Gospel of John 1:1 from 217 Bible Translations in English (2/20/2021)

Much time and effort have gone into this table of two hundred seventeen
bible translations, old and new, to show how John 1:1 has been translated.
The wording and therefore meaning of the 43 renditions in 'white' deserve
extra attention since they are at odds with the other 174.

The majority is NOT always right! Many innocent people are sent to
jail by juries of 12 where every single one of the 12 were wrong.

2001translation.com "In the beginning there was the Word. The Word was with The God (gr. Ton Theon) and the Word was a powerful one (gr. theos or god-like)."
A Faithful Version, Original Order (2nd ed, AFV, 2017) "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
A Liberal Translation of the New Testament (E. Harwood 1768) "Before the origen of this world exifted the LOGOS - who was then with the supreme God - and was himfelf a divine perfon."
A Literal Translation of the New Testament (Heinfetter 1863) "In commencing (this dispensation), the command was existing (i.e. had been spoken), yet the command was with God, (having to fulfil it), as a God the command was (i.e. had relation to),"
A Translation in the Language of the People (CB Williams) "In the beginning the Word existed; and the Word was face to face with God; and the Word was God Himself."
African Bible New Testament (Colacrai) "The Word was in the beginning, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
American Bible in Modern English, The (FS Ballentine 1902) "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
American Bible Union Version - Improved Edition "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
American King James Version "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
American Standard Version (1901) "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
American Translation, An (Goodspeed & Smith) "In the beginning the Word existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was divine."
American Translation, An (WF Beck) "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
Amplified Bible, The (both the 1965 & 1987 update) "In the beginning (before all time) was the Word (Christ), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God Himself. (Isa. 9:6.)"
Analytical-Literal Translation 3rd ed. 2012 Zeolla "In [the] beginning was the Word [fig., the Expression of [Divine] Logic], and the Word was with [fig., in communion with] God, and the Word was God [fig., was as to His essence Diety]."
Ancient Eastern Manuscripts (Lamsa) "The Word was in the beginning, and that very Word was with God, and God was that Word."
Apostolic Bible Polyglot English Text "In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and [4God 3was 1the 2word]."
Aramaic English New Testament (5th ed, Roth 2012) "In the beginning was Miltha. And that Miltha was with Elohim. And Elohim was that Miltha"
Aramaic New Covenant "In the beginning the Word having been and the Word having been unto God and God having been the Word . . ."
Aramaic Peshitta New Testament Translation (Magiera 2009) "In the beginning the word and that word was with Alaha and Alaha was the word."
Archbishop Newcome’s New Testament (Pre-Belsham changes) "The Word was in the beginning, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
Archbishop Newcome’s New Testament, Improved Version 1809 "The Word was in the beginning, and the Word was with God and the Word was a god."
Authentic New Testament (Schonfield) "In the beginning was the Word. And the Word was with God. So the Word was Divine."
Barclay New Testament "When the world began, the Word was already there. The Word was with God, and the nature of the Word was the same as the nature of God."
Bible in Basic English, The "From the first he was the Word, and the Word was in relation with God and was God."
Bible in Living English, The (Byington) "At the first there was the word, and the Word was where God was, and the Word was God."
Bible In Worldwide English "The Word already was, way back before anything began to be. The Word and God were together. The Word was God."
Bible Reader, The "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
Bishop's Bible "In the begynnyng was the worde, & the worde was with God: and that worde was God."
Book, The (special ed of LB) "Before anything else existed, there was Christ, with God. He has always been alive and is himself God."
Centenary Translation New Testament (HB Montgomery) "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was face to face with God, and the Word was God."
Children's Version of the Holy Bible "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
Christian Community Bible "In the beginning was the Word. And the Word was with God and the Word was God."
Christian Counselor's New Testament (JE Adams) "At the beginning the Word already existed, and the Word was with God and the Word was God."
Clear Word, The (Blanco) "In the beginning, going back further in time than can be imagined, the Word of God was there. The Word stood by the side of God, and the Word was fully God."
Common Edition New Testament "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
Common English Bible "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
Commonly Received Version of the New Testament (1851) "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
Compact Bible New Testament "Before anything else was, the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
Complete Jewish Bible "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
Comprehensive New Testament (Clontz) "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
Concordant Literal New Testament "In the beginning was the word, and the word was toward God, and God was the word."
Confraternity of Christian Doctrine Translation "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God; and the Word was God."
Conservative Version, A "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
Contemporary English Version "In the beginning was the one who is called the Word. The Word was with God and was truly God."
Coptic text Translation (Jenott 2003) "In the beginning existed the Word, and the Word existed with God, and the Word was a God."
