Yohanes 1:3-4

1:3 All things were created ¹  by him, and apart from him not one thing was created ²  that has been created. ³  1:4 In him was life, ⁴  and the life was the light of mankind. ⁵ 

Yohanes 1:14

1:14 Now ⁶  the Word became flesh ⁷  and took up residence ⁸  among us. We ⁹  saw his glory – the glory of the one and only, ¹⁰  full of grace and truth, who came from the Father.

Yohanes 1:18

1:18 No one has ever seen God. The only one, ¹¹  himself God, who is in closest fellowship with ¹²  the Father, has made God ¹³  known. ¹⁴ 

Yohanes 3:17

3:17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, ¹⁵  but that the world should be saved through him.

Yohanes 4:34

4:34 Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of the one who sent me ¹⁶  and to complete ¹⁷  his work. ¹⁸ 

Yohanes 5:19-30

5:19 So Jesus answered them, ¹⁹  “I tell you the solemn truth, ²⁰  the Son can do nothing on his own initiative, ²¹  but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father ²²  does, the Son does likewise. ²³  5:20 For the Father loves the Son and shows him everything he does, and will show him greater deeds than these, so that you will be amazed. 5:21 For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, ²⁴  so also the Son gives life to whomever he wishes. ²⁵  5:22 Furthermore, the Father does not judge ²⁶  anyone, but has assigned ²⁷  all judgment to the Son, 5:23 so that all people ²⁸  will honor the Son just as they honor the Father. The one who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him.

5:24 “I tell you the solemn truth, ²⁹  the one who hears ³⁰  my message ³¹  and believes the one who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned, ³²  but has crossed over from death to life. 5:25 I tell you the solemn truth, ³³  a time ³⁴  is coming – and is now here – when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. 5:26 For just as the Father has life in himself, thus he has granted the Son to have life in himself, 5:27 and he has granted the Son ³⁵  authority to execute judgment, ³⁶  because he is the Son of Man.

5:28 “Do not be amazed at this, because a time ³⁷  is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice 5:29 and will come out – the ones who have done what is good to the resurrection resulting in life, and the ones who have done what is evil to the resurrection resulting in condemnation. ³⁸  5:30 I can do nothing on my own initiative. ³⁹  Just as I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, ⁴⁰  because I do not seek my own will, but the will of the one who sent me. ⁴¹ 

Yohanes 8:29

8:29 And the one who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, ⁴²  because I always do those things that please him.”

Yohanes 12:48-49

12:48 The one who rejects me and does not accept ⁴³  my words has a judge; ⁴⁴  the word ⁴⁵  I have spoken will judge him at the last day. 12:49 For I have not spoken from my own authority, ⁴⁶  but the Father himself who sent me has commanded me ⁴⁷  what I should say and what I should speak.

[1:3]  ¹ tn Or “made”; Grk “came into existence.”

[1:3]  ² tn Or “made”; Grk “nothing came into existence.”

