS
7. the
8. the
9. -
10. Y5; TJohn's_Witness
11. 62572
1. πληρώματος
2. plērōma
3. fullness
4. -
5. 41380
6. N····GNS
7. fullness
8. fullness
9. -
10. Y5; TJohn's_Witness
11. 62573
1. αὐτοῦ
2. autos
3. of him
4. -
5. 8460
6. R···3GMS
7. ˱of˲ him
8. ˱of˲ him
9. -
10. Y5; TJohn's_Witness; R62521
11. 62574
1. ἡμεῖς
2. egō
3. we
4. -
5. 14730
6. R···1N·P
7. we
8. we
9. -
10. Y5; TJohn's_Witness
11. 62575
1. πάντες
2. pas
3. all
4. -
5. 39560
6. S····NMP
7. all
8. all
9. -
10. Y5; TJohn's_Witness
11. 62576
1. ζωήν
2. zōē
3. -
4. -
5. 22220
6. N····AFS
7. life
8. life
9. -
10. -
11. 62577
1. ἐλάβομεν
2. lambanō
3. received
4. received
5. 29830
6. VIAA1··P
7. received
8. received
9. -
10. Y5; TJohn's_Witness
11. 62578
1. καί
2. kai
3. and
4. -
5. 25320
6. C·······
7. and
8. and
9. -
10. Y5; TJohn's_Witness
11. 62579
1. χάριν
2. χaris
3. grace
4. -
5. 54850
6. N····AFS
7. grace
8. grace
9. -
10. Y5; TJohn's_Witness
11. 62580
1. ἀντί
2. anti
3. for
4. -
5. 4730
6. P·······
7. for
8. for
9. -
10. Y5; TJohn's_Witness
11. 62581
1. χάριτος
2. χaris
3. grace
4. -
5. 54850
6. N····GFS
7. grace
8. grace
9. -
10. Y5; TJohn's_Witness
11. 62582

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 1:14–18

This paragraph declares that the Word became a human being and lived on earth. John the Baptist announced his coming and his greatness. The Word is revealed as Jesus Christ.

1:16

Here in 1:16 John the Gospel writer returned to his description of Jesus. It should be clear in your translation that his words begin again here. They are not the words of John the Baptist anymore. It may help to begin a new paragraph here.

1:16a

From His fullness

Out of the plentiful supply of his grace,
Because the Word is completely generous,

In the Greek text this verse begins with a word often translated as “because.” The NJB translates it as “Indeed,” which means “Truly.” Here it introduces the grounds for what both John the Baptist and the writer John said about the Word in the previous verses. The BSB and other English translations do not explicitly translate it. Other English translations translate it as “because” or “for.” You should introduce what John writes about the Word in a way that is natural in your language.

From His fullness: The Greek word that the BSB translates as From here means “out of.” The word fullness means “completeness” or “plenty.” Out of the great amount of the Word’s grace, mentioned in 1:14d, we have received many blessings.

Here are other ways to translate From His fullness:

From his abundance (NLT)

From the plentiful supply of his grace

Because he is very kind/gracious

1:16b

we have all received grace upon grace.

we^(incl) all have received one gift after another gift.
he has given many gracious gifts to us^(incl).
he has given us^(incl) kindness after/upon kindness.

we have all received grace upon grace: Verse 1:16b indicates that we have received many blessings from the Word who became human. In some languages it may be natural to translate this with a pronoun referring to the Word as the subject. For example:

he has blessed us all, giving us one blessing after another (GNT)

grace upon grace: The Greek phrase that the BSB translates as grace upon grace is more literally “grace in place of grace.” There are two interpretations of this phrase:

It means that we receive many blessings—one after another. For example:
one blessing after another (NIV) (GNT, NIV, NRSV, NCV, NLT, CEV, NASB, REB, ESV, NET, GW)
It means that one gift is taken away and replaced by another kind of gift. For example:
one gift replacing another (NJB) (KJV, NJB)

In interpretation (1), the earlier gifts are not removed as other gifts are given. In interpretation (2), there is only one gift at a time. It is implied that the earlier gifts are removed. It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), as do most Bible scholars. This fits the context better.

