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OET interlinear YHN (JHN) 1:9

← YHN (JHN) 1:9 ↓ → ► ║ ©

SR Greek word order

    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. Ἦν
    2. eimi
    3. It was
    4. -
    5. 15100
    6. VIIA3··S
    7. ˱it˲ was
    8. ˱it˲ was
    9. S
    10. Y5
    11. 62443
    1. τό
    2. ho
    3. the
    4. -
    5. 35880
    6. E····NNS
    7. the
    8. the
    9. -
    10. Y5
    11. 62444
    1. φῶς
    2. fōs
    3. light
    4. light
    5. 54570
    6. N····NNS
    7. light
    8. light
    9. -
    10. Y5; F62465; F62480; F62487; F62488; F62501
    11. 62445
    1. τό
    2. ho
    3. the
    4. -
    5. 35880
    6. E····NNS
    7. ¬the
    8. ¬the
    9. -
    10. Y5
    11. 62446
    1. ἀληθινόν
    2. alēthinos
    3. true
    4. -
    5. 2280
    6. A····NNS
    7. true
    8. true
    9. -
    10. Y5
    11. 62447
    1. ὅ
    2. hos
    3. which
    4. which
    5. 37390
    6. R····NNS
    7. which
    8. which
    9. -
    10. Y5
    11. 62448
    1. φωτίζει
    2. fōtizō
    3. is enlightening
    4. enlightens
    5. 54610
    6. VIPA3··S
    7. ˓is˒ enlightening
    8. ˓is˒ enlightening
    9. -
    10. Y5
    11. 62449
    1. παντᾶ
    2. pas
    3. every
    4. every
    5. 39560
    6. E····AMS
    7. every
    8. every
    9. -
    10. Y5
    11. 62450
    1. ἄνθρωπον
    2. anthrōpos
    3. person
    4. person
    5. 4440
    6. N····AMS
    7. person
    8. person
    9. -
    10. Y5
    11. 62451
    1. ἐρχόμενον
    2. erχomai
    3. coming
    4. coming
    5. 20640
    6. VPPM·AMS
    7. coming
    8. coming
    9. -
    10. Y5
    11. 62452
    1. εἰς
    2. eis
    3. into
    4. -
    5. 15190
    6. P·······
    7. into
    8. into
    9. -
    10. Y5
    11. 62453
    1. τόν
    2. ho
    3. the
    4. -
    5. 35880
    6. E····AMS
    7. the
    8. the
    9. -
    10. Y5
    11. 62454
    1. κόσμον
    2. kosmos
    3. world
    4. world
    5. 28890
    6. N····AMS
    7. world
    8. world
    9. -
    10. Y5
    11. 62455

OET (OET-LV) It_was the the true light, which is_enlightening every person, coming into the world.

OET (OET-RV) The true light which enlightens every person was coming into the world.

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 1:6–9

This paragraph explains who John the Baptist was and why God sent him. John came to announce the coming of the one who was the light, Jesus Christ.

1:9

The true Light who gives light to every man was coming into the world.

The true Light who gives light to every man was coming into the world: This refers to the Word, Jesus Christ, in contrast to John the Baptist. He was the true light, he gives light to everyone, and he was coming into the world. Here is another way to translate this clause:

The true light that gives light to all was coming into the world! (NCV)

The true Light: The Greek word that the BSB translates as true here means “real” or “genuine.” For example:

the real light (NJB)

Light: See the note on Light in 1:4b and how you translated this in 1:4b, 1:5a, and 1:8a–b.

who gives light to every man: The Greek verb that the BSB translates as gives light can be understood in two ways:

  1. it means to give light to someone so that they can see. For example:

    which gives light to everyone (ESV) (BSB, NASB, NRSV, ESV, NIV, REB, NET, NLT)

  2. it means to shine on someone so that they can be seen. For example:

    which shines on everyone (GW) (GW, GNT, CEV)

The KJV is ambiguous. It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), along with most English translations. However, it is good if people can understand that the light enables them to see themselves as well as other things. The true light allows everyone to see that they themselves are sinful. The true light also allows everyone to understand something of God and his greatness and goodness.

