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John 1:1The Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures
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1
᾿Εν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ λόγος, καὶ ὁ λόγος ἦν πρὸς τὸν θεόν, καὶ θεὸς ἦν ὁ λόγος.
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John 1:1The Bible in Living English
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1 At the first there was the Word, and the Word was where God was, and the Word was God.
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John 1:1American Standard Version
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1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
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John 1:1The Emphasized Bible
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1 Originally was the Word, And the Word was with God; And the Word was God.
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John 1:1King James Version
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1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
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JohnWatch Tower Publications Index 1930-1985
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1:1 w85 12/15 25; int 1139-1140; w84 8/15 30; Rbi8 1579; w83 12/1 14; uw 17; w82 3/15 24; w82 5/1 20; tr 24; yb80 164; w77 319-320; w76 25-26; gh 117; w75 63; w75 173-176; w75 702-704; w74 307; w73 262; w73 524; ka 20; w72 486; g72 3/22 6-7; g72 5/22 27-28; ad 694, 917-919, 1530, 1669; bi8-71 1362; w69 693-694; int69 1158-1160; w68 582; w67 348; g65 9/22 28; w63 539, 763; bi8-63 3587; bf 618, 625; yb63 181; w62 149, 553, 599, 601; wr 3, 54, 59; g62 9/22 8; w61 57, 665, 687; g60 5/8 28; w53 22; nh 25; lg 33, 106; rm 37; bi7-50 773; w48 75; ta 268; tf 45; w42 158; w39 285; w34 76; g30 2/19 349-350
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JohnResearch Guide for Jehovah’s Witnesses—2019 Edition
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John Study Notes—Chapter 1New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (Study Edition)
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the beginning: In the Scriptures, the meaning of the term “beginning” depends on the context. Here the Greek word ar·kheʹ cannot refer to “the beginning” of God the Creator, for he is eternal, having no beginning. (Ps 90:2) It must, therefore, refer to the time when God began creating. God’s first creation was termed the Word, a heavenly designation of the one who became Jesus. (Joh 1:14-17) So Jesus is the only one who can rightly be called “the firstborn of all creation.” (Col 1:15) He was “the beginning of the creation by God” (Re 3:14), so he existed before other spirit creatures and the physical universe were created. In fact, by means of Jesus, “all other things were created in the heavens and on the earth.”—Col 1:16; for other examples of how the term “beginning” is used, see study note on Joh 6:64.
the Word: Or “the Logos.” Greek, ho loʹgos. Here used as a title, it is also used at Joh 1:14 and Re 19:13. John identified the one to whom this title belongs, namely, Jesus. This title was applied to Jesus during his prehuman existence as a spirit creature, during his ministry on earth as a perfect man, and after his exaltation to heaven. Jesus was God’s Word of communication, or Spokesman, for conveying information and instructions to the Creator’s other spirit sons and to humans. So it is reasonable to think that prior to Jesus’ coming to earth, Jehovah on many occasions communicated with mankind through the Word, His angelic mouthpiece.—Ge 16:7-11; 22:11; 31:11; Ex 3:2-5; Jg 2:1-4; 6:11, 12; 13:3.
with: Lit., “toward.” In this context, the Greek preposition pros implies close proximity and fellowship. It also indicates separate persons, in this case, the Word and the only true God.
the Word was a god: Or “the Word was divine [or, “a godlike one”].” This statement by John describes a quality or characteristic of “the Word” (Greek, ho loʹgos; see study note on the Word in this verse), that is, Jesus Christ. The Word’s preeminent position as the firstborn Son of God through whom God created all other things is a basis for describing him as “a god; a godlike one; divine; a divine being.” Many translators favor the rendering “the Word was God,” equating him with God Almighty. However, there are good reasons for saying that John did not mean that “the Word” was the same as Almighty God. First, the preceding clause and the following clause both clearly state that “the Word” was “with God.” Also, the Greek word the·osʹ occurs three times in verses 1 and 2. In the first and third occurrences, the·osʹ is preceded by the definite article in Greek; in the second occurrence, there is no article. Many scholars agree that the absence of the definite article before the second the·osʹ is significant. When the article is used in this context, the·osʹ refers to God Almighty. On the other hand, the absence of the article in this grammatical construction makes the·osʹ qualitative in meaning and describes a characteristic of “the Word.” Therefore, a number of Bible translations in English, French, and German render the text in a way similar to the New World Translation, conveying the idea that “the Word” was “a god; divine; a divine being; of divine kind; godlike.” Supporting this view, ancient translations of John’s Gospel into the Sahidic and the Bohairic dialects of the Coptic language, probably produced in the third and fourth centuries C.E., handle the first occurrence of the·osʹ at Joh 1:1 differently from the second occurrence. These renderings highlight a quality of “the Word,” that his nature was like that of God, but they do not equate him with his Father, the almighty God. In harmony with this verse, Col 2:9 describes Christ as having “all the fullness of the divine quality.” And according to 2Pe 1:4, even Christ’s joint heirs would “become sharers in divine nature.” Additionally, in the Septuagint translation, the Greek word the·osʹ is the usual equivalent of the Hebrew words rendered “God,” ʼel and ʼelo·himʹ, which are thought to convey the basic meaning “Mighty One; Strong One.” These Hebrew words are used with reference to the almighty God, other gods, and humans. (See study note on Joh 10:34.) Calling the Word “a god,” or “a mighty one,” would be in line with the prophecy at Isa 9:6, foretelling that the Messiah would be called “Mighty God” (not “Almighty God”) and that he would be the “Eternal Father” of all those privileged to live as his subjects. The zeal of his own Father, “Jehovah of armies,” would accomplish this.—Isa 9:7.
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