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OET interlinear YHN (JHN) 1:4

← YHN (JHN) 1:4 ↓ → ► ║ ©

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. S
    10. Y-4004
    11. 62376
    1. αὐτῷ
    2. autos
    3. him
    4. -
    5. 8460
    6. R···3DMS
    7. him
    8. him
    9. -
    10. Y-4004; R62355
    11. 62377
    1. ζωή
    2. zōē
    3. life
    4. -
    5. 22220
    6. N····NFS
    7. life
    8. life
    9. -
    10. Y-4004
    11. 62378
    1. ζωήν
    2. zōē
    3. -
    4. -
    5. 22220
    6. N····AFS
    7. life
    8. life
    9. -
    10. -
    11. 62379
    1. ἦν
    2. eimi
    3. was
    4. -
    5. 15100
    6. VIIA3··S
    7. was
    8. was
    9. -
    10. Y-4004
    11. 62380
    1. ἐστίν
    2. eimi
    3. -
    4. -
    5. 15100
    6. VIPA3··S
    7. is
    8. is
    9. -
    10. -
    11. 62381
    1. καί
    2. kai
    3. and
    4. -
    5. 25320
    6. C·······
    7. and
    8. and
    9. -
    10. Y-4004
    11. 62382
    1. ἡ
    2. ho
    3. the
    4. -
    5. 35880
    6. E····NFS
    7. the
    8. the
    9. -
    10. Y-4004
    11. 62383
    1. ζωή
    2. zōē
    3. life
    4. -
    5. 22220
    6. N····NFS
    7. life
    8. life
    9. -
    10. Y-4004
    11. 62384
    1. ἦν
    2. eimi
    3. was
    4. -
    5. 15100
    6. VIIA3··S
    7. was
    8. was
    9. -
    10. Y-4004
    11. 62385
    1. τό
    2. ho
    3. the
    4. -
    5. 35880
    6. E····NNS
    7. the
    8. the
    9. -
    10. Y-4004
    11. 62386
    1. φῶς
    2. fōs
    3. light
    4. light
    5. 54570
    6. N····NNS
    7. light
    8. light
    9. -
    10. Y-4004
    11. 62387
    1. τῶν
    2. ho
    3. the
    4. -
    5. 35880
    6. E····GMP
    7. ¬the
    8. ¬the
    9. -
    10. Y-4004
    11. 62388
    1. ἀνθρώπων
    2. anthrōpos
    3. of mankind
    4. -
    5. 4440
    6. N····GMP
    7. ˱of˲ mankind
    8. ˱of˲ mankind
    9. -
    10. Y-4004
    11. 62389

OET (OET-LV) In him was life, and the life was the light of_ the _mankind.

OET (OET-RV) He holds life, and that life is the light of humankind.

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.

1:4a

In Him was life,

In Him was life: The pronoun Him continues to refer to the Word. The clause In Him was life means “the Word caused people/everything to live.” It was through the Word that all life began. Plants, animals, and humans all lived because of him. For example:

The Word was the one who gave life to all.

The Word was the source of life. (GNT)

life: The word life can refer to both physical life and spiritual life. The life given at creation and the life of the new creation (salvation, spiritual life) both come from the Word. Try to translate in a way that can be understood in both ways. If you must choose only one sense, it is probably best to choose the physical life given at creation. That is the primary context here.See comments by Carson, p. 119. Some languages refer to the life of plants or animals in a different way than the life of people. If that is the case in your language, you should refer to the life that God gives to people.

General Comment on 1:4a

In some languages it is more natural to translate “life” using a verb rather than a noun. In those languages it may be possible to say this:

He caused all creatures/beings to live.

1:4b

and that life was the light of men.

that life was the light of men: This clause indicates that the life (that the Word gives) brought light to human beings.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

this life brought light to people (GNT)

his life gave light to everyone (CEV)

that life: The Greek article that the BSB translates as that indicates that the word life in 1:4b refers back to the “life” just mentioned in 1:4a. In some languages it may be more natural to say this phrase:

this life (GNT)

his life (NLT)

life: Use the same word or phrase here that you used in 1:4a. If you have used a verb there, here you may need to say something like this:

he caused people to live and so they received light

the light of men: The Greek phrase that the BSB translates as the light of men means “the light for human beings.” The life provided light for people. It made it possible for people to see.

light: The word light connects this narrative with the creation story. Try to use the same word that you used in Genesis 1:3. Here it is a figure of speech, a metaphor. It refers to something that reveals or tells the truth about God, allowing people to know him. John called the life that God gave light because it made it possible for people to know God. Jesus, the Word of God, revealed God to all people.

