OET interlinear 1YHN (1JHN) 4:9

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

ἐν τούτῳ

in this

In this means something similar to the idiomatic expression “in this we know” that John uses many times in this letter. Alternate translation: “This is how”

Note 2 topic: writing-pronouns

ἐν τούτῳ

in this

Here, this refers forward to what John will say in the rest of the sentence. God demonstrated that he loves us by sending his Son.

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

ἐφανερώθη ἡ ἀγάπη τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐν ἡμῖν

/was/_revealed the love ¬the ˱of˲_God among us

See the discussion of the term “appear” in Part 3 of the Introduction to 1 John. This verbal form could be translated appeared or “was revealed.” If your language does not use passive forms, you can use an active form and say who did the action. Alternate translation: “God showed us how much he loves us”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

ἡ ἀγάπη τοῦ Θεοῦ

the love ¬the ˱of˲_God

Here, the love of God refers to God loving people. Alternate translation: “God’s love for us”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / exclusive

ἐν ἡμῖν

in among us

The expression among us likely refers to all of humanity, not just to the people who saw and heard Jesus when he was alive, so this would be an inclusive use of the term us that would include the believers to whom John is writing. John says later in the sentence that Jesus came so that we might live through him, and we in that instance does include these believers. So it is likely that us earlier in the sentence includes them as well.

Note 6 topic: guidelines-sonofgodprinciples

τὸν Υἱὸν αὐτοῦ

the Son ˱of˲_him

Son is an important title for Jesus. Alternate translation: “his Son Jesus”

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / nominaladj

τὸν μονογενῆ

the the only_begotten

The adjectives One and Only function here as nouns to mean that God has no other Son like Jesus. Your language may use adjectives in the same way. If not, you could add the noun “Son” to this phrase. Alternate translation: “his One and Only Son”

Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

εἰς τὸν κόσμον

into the world

John uses world to mean various things in this letter. Here it refers to the created world. Alternate translation: “to live on earth”

Note 9 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

ἵνα ζήσωμεν δι’ αὐτοῦ

in_order_that ˱we˲_/may/_live through him

Since people were already literally alive before Jesus came, John means this in a figurative sense. He is likely referring to what he calls “eternal life” in 3:15. That includes both living forever in the presence of God after death and receiving power from God in this life to live in a new way. Alternate translation: “so that through him we might receive power from God to live as new people in this life and to live forever in God’s presence after we die”