14And the Word became flesh and tabernacled among us, and we beheld his glory — glory as of an only begotten from alongside the Father — he himself being full of grace and truth. [1:15] John bears witness concerning him and has cried out, saying, "This was he of whom I was saying, 'The one coming after me has become before me, because he was first over me.'" [1:16] For from his fullness we ourselves all have received, and grace for grace. [1:17] For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. [1:18] God no one has ever yet seen; the only begotten God, who is in the bosom of the Father — he has expounded him.
JHN 1:14-18
The Word Became Flesh
In the world it was spoken into
In the first-century Greco-Roman and Jewish context, the term '' (Word) carried profound philosophical and theological weight. For Hellenistic thinkers, it signified the rational principle governing the cosmos, while in Jewish thought, it evoked God’s creative and revelatory speech. The claim that 'the Word became flesh' would have been startling, as it bridged the divine and human realms in a way foreign to both Greek dualism and Jewish monotheism. The verb '' (He dwelt) evoked the tabernacle, where God’s presence resided among Israel, now reimagined in Jesus. The phrase '' (only begotten) highlighted Jesus’ unique relationship to the Father, contrasting with Roman imperial claims of divine sonship. The mention of Moses and the law grounded this revelation in Jewish tradition, while 'grace and truth through Jesus Christ' presented a new covenant surpassing the old. The assertion that 'no one has seen God' challenged both pagan idolatry and Jewish expectations of direct theophany, emphasizing Jesus as the ultimate revelation of God’s glory.
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How other translations render this
JHN 1:14
- KJV
- And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
- BSB
- The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
- Koinōnos
- And the Word became flesh and tabernacled among us, and we beheld his glory — glory as of an only begotten from alongside the Father — he himself being full of grace and truth.
JHN 1:15
- KJV
- John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.
- BSB
- John testified concerning Him. He cried out, saying, “This is He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because He was before me.’”
- Koinōnos
- John bears witness concerning him and has cried out, saying, "This was he of whom I was saying, 'The one coming after me has become before me, because he was first over me.'
JHN 1:16
- KJV
- And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.
- BSB
- From His fullness we have all received grace upon grace.
- Koinōnos
- For from his fullness we ourselves all have received, and grace for grace.
JHN 1:17
- KJV
- For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
- BSB
- For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
- Koinōnos
- For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
JHN 1:18
- KJV
- No man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
- BSB
- No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is Himself God and is at the Fatherʼs side, has made Him known.
- Koinōnos
- God no one has ever yet seen; the only begotten God, who is in the bosom of the Father — he has expounded him.
Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.
Translator's notes
JHN 1:14
- Word:The word translated 'Word' here refers to more than just spoken language; it encompasses reason, divine utterance, and the underlying principle or expression of God's thought and will.
- He dwelt:The phrase 'He dwelt' literally means 'He tabernacled' or 'pitched His tent,' evoking the temporary dwelling of God among His people in the Old Testament tabernacle.
- of an only begotten:The term translated 'only begotten' emphasizes uniqueness and special relationship, not merely being the sole offspring. It highlights Jesus' singular nature and origin from the Father.
JHN 1:16
- for:The word translated 'for' in this context carries the sense of 'in exchange for' or 'one in place of another,' suggesting a continuous succession or replacement of grace.