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

ζωὴ

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ἐν αὐτῷ ζωή ἦν καί ἡ ζωή ἦν τό φῶς τῶν ἀνθρώπων)

Here it is best to use a general term for life. (See: life) If you must use a more specific word, consider that life here could refer to: (1) eternal life, which is the meaning John uses for this term throughout this Gospel. Alternate translation: [the means of receiving eternal life] (2) physical life, which would mean that this verse continues the discussion about the creation of the universe in the previous verses. Alternate translation: [the life of all living things] (3) both physical life and eternal life. Alternate translation: [the life of all living things and the source of eternal life]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

καὶ ἡ ζωὴ

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ἐν αὐτῷ ζωή ἦν καί ἡ ζωή ἦν τό φῶς τῶν ἀνθρώπων)

Here, the life refers to the same life stated in the previous phrase. You could include this information if that would be helpful to your readers. Alternate translation: [and that life]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

τὸ φῶς τῶν ἀνθρώπων

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ἐν αὐτῷ ζωή ἦν καί ἡ ζωή ἦν τό φῶς τῶν ἀνθρώπων)

John uses light to refer to God’s truth and goodness. If this might confuse your readers, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [the true and good things God has for men]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

τὸ φῶς τῶν ἀνθρώπων

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ἐν αὐτῷ ζωή ἦν καί ἡ ζωή ἦν τό φῶς τῶν ἀνθρώπων)

John uses of to indicate to whom the light is given. If this is not clear in your language, you could use a different expression. Alternate translation: [the light given to men]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / gendernotations

τῶν ἀνθρώπων

¬the ˱of˲_mankind

Although the term men is masculine, John is using the word here in a generic sense that includes both men and women. Alternate translation: [of people]

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. S
    5. en
    6. P-·······
    7. in
    8. in
    9. S
    10. Y-4004
    11. 62376
    1. him
    2. -
    3. 8460
    5. autos
    6. R-···3DMS
    7. him
    8. him
    9. -
    10. Y-4004; R62355
    11. 62377
    1. was
    2. -
    3. 15100
    5. eimi
    6. V-IIA3··S
    7. was
    8. was
    9. -
    10. Y-4004
    11. 62380
    1. life
    2. -
    3. 22220
    5. zōē
    6. N-····NFS
    7. life
    8. life
    9. -
    10. Y-4004
    11. 62378
    1. and
    2. -
    3. 25320
    5. kai
    6. C-·······
    7. and
    8. and
    9. -
    10. Y-4004
    11. 62382
    1. the
    2. -
    3. 35880
    5. ho
    6. E-····NFS
    7. the
    8. the
    9. -
    10. Y-4004
    11. 62383
    1. life
    2. -
    3. 22220
    5. zōē
    6. N-····NFS
    7. life
    8. life
    9. -
    10. Y-4004
    11. 62384
    1. was
    2. -
    3. 15100
    5. eimi
    6. V-IIA3··S
    7. was
    8. was
    9. -
    10. Y-4004
    11. 62385
    1. the
    2. -
    3. 35880
    5. ho
    6. E-····NNS
    7. the
    8. the
    9. -
    10. Y-4004
    11. 62386
    1. light
    2. light
    3. 54570
    5. fōs
    6. N-····NNS
    7. light
    8. light
    9. -
    10. Y-4004
    11. 62387
    1. of
    2. -
    3. 4440
    5. anthrōpos
    6. N-····GMP
    7. ˱of˲ mankind
    8. ˱of˲ mankind
    9. -
    10. Y-4004
    11. 62389
    1. the
    2. -
    3. 35880
    5. ho
    6. E-····GMP
    7. ¬the
    8. ¬the
    9. -
    10. Y-4004
    11. 62388
    1. mankind
    2. -
    3. 4440
    5. anthrōpos
    6. N-····GMP
    7. ˱of˲ mankind
    8. ˱of˲ mankind
    9. -
    10. Y-4004
    11. 62389

OET (OET-LV) In him was life, and the life was the light of_ the _mankind.

OET (OET-RV) He holds life, and that life is the light of humankind.

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) 1:4 ↑ → ► ║ ©