The Word (John 1:1, ESV) vs the word (1 John 1:1, ESV)

[tonychanyt]

J 1:

1 In the beginning was the** Word**, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

λόγος (Logos)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3056: From lego; something said; by implication, a topic, also reasoning or motive; by extension, a computation; specially, the Divine Expression.

ESV translated the Greek to capitalize 'Word', indicating a title, a proper noun referring to a specific person. 'Word' referred to the beginning before creation.

1j 1:

1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life—

λόγου (Logou)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular

Here, 'word' referred to the message or teaching about Jesus, the 'word of life'; 'word' referred to the beginning of Jesus' earthly public ministry.

In both cases, they were profound concepts. However, 1J 1:1 referred to Jesus' tangible spoken message of life that he delivered during his earthly ministry. J 1:1 referred to the abstract divine pre-incarnate Christ and his role in creation. These were two distinct G3056 concepts. ESV decided to translate 1J 1:1 G3056 with a lowercase 'word' while J 1:1 G3056 with a capitalized 'Word' to reflect these two distinct meanings.