[1:3]  ³ tc There is a major punctuation problem here: Should this relative clause go with v. 3 or v. 4? The earliest mss have no punctuation (Ì^66,75* א* A B Δ al). Many of the later mss which do have punctuation place it before the phrase, thus putting it with v. 4 (Ì^75c C D L W^s 050* pc). NA²⁵ placed the phrase in v. 3; NA²⁶ moved the words to the beginning of v. 4. In a detailed article K. Aland defended the change (“Eine Untersuchung zu Johannes 1, 3-4. Über die Bedeutung eines Punktes,” ZNW 59 [1968]: 174-209). He sought to prove that the attribution of ὃ γέγονεν (}o gegonen) to v. 3 began to be carried out in the 4th century in the Greek church. This came out of the Arian controversy, and was intended as a safeguard for doctrine. The change was unknown in the West. Aland is probably correct in affirming that the phrase was attached to v. 4 by the Gnostics and the Eastern Church; only when the Arians began to use the phrase was it attached to v. 3. But this does not rule out the possibility that, by moving the words from v. 4 to v. 3, one is restoring the original reading. Understanding the words as part of v. 3 is natural and adds to the emphasis which is built up there, while it also gives a terse, forceful statement in v. 4. On the other hand, taking the phrase ὃ γέγονεν with v. 4 gives a complicated expression: C. K. Barrett says that both ways of understanding v. 4 with ὃ γέγονεν included “are almost impossibly clumsy” (St. John, 157): “That which came into being – in it the Word was life”; “That which came into being – in the Word was its life.” The following stylistic points should be noted in the solution of this problem: (1) John frequently starts sentences with ἐν (en); (2) he repeats frequently (“nothing was created that has been created”); (3) 5:26 and 6:53 both give a sense similar to v. 4 if it is understood without the phrase; (4) it makes far better Johannine sense to say that in the Word was life than to say that the created universe (what was made, ὃ γέγονεν) was life in him. In conclusion, the phrase is best taken with v. 3. Schnackenburg, Barrett, Carson, Haenchen, Morris, KJV, and NIV concur (against Brown, Beasley-Murray, and NEB). The arguments of R. Schnackenburg, St. John, 1:239-40, are particularly persuasive.

[1:3]  tn Or “made”; Grk “that has come into existence.”

[1:4]  ⁴ tn John uses ζωή (zwh) 37 times: 17 times it occurs with αἰώνιος (aiwnios), and in the remaining occurrences outside the prologue it is clear from context that “eternal” life is meant. The two uses in 1:4, if they do not refer to “eternal” life, would be the only exceptions. (Also 1 John uses ζωή 13 times, always of “eternal” life.)

[1:4]  sn An allusion to Ps 36:9, which gives significant OT background: “For with you is the fountain of life; In your light we see light.” In later Judaism, Bar 4:2 expresses a similar idea. Life, especially eternal life, will become one of the major themes of John’s Gospel.

[1:4]  ⁵ tn Or “humanity”; Grk “of men” (but ἄνθρωπος [anqrwpo"] is used in a generic sense here, not restricted to males only, thus “mankind,” “humanity”).

[1:14]  ⁶ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic, the incarnation of the Word. Greek style often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” but English style generally does not.

[1:14]  ⁷ tn This looks at the Word incarnate in humility and weakness; the word σάρξ (sarx) does not carry overtones of sinfulness here as it frequently does in Pauline usage. See also John 3:6.

[1:14]  ⁸ tn Grk “and tabernacled.”

[1:14]  sn The Greek word translated took up residence (σκηνόω, skhnow) alludes to the OT tabernacle, where the Shekinah, the visible glory of God’s presence, resided. The author is suggesting that this glory can now be seen in Jesus (note the following verse). The verb used here may imply that the Shekinah glory that once was found in the tabernacle has taken up residence in the person of Jesus. Cf. also John 2:19-21. The Word became flesh. This verse constitutes the most concise statement of the incarnation in the New Testament. John 1:1 makes it clear that the Logos was fully God, but 1:14 makes it clear that he was also fully human. A Docetic interpretation is completely ruled out. Here for the first time the Logos of 1:1 is identified as Jesus of Nazareth – the two are one and the same. Thus this is the last time the word logos is used in the Fourth Gospel to refer to the second person of the Trinity. From here on it is Jesus of Nazareth who is the focus of John’s Gospel.

[1:14]  ⁹ tn Grk “and we saw.”

[1:14]  ¹⁰ tn Or “of the unique one.” Although this word is often translated “only begotten,” such a translation is misleading, since in English it appears to express a metaphysical relationship. The word in Greek was used of an only child (a son [Luke 7:12, 9:38] or a daughter [Luke 8:42]). It was also used of something unique (only one of its kind) such as the mythological Phoenix (1 Clem. 25:2). From here it passes easily to a description of Isaac (Heb 11:17 and Josephus, Ant., 1.13.1 [1.222]) who was not Abraham’s only son, but was one-of-a-kind because he was the child of the promise. Thus the word means “one-of-a-kind” and is reserved for Jesus in the Johannine literature of the NT. While all Christians are children of God, Jesus is God’s Son in a unique, one-of-a-kind sense. The word is used in this way in all its uses in the Gospel of John (1:14, 1:18, 3:16, and 3:18).