Coptic Version of the New Testament "In (the) beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and God was the Word…"
Cotton Patch Version (Jordan) "When time began the Idea already was. The Idea was at home with God, and the Idea and God were one."
Coverdale Bible, The "In the begynnynge was the worde, and the worde was with God, and God was ye worde."
Darby Holy Bible "In (the) beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
Disciples Literal New Testament "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
Divine Name King James Bible "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
Documents of the New Testament, The "In the Beginning there existed the Divine Reason, and the Divine Reason was with God, and the Divine Reason was God."
Douay-Rheims Bible "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
Easy Bible, The (Tucker) "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
Easy Study Bible (Killian 2011) "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
Emphasized Bible by J.B. Rotherham, The "||Originally|| was |the Word, And ||the Word|| was |with God; And |the Word| was ||God||."
Emphatic Diaglott, The (interlinear wording) "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with the God, and a god was the word."
Emphatic Diaglott, The (New Version text from right column) "In the beginning was the LOGOS, and the LOGOS was with God, and the LOGOS was God."
English Jubilee 2000 Bible "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with the God, and the Word was God."
English Majority Text Version "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
English Standard Version "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
English Translation of Coptic Text (Warren & Horner) "In the beginning the Word existed. The Word existed in the presence of God, and the Word was a divine being."
English Version for the Deaf (aka Easy-to-Read Version) "Before the world began, the Word was there. The Word was there with God. The Word was God."
Expanded Translation, An (Wuest) "In the beginning the Word was existing, And the Word was in fellowship with God the Father, and the Word was as to His essence absolute deity."
Four Gospels, The (C.C. Torrey, 2nd ed 1947, lower case god) "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was god."
Geneva Bible, The "In the beginning was the Worde, and the Worde was with God and that Worde was God."
Geneva Bible, The (NT 1602 Edition) "In the beginning was that Word, and that Word was with God, and that Word was God."
George Horner's Sahidic Translation into English (1910) "In the beginning was being the word, and the word was being with God, and [a] God was the word."
God's Living Word (Johnson 1996) "In the beginning was the Word,* and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
God's New Covenant (HW Cassirer) "It was the Word that was at the very beginning; and the Word was by the side of God, and the Word was the very same as God."
God's Word (aka Today’s Bible Translation) "In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God."
God's Word to the Nations New Testament "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
Godbey Translation of the New Testament "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
Good News Bible (aka Today's English Version) "Before the world was created, the Word already existed; he was with God, and he was the same as God."
Good News of Our Lord Jesus (Whiting 1849) "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
Good News Translation "In the beginning the Word already existed; the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
Great Bible (Cranmer 1539) "In the begynnynge was the worde, and the worde was wyth God: and God was the worde."
Holman Christian Standard Bible (2000, 2004 & 2011 eds) "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
Holy Bible (Julia Smith 1876) "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and God was the Word."
Holy Bible in Modern English, The (Fenton) "The WORD existed in the beginning, and the WORD was with God, and the WORD was God."
Holy Name Bible (Traina) "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with Yahweh, and the Word was Yahweh."
Inclusive Version, An "IN THE BEGINNING there was the Word; the Word was in God's presence, and the Word was God."
Inspired Version of the Bible, The (J. Smith) "In the beginning was the gospel preached through the Son. And the gospel was the word, and the word was with the Son, and the Son was with God, and the Son was of God."
Interlinear Bible (Greene) "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
International Children's Bible (1988) "Before the world began, there was the Word. The Word was with God and the Word was God."
International Standard Version "In the beginning, the Word existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God."
James Moffatt Translation "The Logos existed in the very beginning, the Logos was with God, the Logos was divine."
James Murdock’s Translation of the Syriac Peshitta "In the beginning, was the Word; and the Word was with God; and the Word was God."
Jerusalem Bible, The "In the beginning was the Word: the Word was with God and the Word was God."
Jewish New Testament (Stern) "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
John Wesley New Testament "In the beginning existed the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God."
Judean & Authorised Version New Testament "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
King James Version (1611) "IN the beginning was the Word, & the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
King James Version (1769) "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
Kingdom Interlinear (both the 1969 & 1985 update) "In [the] beginning the Word was, and the Word was with God, and the Word was a god."
Kingdom New Testament, The (Wright) "In the beginning was the Word. The Word was close beside God, and the Word was God."
Kleist-Lilly New Testament "When time began, the Word was there, and the Word was face to face with God, and the Word was God."
Knox Latin Vulgate Translation (1955) "At the beginning of time the Word already was; and God had the Word abiding with him, and the Word was God."
