In the beginning, was the Word, and the Word was "with God" and was (a) (The) God....

[Neogaia777]

John 1:1, "In the beginning, was the Word, and the Word was "with God" and was (a) (The) God..."

Is it "a" God, or "the" God...

"In the beginning (before anything else was), was the "Word" (Jesus, God, the Son) and the word was with God (one with) (The Father), and the Word, was (a, or the) God...

Whether it is "a" or "the", the fact that it says that the Word (Jesus) was with God (The Father God) before anything else was made or created, cause everything made by God, comes through the Word, who is God, the Son...

But, Is it "a" or "the" God...

This is two before the beginning and there was only one other with them before anything was made, and that is, The Holy Spirit, (The Father and Son's spirit) (that unites and joins them)...

Comments...?

God Bless!

 

[faroukfarouk]

John 1:1, "In the beginning, was the Word, and the Word was "with God" and was (a) (The) God..."

Is it "a" God, or "the" God...

"In the beginning (before anything else was), was the "Word" (Jesus, God, the Son) and the word was with God (one with) (The Father), and the Word, was (a, or the) God...

Whether it is "a" or "the", the fact that it says that the Word (Jesus) was with God (The Father God) before anything else was made or created, cause everything made by God, comes through the Word, who is God, the Son...

But, Is it "a" or "the" God...

This is two before the beginning and there was only one other with them before anything was made, and that is, The Holy Spirit, (The Father and Son's spirit) (that unites and joins them)...

Comments...?

God Bless!

Verse 14 confirms that the Word is indeed God Himself: 'the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth'.

 

[Yarddog]

John 1:1, "In the beginning, was the Word, and the Word was "with God" and was (a) (The) God..."

Is it "a" God, or "the" God...

"In the beginning (before anything else was), was the "Word" (Jesus, God, the Son) and the word was with God (one with) (The Father), and the Word, was (a, or the) God...

Whether it is "a" or "the", the fact that it says that the Word (Jesus) was with God (The Father God) before anything else was made or created, cause everything made by God, comes through the Word, who is God, the Son...

But, Is it "a" or "the" God...

This is two before the beginning and there was only one other with them before anything was made, and that is, The Holy Spirit, (The Father and Son's spirit) (that unites and joins them)...

Comments...?

God Bless!

A little off topic but, you ever wonder why John, a faithful Jew, chose those 3 words to begin his Gospel?

 

[Shiranui117]

John 1:1, "In the beginning, was the Word, and the Word was "with God" and was (a) (The) God..."

Is it "a" God, or "the" God...

"In the beginning (before anything else was), was the "Word" (Jesus, God, the Son) and the word was with God (one with) (The Father), and the Word, was (a, or the) God...

Whether it is "a" or "the", the fact that it says that the Word (Jesus) was with God (The Father God) before anything else was made or created, cause everything made by God, comes through the Word, who is God, the Son...

But, Is it "a" or "the" God...

This is two before the beginning and there was only one other with them before anything was made, and that is, The Holy Spirit, (The Father and Son's spirit) (that unites and joins them)...

Comments...?

God Bless!

It is my understanding that the "theos" in John 1:1c is a qualitative theos. I'd have to look up the German theologian who I read this from, but the idea is that John 1:1c is not identifying Jesus as the God spoken of "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God...", i.e. the Father. But rather, John 1:1c is saying that Jesus has all the qualities of God, or is like God, or is of the same essence as God. This is the reason that some translations use "And the Word was divine" or some such terminology.

It by no means rules out the possibility of Jesus being God the Son, and it by no means disproves the Trinity, contrary to what the Jehovah's Witnesses would have you believe.

 

[paul1149]

But, Is it "a" or "the" God...

It's neither. The phrase reads in original Greek order: and God was the Word (roughly, kai Theos en ha Logos). There is no article associated with God.

Greek does not require word order as does English. The function of words in the sentence is handled by case, which is marked in the word endings, and by other things. When two words are in nominative case, as they are here, the article associated with Word dictates that it is the subject, and God is the predicate nominative. Thus, and the Word was God.

Even though word order is not required in Greek, the norm is for the subject to come first. So why does John reverse the order here? Because placing God first gives it emphasis. In English, we might have: the Word was indeed God, or, the Word was God! John wants you to know he means what he is saying. There is no need to second-guess.

And there's a reason for the lack of an article with God. The Word was not the God, which would imply the oneness doctrine, but the Word was God ( and for that matter, neither was He a God, which would imply polytheism). The lack of an article with God implies that while the Word was God, He was not all there is to God. That is, He is not God the Father. As we know from other scriptures, the Word is one person of the Trinity.

