1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. [1:2] This one was in the beginning with God. [1:3] All things came into being through him, and apart from him not one thing came into being that has come into being. [1:4] In him was life, and the life was the light of men. [1:5] And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not grasp it.
JHN 1:1-5
The Beginning
In the world it was spoken into
In the 1st-century Greco-Roman and Jewish world, the opening of John’s Gospel would have resonated deeply with both philosophical and theological frameworks. For Hellenistic audiences, the term (logos) evoked Stoic and Platonic ideas of a divine rational principle governing the cosmos. Philosophers like Heraclitus and Philo of Alexandria used logos to describe the ordering force behind creation. For Jewish listeners, the phrase 'in the beginning' would recall Genesis 1:1, framing the logos as the creative power of God. The assertion that 'all things came into being through Him' (’ ) challenged pagan polytheism and Jewish exclusivism by positioning the logos as the universal source of existence. The imagery of light and darkness was common in Jewish apocalyptic literature, symbolizing divine truth versus chaos. The failure of darkness to 'grasp' the light could imply both intellectual incomprehension and moral resistance, reflecting the cultural tension between divine revelation and human rebellion.
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How other translations render this
JHN 1:2
- KJV
- The same was in the beginning with God.
- BSB
- He was with God in the beginning.
- Koinōnos
- This one was in the beginning with God.
JHN 1:3
- KJV
- All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
- BSB
- Through Him all things were made, and without Him nothing was made that has been made.
- Koinōnos
- All things came into being through him, and apart from him not one thing came into being that has come into being.
JHN 1:4
- KJV
- In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
- BSB
- In Him was life, and that life was the light of men.
- Koinōnos
- In him was life, and the life was the light of men.
JHN 1:5
- KJV
- And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
- BSB
- The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
- Koinōnos
- And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not grasp it.
Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.
Translator's notes
JHN 1:1
- beginning:The word translated 'beginning' refers to the absolute starting point or origin of something, often implying a foundational principle or source, not just an initial moment in time.
- Word,:The term translated 'Word' (Logos) in this context carried a rich philosophical and theological meaning for 1st-century readers, encompassing concepts of divine reason, cosmic order, and the active expression of God's will, far beyond a simple spoken word.
JHN 1:3
- came into being,:The word translated 'came into being' emphasizes creation or coming into existence, highlighting a transition from non-existence to existence, rather than merely 'being' in a static sense.
JHN 1:5
- grasped [it].:The word translated 'grasped' can mean to seize, overcome, or comprehend. In this context, it suggests that the darkness could not overpower or fully understand the light, implying both a failure to extinguish and a failure to comprehend.