Last Days Bible, The (Johnson) "The One called the Word existed before anything was made. He was with God, and He was also God."
Lattimore New Testament "In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God."
Letchworth Version in Modern English "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
Lexham English Bible "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
Literal Standard Version (2020) "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God;"
Literally Translated New Testament Bible, The (2008) "In the commencement was the Divine Expression, and the Divine Expression was by the side of the Supreme Divinity, and the Divine Expression was a Deity."
Living Bible, The "Before anything else existed, there was Christ, with God. He has always been alive and is himself God."
Living Oracles New Testament, The "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
McCord’s New Testament Translation of the Everlasting Gospel "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
Message of Jesus Christ, The (Dibelius & Grant 1939) "In the beginning was the everlasting Word, and the everlasting Word was with God, and of godlike nature was the everlasting Word."
Message, The (Bible in Contemporary English) "The Word was first, the Word present to God, God present to the Word. The Word was God, in readiness for God from day one."
Mirror Bible (Toit 2015) "To go back to the very beginning is to find the Word already present there; face to face with God. The Word is I am; God's eloquence echoes and concludes in him. The word equals God."
Modern English (Phillips) "At the beginning God expressed himself. That personal expression, that word, was with God, and was God, and he existed with God from the beginning."
Modern English Version (2014) "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
Modern Kings James Version (Green) "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
Modern Literal Version, Holy Bible (beta 2016) "In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God."
Modern Reader’s Bible (Moulton) "IN THE BEGINNING WAS THE WORD: AND THE WORD WAS WITH GOD: AND THE WORD WAS GOD."
Modern Speech New Testament, The (RF Weymouth) "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
Names of God Bible, The (Spangler 2011) "In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God."
NET Bible, The "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was fully God."
New American Bible (1970) "In the beginning was the Word; the Word was in God's presence, and the Word was God."
New American Bible 2nd ed (1990, 2006) "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
New American Standard Version (both the 1973 & 1995 update) "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
New Authorized Version, The (AV7) "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
New Berkeley Version in Modern English, The "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
New Catholic Version (NVC 2015) "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
New Century Version (1991) "In the beginning there was the Word. The Word was with God, and the Word was God."
New Covenant, The (Barnstone) "In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and God was the Word."
New English Bible "When all things began, the Word already was. The word dwelt with God, and what God was, the Word was."
New English Translation - Free Version "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was fully God."
New Evangelical Translation "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
New Hearth English Bible "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
New International Reader's Version "In the beginning, the Word was already there. The Word was with God, and the Word was God."
New International Version (1978, 1984 & 2011) "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
New Jerusalem Bible, The "In the beginning was the Word: and the Word was with God and the Word was God."
New King James Version "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
New Life Version "The Word (Christ) was in the beginning. The Word was with God. The Word was God."
New Living Translation "In the beginning the Word already existed. He was with God, and he was God."
New Millenium Bible, The "The Word already existed before the world was created. The Word was with God, and the Word was God."
New Revised Standard Version (1989) "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
New Simplified Bible (NSB Madsen 2003) "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was like God (God-like)."
New Testament being the English Only (Kneeland 1823) "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was a god."
New Testament Emphasized (Morrow 1897) "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
New Testament from Original Greek (Anderson 1866) "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
New Testament in Plain English (CK Williams) "In the beginning the Word of God was there. And the Word was face to face with God, and the Word was God."
New Testament of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Anointed, The (Tomanek 1958)"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was a God."
New Testament of our Lord Jesus Christ in Plain English "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
New Testament Recovery Version, The "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
New Testament w/Notes (Cobb 1864) "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
New Testament: An Understandable Version, The (WE Paul 1994) "The Word (already) existed in the beginning (of time). (Note: this is a reference to the preexistence of Jesus, See verse 14). And the Word was with God and the Word was (what) God (was)."
New World Translation (1950) "Originally the Word was, and the Word was with God, and the Word was a god."
New World Translation (1984) "In [the] beginning the Word was, and the Word was with God, and the Word was a god."
New World Translation (2013 REVISION) "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was a god."
Noli New Testament "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was by God, and the Word was God."
Norlie’s Simplified New Testament "The Word was in the beginning; the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
Noyes Translation (1869) "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
Numeric English or Bible Numerics (Panin) "In the beginning the Word was, and the Word was with :God, and the Word was God."
Open English Bible "In the beginning the Word was; and the Word was with God; and the Word was God."
Original Aramaic New Testament in Plain English, The "In the origin The Word had been existing and That Word had been existing with God and That Word was himself God."
Original New Testament, The "In the beginning was the Word. And the Word was with God. So the Word was divine."