This short phrase is an amazingly tight construction that affirms the unity of God, the divinity of Christ, and the distinctness of the persons of the Trinity.

 

[Haipule]

John 1:1, "In the beginning, was the Word, and the Word was "with God" and was (a) (The) God..."

Is it "a" God, or "the" God...

"In the beginning (before anything else was), was the "Word" (Jesus, God, the Son) and the word was with God (one with) (The Father), and the Word, was (a, or the) God...

Whether it is "a" or "the", the fact that it says that the Word (Jesus) was with God (The Father God) before anything else was made or created, cause everything made by God, comes through the Word, who is God, the Son...

But, Is it "a" or "the" God...

This is two before the beginning and there was only one other with them before anything was made, and that is, The Holy Spirit, (The Father and Son's spirit) (that unites and joins them)...

Comments...?

God Bless!

Aloha Apprentice Lion. The word you are translating as "with" is the Greek preposition "pros" governing the accusative case. pros should not EVER be translated as "with" regardless of every English translation. pros means in-front-towards. In the accusative case, when the motion 'toward' is complete, it means: attach, affix, connect, mount.

John connected God and the Word as ONE! He did not establish a relationship of 'with'.

As far as articles, they are all definite articles--"thee". Greek does not have, nor need, an indefinite article 'a' , or 'an'. Indefinite(ness), in Greek, is establish by anarthrous(no article).

John is establishing that God and the Word are ONE. And that ONE made everything that exists. And, that that ONE--Word, became flesh! Who is Jesus--our God!

 

[Haipule]

A little off topic but, you ever wonder why John, a faithful Jew, chose those 3 words to begin his Gospel?

The anarthrous(no "the") construction, en(in, at) archE(beginning, first, first most, chief), because of the distance between the writer and the fact, can be translated as "At first".

 

[Bible Highlighter]

John 1:1, "In the beginning, was the Word, and the Word was "with God" and was (a) (The) God..."

Is it "a" God, or "the" God...

"In the beginning (before anything else was), was the "Word" (Jesus, God, the Son) and the word was with God (one with) (The Father), and the Word, was (a, or the) God...

Whether it is "a" or "the", the fact that it says that the Word (Jesus) was with God (The Father God) before anything else was made or created, cause everything made by God, comes through the Word, who is God, the Son...

But, Is it "a" or "the" God...

This is two before the beginning and there was only one other with them before anything was made, and that is, The Holy Spirit, (The Father and Son's spirit) (that unites and joins them)...

Comments...?

God Bless!

In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.

If one is going to incorrectly put the letter "a" before "God" for Jesus (the Word), then they need to do the same for "God" the Father within that verse that says "The Word was WITH GOD". But this would be wrong to do this, though. The letter "a" is not in this passage. One has to wrongfully add to God's Word to make it say that.

In addition, 1 John 5:7 says,
"For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one."

So this above verse here is the Trinity or the Godhead.
No person of the Godhead or the Trinity was ever created or came into being.
The Trinity or the Godhead has always existed and is eternal.

There is no such thing as "a" God. There is only THE God who is one God who exists as three distinct persons.


...

 

[Haipule]

It's neither. The phrase reads in original Greek order: and God was the Word (roughly, kai Theos en ha Logos). There is no article associated with God.

Greek does not require word order as does English. The function of words in the sentence is handled by case, which is marked in the word endings, and by other things. When two words are in nominative case, as they are here, the article associated with Word dictates that it is the subject, and God is the predicate nominative. Thus, and the Word was God.

Even though word order is not required in Greek, the norm is for the subject to come first. So why does John reverse the order here? Because placing God first gives it emphasis. In English, we might have: the Word was indeed God, or, the Word was God! John wants you to know he means what he is saying. There is no need to second-guess.

And there's a reason for the lack of an article with God. The Word was not the God, which would imply the oneness doctrine, but the Word was God ( and for that matter, neither was He a God, which would imply polytheism). The lack of an article with God implies that while the Word was God, He was not all there is to God. That is, He is not God the Father. As we know from other scriptures, the Word is one person of the Trinity.

This short phrase is an amazingly tight construction that affirms the unity of God, the divinity of Christ, and the distinctness of the persons of the Trinity.

The word "was" is in the imperfect tense and should be translated as "(in the past)is" because we are being brought back in time, by John, to be a first had witness of "At first". In Greek, "thee" is a specific identification of the subject. Anarthrous ALWAYS refers to the character and nature, or likeness, of a word, or group of words. "Thee Word (in the past)is [the very character and nature of]God". Establishing the unity of Word and God as ONE God called Word Whom made everything and also, became flesh.

 

[Haipule]

In addition, 1 John 5:7 says,
"For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one."

That is a very late addition to the text and is not found in ANY earlier manuscripts. Look it up!