In some languages you may need to explain the metaphor of light by translating gives light in this way:

who reveals true things to all people

was coming into the world: This refers to Jesus Christ’s public ministry. Jesus had already been born, and was in fact only a few months younger than John the Baptist. However, he had not yet begun preaching to the people.

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

τὸ φῶς τὸ ἀληθινὸν, ὃ

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ἦν τό φῶς τό ἀληθινόν ὅ φωτίζει παντᾶ ἄνθρωπον ἐρχόμενον εἰς τόν κόσμον)

John uses light to refer to Jesus as the one who both reveals the truth about God and is himself that truth. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [Jesus, who truly embodied God’s truth, who]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

ὃ φωτίζει πάντα ἄνθρωπον

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ἦν τό φῶς τό ἀληθινόν ὅ φωτίζει παντᾶ ἄνθρωπον ἐρχόμενον εἰς τόν κόσμον)

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: [which reveals the true and good things of God to all men]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / gendernotations

ἄνθρωπον

person

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

TSN Tyndale Study Notes:

1:1-18 The beginning of this prologue (1:1-5) might be a poem or hymn sung by the earliest Christians. The prologue’s themes—the coming of the light into the world, the rejection of the light, and its gift of new life to believers—prepares readers for the story that follows.

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. It was
    2. -
    3. 15100
    4. S
    5. eimi
    6. V-IIA3··S
    7. ˱it˲ was
    8. ˱it˲ was
    9. S
    10. Y5
    11. 62443
    1. the
    2. -
    3. 35880
    5. ho
    6. E-····NNS
    7. the
    8. the
    9. -
    10. Y5
    11. 62444
    1. the
    2. -
    3. 35880
    5. ho
    6. E-····NNS
    7. ¬the
    8. ¬the
    9. -
    10. Y5
    11. 62446
    1. true
    2. -
    3. 2280
    5. alēthinos
    6. A-····NNS
    7. true
    8. true
    9. -
    10. Y5
    11. 62447
    1. light
    2. light
    3. 54570
    5. fōs
    6. N-····NNS
    7. light
    8. light
    9. -
    10. Y5; F62465; F62480; F62487; F62488; F62501
    11. 62445
    1. which
    2. which
    3. 37390
    5. hos
    6. R-····NNS
    7. which
    8. which
    9. -
    10. Y5
    11. 62448
    1. is enlightening
    2. enlightens
    3. 54610
    5. fōtizō
    6. V-IPA3··S
    7. ˓is˒ enlightening
    8. ˓is˒ enlightening
    9. -
    10. Y5
    11. 62449
    1. every
    2. every
    3. 39560
    5. pas
    6. E-····AMS
    7. every
    8. every
    9. -
    10. Y5
    11. 62450
    1. person
    2. person
    3. 4440
    5. anthrōpos
    6. N-····AMS
    7. person
    8. person
    9. -
    10. Y5
    11. 62451
    1. coming
    2. coming
    3. 20640
    5. erχomai
    6. V-PPM·AMS
    7. coming
    8. coming
    9. -
    10. Y5
    11. 62452
    1. into
    2. -
    3. 15190
    5. eis
    6. P-·······
    7. into
    8. into
    9. -
    10. Y5
    11. 62453
    1. the
    2. -
    3. 35880
    5. ho
    6. E-····AMS
    7. the
    8. the
    9. -
    10. Y5
    11. 62454
    1. world
    2. world
    3. 28890
    5. kosmos
    6. N-····AMS
    7. world
    8. world
    9. -
    10. Y5
    11. 62455

OET (OET-LV) It_was the the true light, which is_enlightening every person, coming into the world.

OET (OET-RV) The true light which enlightens every person was coming into the world.

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) 1:9 ↑ → ► ║ ©