John 1:1—“and the Word was a god (godlike; divine)”

Gr., καὶ θεὸς ἦν ὁ λόγος (kai the·osʹ en ho loʹgos)

These translations use such words as “a god,” “divine,” or “godlike” because the Greek word θεός (the·osʹ) is a singular predicate noun occurring before the verb and is not preceded by the definite article. This is an anarthrous the·osʹ. The God with whom the Word, or Logos, was originally is designated here by the Greek expression ὁ θεός, that is, the·osʹ preceded by the definite article ho. This is an articular the·osʹ. The articular construction of the noun points to an identity, a personality, whereas a singular anarthrous predicate noun preceding the verb points to a quality about someone. Therefore, John’s statement that the Word, or Logos, was “a god” or “divine” or “godlike” does not mean that he was the God with whom he was. It merely expresses a certain quality about the Word, or Logos, but it does not identify him as one and the same as God himself.

In the Greek text there are many cases of a singular anarthrous predicate noun preceding the verb, such as those listed in the accompanying chart. In these places translators insert the indefinite article “a” before the predicate noun in order to bring out the quality or characteristic of the subject. Since the indefinite article is inserted before the predicate noun in such texts, with equal justification the indefinite article “a” is inserted before the anarthrous θεός in the predicate of John 1:1 to make it read “a god.” The Sacred Scriptures confirm the correctness of this rendering.

In his article “Qualitative Anarthrous Predicate Nouns: Mark 15:39 and John 1:1,” published in Journal of Biblical Literature, Vol. 92, Philadelphia, 1973, p. 85, Philip B. Harner said that such clauses as the one in John 1:1, “with an anarthrous predicate preceding the verb, are primarily qualitative in meaning. They indicate that the logos has the nature of theos. There is no basis for regarding the predicate theos as definite.” On p. 87 of his article, Harner concluded: “In John 1:1 I think that the qualitative force of the predicate is so prominent that the noun cannot be regarded as definite.”

Following is a list of instances in the gospels of Mark and John where various translators have rendered singular anarthrous predicate nouns occurring before the verb with an indefinite article to denote the indefinite and qualitative status of the subject nouns:

Scripture Text

Mark 6:49 New World Translation an apparition

King James Version a spirit

New International Version a ghost

Revised Standard Version a ghost

Today’s English Version a ghost

Mark 11:32 New World Translation a prophet

King James Version a prophet

New International Version a prophet

Revised Standard Version a real prophet

Today’s English Version a prophet

John 4:19 New World Translation a prophet

King James Version a prophet

New International Version a prophet

Revised Standard Version a prophet

Today’s English Version a prophet

John 6:70 New World Translation a slanderer

King James Version a devil

New International Version a devil

Revised Standard Version a devil

Today’s English Version a devil

John 8:44 New World Translation a manslayer

King James Version a murderer

New International Version a murderer

Revised Standard Version a murderer

Today’s English Version a murderer

John 8:44 New World Translation a liar

King James Version a liar

New International Version a liar

Revised Standard Version a liar

Today’s English Version a liar

John 8:48 New World Translation a Samaritan

King James Version a Samaritan

New International Version a Samaritan

Revised Standard Version a Samaritan

Today’s English Version a Samaritan

John 9:17 New World Translation a prophet

King James Version a prophet

New International Version a prophet

Revised Standard Version a prophet

Today’s English Version a prophet

John 10:1 New World Translation a thief

King James Version a thief

New International Version a thief

Revised Standard Version a thief

Today’s English Version a thief

John 10:13 New World Translation a hired man

King James Version an hireling

New International Version a hired hand

Revised Standard Version a hireling

Today’s English Version a hired man

John 10:33 New World Translation a man

King James Version a man

New International Version a mere man

Revised Standard Version a man

Today’s English Version a man

John 12:6 New World Translation a thief

King James Version a thief

New International Version a thief

Revised Standard Version a thief

Today’s English Version a thief

John 18:37 New World Translation a king

King James Version a king

New International Version a king

Revised Standard Version a king

Today’s English Version a king

John 18:37 New World Translation a king

King James Version a king

New International Version a king

Revised Standard Version a king

Today’s English Version a king

“For there are three witness bearers, the spirit and the water and the blood, and the three are in agreement.”—1John 5:7, 8.

This rendering is in harmony with the Greek texts by C. Tischendorf (eighth ed., 1872); Westcott and Hort (1881); Augustinus Merk (ninth ed., 1964); José María Bover (fifth ed., 1968); UBS; Nestle-Aland.

After “witness bearers” the cursive mss No. 61 (16th century) and No. 629 (in Latin and Greek, 14th to 15th century) and Vg^c add the words: “in heaven, the Father, the Word and the holy spirit; and these three are one. (8) And there are three witness bearers on earth.” But these words are omitted by אABVgSy^h,p.