YHN 1:5 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. Καί
2. kai
3. And
4. and
5. 25320
6. C·······
7. and
8. and
9. S
10. Y-4004
11. 62390
1. τό
2. ho
3. the
4. -
5. 35880
6. E····NNS
7. the
8. the
9. -
10. Y-4004
11. 62391
1. φῶς
2. fōs
3. light
4. light
5. 54570
6. N····NNS
7. light
8. light
9. -
10. Y-4004
11. 62392
1. ἐν
2. en
3. in
4. -
5. 17220
6. P·······
7. in
8. in
9. -
10. Y-4004
11. 62393
1. τῇ
2. ho
3. the
4. -
5. 35880
6. E····DFS
7. the
8. the
9. -
10. Y-4004
11. 62394
1. σκοτίᾳ
2. skotia
3. darkness
4. -
5. 46530
6. N····DFS
7. darkness
8. darkness
9. -
10. Y-4004
11. 62395
1. φαίνει
2. fainō
3. is shining
4. shining
5. 53160
6. VIPA3··S
7. ˓is˒ shining
8. ˓is˒ shining
9. -
10. Y-4004
11. 62396
1. καί
2. kai
3. and
4. -
5. 25320
6. C·······
7. and
8. and
9. -
10. Y-4004
11. 62397
1. ἡ
2. ho
3. the
4. -
5. 35880
6. E····NFS
7. the
8. the
9. -
10. Y-4004
11. 62398
1. σκοτία
2. skotia
3. darkness
4. -
5. 46530
6. N····NFS
7. darkness
8. darkness
9. -
10. Y-4004
11. 62399
1. αὐτό
2. autos
3. it
4. -
5. 8460
6. R···3ANS
7. it
8. it
9. -
10. Y-4004
11. 62400
1. οὒ
2. ou
3. not
4. -
5. 37560
6. D·······
7. not
8. not
9. -
10. Y-4004
11. 62401
1. κατέλαβεν
2. katalambanō
3. grasped
4. -
5. 26380
6. VIAA3··S
7. grasped
8. grasped
9. -
10. Y-4004
11. 62402

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.

1:5a

The Light shines in the darkness,

The light shines out in the dark places,
The light makes the darkness light/bright,

The Light shines in the darkness: The verb shines is in the present tense. Use a verb form that indicates that the light continues to shine. Here the author’s words are literal and a metaphor. Literally, at creation and ever since, light has shined into darkness.

But the words are also a metaphor. John is beginning to speak about Jesus, the One who is like the light. Jesus is like the light because he enables people to see something. Here, Jesus shows or tells people about God. In your translation, you should continue to use the metaphor and not yet explain that it refers to Jesus. Here are other ways to translate this clause:

The light keeps shining in the dark. (CEV)

The light still shines in the darkness. (JBP)

in the darkness: The word darkness is a metaphor that refers to evil. Just as darkness is the absence of light, so evil is the absence of good. It is the absence of the knowledge of God and trust in him. If your language does not use darkness as a figure of speech for evil, you may need to say something like this:

in the evil darkness

in the dark place where evil lives

1:5b

and the darkness has not overcome it.

and the dark cannot stop it.
and the darkness has not destroyed the light.

and: The Greek conjunction that the BSB translates as and can be translated in two ways:

It continues the previous thought and means and. (BSB, NJB, KJV, NASB, NRSV, ESV, REB, GW, GNT, NLT, CEV, NCV, NIV11)
It contrasts with the previous thought and means “but.” (RSV, NIV84, NET)

Although one could read 1:5b as a contrast to 1:5a, it is more likely that the thought continues. Darkness does not normally overcome a light; rather, light drives away darkness. Using “but” could imply that people expect darkness to overcome light. So it is recommended that you follow interpretation (1).In other places the author contrasts light and darkness in this way (see John 3:19, 8:12, and especially 12:35).

the darkness has not overcome it: There are two ways to interpret the Greek word that the BSB translates as overcome:

It means overcome or “gain control of.” For example:
the darkness has not overpowered it (NCV) (BSB, RSV, GNT, NLT, CEV, NCV, ESV, GW, NIV2011)
It means “understood.” For example:
the darkness has not understood it (NIV84) (NIV84, NASB, KJV)

Some English translations (REB, NET) say “mastered,” which can be understood in either sense. It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1) and most Bible scholars. Here are other ways to translate this clause:

the darkness has not conquered it

the darkness can never extinguish it (NLT)

Here again darkness is a metaphor referring to evil and deliberately not knowing God. It is personified, meaning that it is spoken about like it was a person and could act. In some languages it is more natural to explain some of this figure of speech. For example:

The evil powers/forces of darkness tried to destroy the one who is the light, but they could not.

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

τὸ φῶς & φαίνει

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Καί τό φῶς ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ φαίνει καί ἡ σκοτία αὐτό οὒ κατέλαβεν)

John uses the light shines to refer to God’s truth and goodness being revealed as if it were a light shining. This truth and goodness was revealed to the world by Jesus. He is the embodiment of God’s truth and goodness. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly or with a simile. Alternate translation: [God reveals his truth and goodness] or [God’s truth and goodness is like a light that shines]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ & καὶ ἡ σκοτία

in the darkness & (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Καί τό φῶς ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ φαίνει καί ἡ σκοτία αὐτό οὒ κατέλαβεν)

John uses darkness to refer to what is false and evil. It is the spiritual darkness of the people in the world who do not love Jesus. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly or with a simile. Alternate translation: [in the false and evil world, and that evil world] or [in the evil world that is like a dark place, and that dark place]

αὐτὸ οὐ κατέλαβεν

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Καί τό φῶς ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ φαίνει καί ἡ σκοτία αὐτό οὒ κατέλαβεν)

The word translated overcome could also be translated as “understand.” It could mean: (1) the evil forces in the world did not conquer God’s truth and goodness. Alternate translation: [did not conquer it] (2) the people in the world who don’t know God do not understand his truth and goodness. Alternate translation: [did not comprehend it] (3) the evil forces of this world neither conquered nor understood God’s truth and goodness. Alternate translation: [did not conquer or comprehend it]

Note 3 topic: writing-pronouns

αὐτὸ οὐ κατέλαβεν

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Καί τό φῶς ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ φαίνει καί ἡ σκοτία αὐτό οὒ κατέλαβεν)

Here, it refers to the light mentioned earlier in the verse. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state this explicitly. Alternate translation: [did not overcome the light]

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

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) 1:5

SR Greek word order

Section 1:1–18: The Word became flesh

Paragraph 1:1–5

1:5a

1:5b

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