[1:18]  ¹¹ tc The textual problem μονογενὴς θεός (monogenh" qeo", “the only God”) versus ὁ μονογενὴς υἱός (Jo monogenh" Juio", “the only son”) is a notoriously difficult one. Only one letter would have differentiated the readings in the mss, since both words would have been contracted as nomina sacra: thus qMs or uMs. Externally, there are several variants, but they can be grouped essentially by whether they read θεός or υἱός. The majority of mss, especially the later ones (A C³ Θ Ψ Ë^1,13 Ï lat), read ὁ μονογενὴς υἱός. Ì⁷⁵ א¹ 33 pc have ὁ μονογενὴς θεός, while the anarthrous μονογενὴς θεός is found in Ì⁶⁶ א* B C* L pc. The articular θεός is almost certainly a scribal emendation to the anarthrous θεός, for θεός without the article is a much harder reading. The external evidence thus strongly supports μονογενὴς θεός. Internally, although υἱός fits the immediate context more readily, θεός is much more difficult. As well, θεός also explains the origin of the other reading (υἱός), because it is difficult to see why a scribe who found υἱός in the text he was copying would alter it to θεός. Scribes would naturally change the wording to υἱός however, since μονογενὴς υἱός is a uniquely Johannine christological title (cf. John 3:16, 18; 1 John 4:9). But θεός as the older and more difficult reading is preferred. As for translation, it makes the most sense to see the word θεός as in apposition to μονογενής, and the participle ὁ ὤν (Jo wn) as in apposition to θεός, giving in effect three descriptions of Jesus rather than only two. (B. D. Ehrman, The Orthodox Corruption of Scripture, 81, suggests that it is nearly impossible and completely unattested in the NT for an adjective followed immediately by a noun that agrees in gender, number, and case, to be a substantival adjective: “when is an adjective ever used substantivally when it immediately precedes a noun of the same inflection?” This, however, is an overstatement. First, as Ehrman admits, μονογενής in John 1:14 is substantival. And since it is an established usage for the adjective in this context, one might well expect that the author would continue to use the adjective substantivally four verses later. Indeed, μονογενής is already moving toward a crystallized substantival adjective in the NT [cf. Luke 9:38; Heb 11:17]; in patristic Greek, the process continued [cf. PGL 881 s.v. 7]. Second, there are several instances in the NT in which a substantival adjective is followed by a noun with which it has complete concord: cf., e.g., Rom 1:30; Gal 3:9; 1 Tim 1:9; 2 Pet 2:5.) The modern translations which best express this are the NEB (margin) and TEV. Several things should be noted: μονογενής alone, without υἱός, can mean “only son,” “unique son,” “unique one,” etc. (see 1:14). Furthermore, θεός is anarthrous. As such it carries qualitative force much like it does in 1:1c, where θεὸς ἦν ὁ λόγος (qeo" hn Jo logo") means “the Word was fully God” or “the Word was fully of the essence of deity.” Finally, ὁ ὤν occurs in Rev 1:4, 8; 4:8, 11:17; and 16:5, but even more significantly in the LXX of Exod 3:14. Putting all of this together leads to the translation given in the text.

[1:18]  tn Or “The unique one.” For the meaning of μονογενής (monogenh") see the note on “one and only” in 1:14.

[1:18]  ¹² tn Grk “in the bosom of” (an idiom for closeness or nearness; cf. L&N 34.18; BDAG 556 s.v. κόλπος 1).

