1What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have gazed upon and our hands have handled — concerning the Word of life — [1:2] and the life was made manifest, and we have seen and bear witness, and we report to you the eternal life which was with the Father and was made manifest to us — [1:3] what we have seen and heard we report also to you, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. [1:4] And we write these things so that our joy may be made complete.
1JN 1:1-4
The Word of Life
In the world it was spoken into
In the first century, the opening of 1 John would resonate deeply with both Jewish and Greco-Roman audiences accustomed to philosophical and religious discourses about divine revelation. The emphasis on sensory experience—hearing, seeing, and touching—aligns with Jewish traditions valuing firsthand witness to God’s acts, as seen in the Torah and prophetic writings. The tactile language of 'handling' evokes the tangible reality of the incarnation, countering docetic or gnostic tendencies to deny Jesus’ physicality. The term 'Word of life' echoes Jewish Wisdom literature and Stoic concepts of the Logos, bridging Jewish and Hellenistic thought. 'Koinonia' would evoke Greco-Roman civic and familial bonds of shared life and mutual participation, while also recalling early Christian communal practices. The revelation of eternal life 'with the Father' reflects Jewish apocalyptic expectations of divine fellowship, now fulfilled in Jesus. This proclamation invites listeners into a shared, embodied witness and communal participation in divine life.
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How other translations render this
1JN 1:1
- KJV
- That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;
- BSB
- That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our own eyes, which we have gazed upon and touched with our own hands—this is the Word of life.
- Koinōnos
- What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have gazed upon and our hands have handled — concerning the Word of life —
1JN 1:2
- KJV
- (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)
- BSB
- And this is the life that was revealed; we have seen it and testified to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was revealed to us.
- Koinōnos
- and the life was made manifest, and we have seen and bear witness, and we report to you the eternal life which was with the Father and was made manifest to us —
1JN 1:3
- KJV
- That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.
- BSB
- We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And this fellowship of ours is with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ.
- Koinōnos
- what we have seen and heard we report also to you, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.
1JN 1:4
- KJV
- And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.
- BSB
- We write these things so that our joy may be complete.
- Koinōnos
- And we write these things so that our joy may be made complete.
Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.
Translator's notes
1JN 1:1
- we have gazed upon:The word translated 'we have gazed upon' implies a sustained, intentional, and often awe-filled beholding, suggesting a deep contemplation rather than a casual glance.
- handled:The term translated 'handled' suggests a deliberate, tactile examination, often with the sense of feeling or groping to ascertain something, much like a blind person might do.
1JN 1:2
- was made manifest,:The word translated 'was made manifest' carries the sense of something previously hidden or unknown being brought into the light and made clearly visible or known to all.
1JN 1:3
- fellowship:The word translated 'fellowship' implies a deep, shared participation and partnership, often involving common interests, contributions, and mutual benefit, rather than just friendly association.