Parallel YHN 1:1

1:1, beginning: The Greek word means (1) the commencement of something as an action, process, or state of being, beginning, (2) one with whom a process begins, beginning, (3) the first cause, the beginning, (4) a point at which two surfaces or lines meet, corner, (5) a basis for further understanding, beginning, (6) an authority figure who initiates activity or process, ruler, authority, or (7) the sphere of one's official activity, rule, office. (BDAG, ἀρχή)

1:1, Word: The Greek word Logos is defined as (1) a communication whereby the mind finds expression, word, (2) computation, reckoning, or (3) the independent personified expression of God, the Logos (BDAG, λόγος). GPT-4 capitalized “Word” as a neutral rendering consistent with the English convention of capitalizing specific names, titles, and concepts. An example of a concept that is typically capitalized is the word Torah (Law). In a broad sense, “Torah” can be understood as the collective body of wisdom, law, and ethics as guided by divine instruction. It is a concept that encompasses much more than just a physical book or set of books. Capitalization in English is used for various reasons, such as recognizing the importance and distinctness of a concept, and is not only used to denote a proper noun such as a person's name or title.

1:1, with: The Greek word is a preposition that, with the accusative, is a marker of movement or orientation toward someone or something. (BDAG, πρός)

1:1, God was the Word: The interpretation of this phrase will depend on the theological perspective of the reader. Some see this as a statement of ontology (the word having the very nature of God) and others see the Word as being described as divine in some other sense (a noun used as an adjective).

1:1 In other words, the Word existed from eternity past. The concept of the Word means more than letters making up a word: it is the divine mind, the expression of God, the active aspect of divinity that speaks into existence as in Genesis 1:1.

1.1 Elohim

1.1 Prologus Omnibus divinæ Scripturæ paginis, Evangelium excellit, quia quod lex et prophetæ futurum prædixerunt, hoc completum dicit Evangelium. Inter ipsos autem evangeliorum scriptores Joannes eminet in divinorum mysteriorum profunditate, qui a tempore Dominicæ Ascensionis per annos sexaginta quinque verbum Dei absque adminiculo scribendi usque ad ultima Domitiani prædicavit tempora. Sed occiso Domitiano, cum permittente Nerva de exsilio redisset Ephesum, compulsus ab episcopis Asiæ de coæterna Patri divinitate Christi scripsit adversus hæreticos, qui eo absente irruperant in ejus ecclesias, qui Christum ante Mariam fuisse negabant. Unde merito in figura quatuor animalium aquilæ volanti comparatur, quæ volat altius cæteris animalibus, et solis radios irreverberatis aspicit luminibus. Cæteri quippe evangelistæ, qui temporalem Christi nativitatem et temporalia ejus facta, quæ gessit in homine sufficienter exponunt, et de divinitate pauca dixerunt, quasi animalia gressibilia, cum Domino ambulant in terra. Hic autem pauca de temporalibus ejus gestis edisserens, sed divinitatis potentiam sublimius contemplans, cum Domino ad cœlum volat. Qui enim supra pectus Domini in cœna recubuit, cœlestis haustum sapientiæ cæteris excellentius de ipso Dominici pectoris fonte potavit. Legerat siquidem evangelia trium evangelistarum, et approbaverat fidem eorum et veritatem in quibus deesse vidit aliqua gestarum rerum historiæ, et ea maxime quæ Dominus gessit primo prædicationis suæ tempore, scilicet, antequam Joannes Baptista clauderetur in carcere. Hæc ergo quasi dimissa ab illis, scribit Joannes quæ fecit Jesus antequam Joannes traderetur, sed maxime divinitatem Christi et Trinitatis mysterium commendare curavit. Tres siquidem alii evangelistæ, dicta et facta Domini temporalia, quæ ad informandos mores vitæ præsentis maxime valent, copiosius consecuti, circa activam vitam sunt versati. In qua laboratur, ut cor mundetur ad videndum Deum. Joannes vero pauca Domini facta dicit, verba vero Domini quæ Trinitatis unitatem, et vitæ æternæ felicitatem insinuant, diligentius conscribit, et sic in contemplativa vita virtute commendanda, intentionem suam et prædicationem tenuit. In qua contemplativa vacatur, ut Deus videatur. Iste siquidem est Joannes quem Dominus de fluctivaga nuptiarum tempestate vocavit, et cui matrem virginem virgini commendavit. In principio erat Verbum. Contra eos qui propter temporalem Christi nativitatem dicebant Christum non semper fuisse, incipit de æternitate Verbi dicens: In principio erat Verbum.

1.1 Prologus Omnibus divinæ Scripturæ paginis, the_Gospel excellit, because that lex and prophetæ futurum prædixerunt, this completum dicit the_Gospel. Inter themselves however evangeliorum scriptores Yoannes eminet in divinorum mysteriorum profunditate, who from tempore Dominicæ Ascensionis through years sexaginta quinque the_word of_God without adminiculo scribendi until to ultima Domitiani prædicavit tempora. But occiso Domitiano, when/with permittente Nerva about exsilio redisset Ephesum, compulsus away episcopis Asiæ about coæterna Patri divinitate of_Christ scripsit adversus hæreticos, who eo absente irruperant in his ecclesias, who Christum before Mariam fuisse negabant. Unde merito in figura four animalium aquilæ volanti comparatur, which volat altius cæteris animalibus, and solis radios irreverberatis aspicit luminibus. Cæteri quippe evangelistæ, who temporalem of_Christ nativitatem and temporalia his facta, which gessit in homine sufficienter exponunt, and about divinitate pauca dixerunt, as_if animalia gressibilia, when/with Master ambulant in terra. Hic however pauca about temporalibus his gestis edisserens, but divinitatis potentiam sublimius contemplans, when/with Master to cœlum volat. Who because supra pectus Master in cœna recubuit, cœlestis haustum sapientiæ cæteris excellentius about ipso Dominici pectoris fonte potavit. Legerat siindeed evangelia trium evangelistarum, and approbaverat faith their and words in to_whom deesse he_saw aliqua gestarum rerum historiæ, and ea maxime which Master gessit primo prælet_him_sayionis suæ tempore, scilicet, before Yoannes Baptista clauderetur in carcere. This therefore as_if dimissa away to_them, scribit Yoannes which he_did Yesus before Yoannes traderetur, but maxime divinitatem of_Christ and Trinitatis mysterium commendare curavit. Tres siindeed alii evangelistæ, dicta and facts Master temporalia, which to informandos mores of_life præsentis maxime valent, copiosius consecuti, circa activam life are versati. In which laboratur, as heart mundetur to videndum God. Yoannes vero pauca Master facts dicit, words vero Master which Trinitatis unitatem, and of_life æternæ felicitatem insinuant, diligentius conscribit, and so in contemplativa vita virtute commendanda, intentionem his_own and prælet_him_sayionem tenuit. In which contemplativa vacatur, as God videatur. Iste siindeed it_is Yoannes which Master about fluctivaga nuptiarum tempestate he_called, and cui matrem virginem virgini commendavit. In at_the_beginning was Verbum. Contra them who propter temporalem of_Christ nativitatem dicebant Christum not/no always fuisse, incipit about æternitate Verbi saying: In at_the_beginning was Verbum.