[1:18]  ¹³ tn Grk “him”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[1:18]  ¹⁴ sn Has made God known. In this final verse of the prologue, the climactic and ultimate statement of the earthly career of the Logos, Jesus of Nazareth, is reached. The unique One (John 1:14), the One who has taken on human form and nature by becoming incarnate (became flesh, 1:14), who is himself fully God (the Word was God, 1:1c) and is to be identified with the ever-living One of the Old Testament revelation (Exod 3:14), who is in intimate relationship with the Father, this One and no other has fully revealed what God is like. As Jesus said to Philip in John 14:9, “The one who has seen me has seen the Father.”

[3:17]  ¹⁵ sn That is, “to judge the world to be guilty and liable to punishment.”

[4:34]  ¹⁶ sn The one who sent me refers to the Father.

[4:34]  ¹⁷ tn Or “to accomplish.”

[4:34]  ¹⁸ tn The substantival ἵνα (Jina) clause has been translated as an English infinitive clause.

[4:34]  sn No one brought him anything to eat, did they? In the discussion with the disciples which took place while the woman had gone into the city, note again the misunderstanding: The disciples thought Jesus referred to physical food, while he was really speaking figuratively and spiritually again. Thus Jesus was forced to explain what he meant, and the explanation that his food was his mission, to do the will of God and accomplish his work, leads naturally into the metaphor of the harvest. The fruit of his mission was represented by the Samaritans who were coming to him.

[5:19]  ¹⁹ tn Grk “answered and said to them.”

[5:19]  ²⁰ tn Grk “Truly, truly, I say to you.”

[5:19]  ²¹ tn Grk “nothing from himself.”

[5:19]  ²² tn Grk “that one”; the referent (the Father) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[5:19]  ²³ sn What works does the Son do likewise? The same that the Father does – and the same that the rabbis recognized as legitimate works of God on the Sabbath (see note on working in v. 17). (1) Jesus grants life (just as the Father grants life) on the Sabbath. But as the Father gives physical life on the Sabbath, so the Son grants spiritual life (John 5:21; note the “greater things” mentioned in v. 20). (2) Jesus judges (determines the destiny of people) on the Sabbath, just as the Father judges those who die on the Sabbath, because the Father has granted authority to the Son to judge (John 5:22-23). But this is not all. Not only has this power been granted to Jesus in the present; it will be his in the future as well. In v. 28 there is a reference not to spiritually dead (only) but also physically dead. At their resurrection they respond to the Son as well.

[5:21]  ²⁴ tn Grk “and makes them live.”

[5:21]  ²⁵ tn Grk “the Son makes whomever he wants to live.”

[5:22]  ²⁶ tn Or “condemn.”

[5:22]  ²⁷ tn Or “given,” or “handed over.”

[5:23]  ²⁸ tn Grk “all.” The word “people” is not in the Greek text but is supplied for stylistic reasons and for clarity (cf. KJV “all men”).

[5:24]  ²⁹ tn Grk “Truly, truly, I say to you.”

[5:24]  ³⁰ tn Or “obeys.”

[5:24]  ³¹ tn Or “word.”

[5:24]  ³² tn Grk “and does not come into judgment.”

[5:25]  ³³ tn Grk “Truly, truly, I say to you.”

[5:25]  ³⁴ tn Grk “an hour.”

[5:27]  ³⁵ tn Grk “him.”

[5:27]  ³⁶ tn Grk “authority to judge.”

[5:28]  ³⁷ tn Grk “an hour.”

[5:29]  ³⁸ tn Or “a resurrection resulting in judgment.”

[5:30]  ³⁹ tn Grk “nothing from myself.”

[5:30]  ⁴⁰ tn Or “righteous,” or “proper.”

[5:30]  ⁴¹ tn That is, “the will of the Father who sent me.”

[8:29]  ⁴² tn That is, “he has not abandoned me.”

[12:48]  ⁴³ tn Or “does not receive.”

[12:48]  ⁴⁴ tn Grk “has one who judges him.”

[12:48]  ⁴⁵ tn Or “message.”

[12:49]  ⁴⁶ tn Grk “I have not spoken from myself.”

[12:49]  ⁴⁷ tn Grk “has given me commandment.”