General Comment on 1:16a–b

In some languages it may be natural to combine 1:16a and 1:16b. For example:

^16a–bEach of us has received one gift after another because of all that the Word is. (GW)

^16a–bNow we have all received from his fullness one gracious gift after another. (NET)

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result

ὅτι

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ὅτι ἐκ τοῦ πληρώματος αὐτοῦ ἡμεῖς πάντες ἐλάβομεν καί χάριν ἀντί χάριτος)

For introduces the reason why John said that Jesus is “full of grace and truth” in verse [14](../01/14.md). Alternate translation: [We can say that Jesus is full of grace and truth because]

Note 2 topic: writing-pronouns

αὐτοῦ

˱of˲_him

Here, his refers to Jesus. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state this explicitly. Alternate translation: [Jesus’]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

τοῦ πληρώματος αὐτοῦ

the fullness ˱of˲_him

Here, fullness refers to the grace and truth which John said Jesus was full of in verse [14](../01/14.md). If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of fullness, you could express the same idea in another way. Alternate translation: [what he is full of] or [his full amount of grace and truth]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / exclusive

ἡμεῖς πάντες ἐλάβομεν

we all received

Here, we refers to John and all believers. Your language may require you to mark this form. Alternate translation: [all of we believers have received]

πάντες ἐλάβομεν καὶ χάριν

all received (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ὅτι ἐκ τοῦ πληρώματος αὐτοῦ ἡμεῖς πάντες ἐλάβομεν καί χάριν ἀντί χάριτος)

Alternate translation: [have all received, that is, grace] or [have all received, namely, grace]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

χάριν ἀντὶ χάριτος

grace (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ὅτι ἐκ τοῦ πληρώματος αὐτοῦ ἡμεῖς πάντες ἐλάβομεν καί χάριν ἀντί χάριτος)

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of grace, you could express the same idea in another way. Alternate translation: [kind act after kind act]

χάριν ἀντὶ χάριτος

grace (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ὅτι ἐκ τοῦ πληρώματος αὐτοῦ ἡμεῖς πάντες ἐλάβομεν καί χάριν ἀντί χάριτος)

Here, after could mean: (1) the second “grace” replaces the first “grace,” which is the most common use for this word. This meaning could indicate that the first “grace” refers to “the law” and the second “grace” refers to “Grace and truth” in the next verse. Alternate translation: [grace in place of grace] or [grace instead of grace] (2) the second “grace” is in addition to the first “grace.” Alternate translation: [grace in addition to] or [grace upon grace]

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. Because
2. Because
3. 37540
4. S
5. hoti
6. C-·······
7. because
8. because
9. S
10. Y5; TJohn's_Witness
11. 62569
1. of
2. -
3. 15370
5. ek
6. P-·······
7. of
8. of
9. -
10. Y5; TJohn's_Witness
11. 62571
1. the
2. -
3. 35880
5. ho
6. E-····GNS
7. the
8. the
9. -
10. Y5; TJohn's_Witness
11. 62572
1. fullness
2. -
3. 41380
5. plērōma
6. N-····GNS
7. fullness
8. fullness
9. -
10. Y5; TJohn's_Witness
11. 62573
1. of him
2. -
3. 8460
5. autos
6. R-···3GMS
7. ˱of˲ him
8. ˱of˲ him
9. -
10. Y5; TJohn's_Witness; R62521
11. 62574
1. we
2. -
3. 14730
5. egō
6. R-···1N·P
7. we
8. we
9. -
10. Y5; TJohn's_Witness
11. 62575
1. all
2. -
3. 39560
5. pas
6. S-····NMP
7. all
8. all
9. -
10. Y5; TJohn's_Witness
11. 62576
1. received
2. received
3. 29830
5. lambanō
6. V-IAA1··P
7. received
8. received
9. -
10. Y5; TJohn's_Witness
11. 62578
1. and
2. -
3. 25320
5. kai
6. C-·······
7. and
8. and
9. -
10. Y5; TJohn's_Witness
11. 62579
1. grace
2. -
3. 54850
5. χaris
6. N-····AFS
7. grace
8. grace
9. -
10. Y5; TJohn's_Witness
11. 62580
1. for
2. -
3. 4730
5. anti
6. P-·······
7. for
8. for
9. -
10. Y5; TJohn's_Witness
11. 62581
1. grace
2. -
3. 54850
5. χaris
6. N-····GFS
7. grace
8. grace
9. -
10. Y5; TJohn's_Witness
11. 62582

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.

OET interlinear YHN (JHN) 1:16