 

[Haipule]

It is my understanding that the "theos" in John 1:1c is a qualitative theos. I'd have to look up the German theologian who I read this from, but the idea is that John 1:1c is not identifying Jesus as the God spoken of "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God...", i.e. the Father. But rather, John 1:1c is saying that Jesus has all the qualities of God, or is like God, or is of the same essence as God. This is the reason that some translations use "And the Word was divine" or some such terminology.

It by no means rules out the possibility of Jesus being God the Son, and it by no means disproves the Trinity, contrary to what the Jehovah's Witnesses would have you believe.

Using aktionsart to establish qualitati vs. non-qualitati, an erroneous advanced grammar technique, is an excuse to manipulate Scripture. We don't get to choose. We are just to understand the simple usage of anarthrous sentence construction that a first century illiterate fisherman or farmer could understand.

 

[Haipule]

But this would be wrong to do this, though. The letter "a" is not in this passage. One has to wrongfully add to God's Word to make it say that.

Excellent point!

 

[Lily of Valleys]

John 1:1, "In the beginning, was the Word, and the Word was "with God" and was (a) (The) God..."

Is it "a" God, or "the" God...

"In the beginning (before anything else was), was the "Word" (Jesus, God, the Son) and the word was with God (one with) (The Father), and the Word, was (a, or the) God...

Whether it is "a" or "the", the fact that it says that the Word (Jesus) was with God (The Father God) before anything else was made or created, cause everything made by God, comes through the Word, who is God, the Son...

But, Is it "a" or "the" God...

This is two before the beginning and there was only one other with them before anything was made, and that is, The Holy Spirit, (The Father and Son's spirit) (that unites and joins them)...

Comments...?

God Bless!

Here is John 1:1 from the original Peshitta in Aramaic, the language of Jesus and His disciples:

(The Word) atlm
(had been) awh
(existing) yhwtya
(In the Origin) tysrb
(God) ahla
(with) twl
(had been) awh
(existing) yhwtya
(Word) atlm
(& That) whw
(Word) atlm
(That) wh
(was) awh
(Himself) yhwtya
(& God) ahlaw

In Plain English:

In the origin The Word had been existing and That Word had been existing with God and That Word was Himself God.

The Aramaic–English Interlinear New Testament - Color edition (Volume 1) by Rev. David Bauscher (eBook) — Lulu CA

Here is a list of English translations of John 1:1 from various extant forms of the New Testament in Aramaic by a professional Aramaic translator for over 15 years with a focus upon the Galilean dialect – the language spoken by Jesus of Nazareth:

LHarC From the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and God the Word was.

LSinB From the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and God was the Word.

LVatA From the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and God the Word was.

SyrC In the beginning was the Word and that Word was with God and God was that Word.

SyrP In the beginning was the Word and that Word was with God and God was that Word.

Khab In the beginning was the Word and that Word was with God and God was that Word.

Lectionary Reading: John 1:1-18

 

[~Anastasia~]

John 1:1, "In the beginning, was the Word, and the Word was "with God" and was (a) (The) God..."

Is it "a" God, or "the" God...

"In the beginning (before anything else was), was the "Word" (Jesus, God, the Son) and the word was with God (one with) (The Father), and the Word, was (a, or the) God...

Whether it is "a" or "the", the fact that it says that the Word (Jesus) was with God (The Father God) before anything else was made or created, cause everything made by God, comes through the Word, who is God, the Son...

But, Is it "a" or "the" God...

This is two before the beginning and there was only one other with them before anything was made, and that is, The Holy Spirit, (The Father and Son's spirit) (that unites and joins them)...

Comments...?

God Bless!

Neither.

That part of the verse is

καὶ θεὸς ἦν ὁ λόγος

kai theos eimi ho logos

And God was the Word



ETA - Apolgies, stepped away for a while before I posted and I see this was already explained.

 

[Haipule]

Neither.

That part of the verse is

καὶ θεὸς ἦν ὁ λόγος

kai theos eimi ho logos

And God was the Word



ETA - Apolgies, stepped away for a while before I posted and I see this was already explained.

Rather, kai theos En ho logos. "En" is the imperfect tense of "eimi"--(in the past)is--not "was". "and-also [anarthrous--the character and nature, likeness of]God (in the past)-is thee Word".

 

[Haipule]

Here is John 1:1 from the original Peshitta in Aramaic, the language of Jesus and His disciples:

(The Word) atlm
(had been) awh
(existing) yhwtya
(In the Origin) tysrb
(God) ahla
(with) twl
(had been) awh
(existing) yhwtya
(Word) atlm
(& That) whw
(Word) atlm
(That) wh
(was) awh
(Himself) yhwtya
(& God) ahlaw

In Plain English:

In the origin The Word had been existing and That Word had been existing with God and That Word was Himself God.

The Aramaic–English Interlinear New Testament - Color edition (Volume 1) by Rev. David Bauscher (eBook) — Lulu CA

Here is a list of English translations of John 1:1 from various extant forms of the New Testament in Aramaic by a professional Aramaic translator for over 15 years with a focus upon the Galilean dialect – the language spoken by Jesus of Nazareth:

LHarC From the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and God the Word was.

LSinB From the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and God was the Word.

LVatA From the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and God the Word was.

SyrC In the beginning was the Word and that Word was with God and God was that Word.

SyrP In the beginning was the Word and that Word was with God and God was that Word.

Khab In the beginning was the Word and that Word was with God and God was that Word.

Lectionary Reading: John 1:1-18

It was not autographed by John in his native tongue. It is God-breathed only in koinE Greek.

 

[Haipule]

This is my hyper-literal translation honoring every point of Greek grammatical inflection:

In [ ]beginning(origin--at-first) (impf-in the past)is thee Word and thee Word (impf-in the past)is> toward(connected) thee> <God and-also [the character and nature of]God (impf-in the past)is thee Word. This-One(admiring the Word) He-(impf-in the past)is>, in [ ]beginning, toward(connected)> thee> <God. All(everything, everyone) through same(Word), He(Word, acting upon Himself)-caused-to-appear(made)* and-also separately(He alone) same(Word), He(Word, acting upon Himself)-caused-to-appear(made)* not-even one(neuter--anything, anyone) whatever it-has-been-(making)appearing-to-be(i.e., not one thing caused itself to be). In same(Word) [ ]zOE-life (impf-in the past)is, and-also thee zOE-life (impf-in the past)is thee light of-thee-all(entire) human-race. And-also thee light(neuter) in thee dark(feminine) it(light)-is(keeps on)-shining and-also the dark, it(light) not she(dark)-down(from her own authority)-seizes*. John 1:1-5

 

[~Anastasia~]

Rather, kai theos En ho logos. "En" is the imperfect tense of "eimi"--(in the past)is--not "was". "and-also [anarthrous--the character and nature, likeness of]God (in the past)-is thee Word".

You are correct - en - that is an embarrassing mistake of me being half-asleep and pasting into a text because I don't have the Greek keyboard.

Now I'm going to have to figure out why my source document would be so sloppy ... I would have expected better.

 

[Lily of Valleys]

It was not autographed by John in his native tongue. It is God-breathed only in koinE Greek.

According to Rev. Glenn David Bauscher, the translator of The Peshitta Aramaic-English New Testament, who is proficient in Greek, Hebrew and Aramaic, the Peshitta Aramaic New Testament is the original New Testament, word for word, letter for letter. He believes he has discovered scientific proof that The Peshitta New Testament was written by God and preserved perfectly in its original text until this time:

The Aramaic Peshitta is displayed in the square Aramaic-Hebrew script, according to the
characters used in first century Israel and Syria, with many textual notes and commentary,
comparing Greek New Testament readings with the Aramaic and forcefully demonstrating
that the original Greek NT is translated from the Peshitta NT text, which Peshitta text is the
original and God - breathed New Covenant, from Matthew to Revelation. This conclusion is the subject of another book, Divine Contact -The Original NT Discovered, authored by me. The Peshitta itself is a miracle in many ways. It contains much coded information throughout, discoverable only by computer in this century.

The Aramaic English Interlinear New Testament

More details of his reasoning can be found both in the link above and can be downloaded for free in this link from my previous post.

 

[Faith Alone 1 Cor 15:1-4]

John 1:1, "In the beginning, was the Word, and the Word was "with God" and was (a) (The) God..."

Is it "a" God, or "the" God...

"In the beginning (before anything else was), was the "Word" (Jesus, God, the Son) and the word was with God (one with) (The Father), and the Word, was (a, or the) God...

Whether it is "a" or "the", the fact that it says that the Word (Jesus) was with God (The Father God) before anything else was made or created, cause everything made by God, comes through the Word, who is God, the Son...

But, Is it "a" or "the" God...

This is two before the beginning and there was only one other with them before anything was made, and that is, The Holy Spirit, (The Father and Son's spirit) (that unites and joins them)...

Comments...?

God Bless!

You need to go back to hebrew or greek for this . I know there is no "the" but only In Beginning in Hebrew .
I believe it's Elohim ( plural Gods - trinity ) , when something ends (im) then it's plural like cherubim and cherub .

Elohim was creating things using Jesus as tool to create them .
word - Bible/Scriptures
Word-Jesus Christ in KJV