Original Order New Testament "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
Orthodox Jewish Brit Chadasha, The "Bereshis (In the Beginning) was the Dvar Hashem (YESHAYAH 55:11; BERESHIT 1:1), and the Dvar Hasem was agav (along with) Hashem (MISHLE 8:30; 30:4), and the Dvar Hashem was nothing less, by nature, than Elohim! (TEHILLIM 56:11(10); yn17:5; Rev. 19:13)."
Orthodox Study Bible (NKJV NT) "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
Passion Translation, The (2014 Simmons) "In the very beginning God was already there. And before his face Was his Living Expression. And this "Living Expression" Was with God yet fully God."
Peoples New Testament, The (Johnson 1891) "That he who was afterwards manifest as the Christ existed before creation began; that he was present with God; that he was divine; that he was the Word; "
People’s New Covenant, The (Overbury) "In original being the Word, or GOD-Idea existed; and the God-Idea existed in the at-one-ment with God; and the GOD-Idea was GOD-manifest."
Peschito Syriac New Testament (Etheridge) "IN the beginning was the Word, and the Word himself was with Aloha, and Aloha was the Word himself."
Recovery Version "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
Restoration of Original Sacred Name Bible "Originally was the Word, and the Word was with YAHVAH; and the Word was YAHVAH."
Revised English Bible "In the beginning the Word already was. The Word was in God's presence, and what God was, the Word was."
Revised King James New Testament "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
Revised Standard Version (1946, 1952) "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
Revised Translation of the New Testament (Highton) "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
Revised Version (1881) "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
Riverside New Testament "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
Sacred Scriptures, Bethel Edition, The "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with Yahweh, and the Word was Elohim."
Sahidic Coptic Text - Interlinear Translation "In the beginning existed the Word and the Word existed with the God and a god was the Word."
Scholars Version "In the beginning there was the divine word and wisdom. The divine word and wisdom was there with God, and it was what God was."
Scriptures (ISR), The "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with Elohim, and the Word was Elohim."
Shorter Bible, The "In the beginning was the divine Wisdom, and the divine Wisdom was with God, and the divine Wisdom was God."
Simple English Bible, The "In the beginning there was the Message. The Message was with God. The Message was deity."
Spencer New Testament "In the beginning was the WORD, and the WORD was with God, and the WORD was God."
Swann New Testament "In the beginning was the TRUTH, and the TRUTH was with God, and God was the TRUTH."
Testament Of Our Lord & Savior Jesus Christ Commonly Called The New Testament (RVIC2000)"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God; the Word also was a god."
The Book of Yahweh: The Holy Scriptures (Hawkins 1987) "In the beginning was the plan of Yahweh, and the plan was with Yahweh, and the plan was Yahweh’s."
The Complete Gospels: Annotated Scholars Version (Miller 1992)"In the beginning there was the divine word and wisdom. The divine word and wisdom was there with God, and it was what God was."
The Essential New Testament (ENT, Beatty 2004) "In the beginning was the Word; and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
The Four Gospels in One Story, Written as a Modern Biography (Crofts 1949)"The Energising Mind was in existence from the very beginning; the Energising Mind was in communion with God; the Energising Mind was divine."
The Kindom New Testament (Wright 2011) "In the beginning was the Word. The Word was close beside God, and the Word was God."
The New Testament A New Translation And Redaction (Beck 2002)"We believe that the word of God existed already in the beginning. And we believe that already in the beginning the word of God was proximate, face to face, and that the word of God was God."
The New Testament A Translation ( Hart 2017) "In the origin there was the Logos, and the Logos was present with GOD, and the Logos was god."
The New Testament American English Version (AEV, Mitchel 2006)"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
The New Testament for Pulpit and Pew (Davis 2020) "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
The Translators New Testament (Cordes 2005) "In the beginning was continnually the Word. And the Word was continually to the God. And God was continually the Word."
The [expanded] Bible "In the beginning [Gen 1:1] there was the Word [the Word already existed; the Word refers to Christ, God's revelation of himself]. The Word was with [in the presence of; in intamate relationship with] God [the father], and the Word was [fully] God."
Today's New International Version "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
Today’s English New Testament (Klingensmith) "In the beginning was the Logos. And the Logos was with God. And God was the Logos."
Translation of the Gospels, A (Norton 1855) "In the beginning was the Logos, and the Logos was with God, and the Logos was God."
Translation of the New Testament, A (Wakefield 1820) "In the beginning was Wisdom, and Wisdom was with God, and Wisdom was God."
Translator's New Testament, The (McHardy 1973) "When everything began the Word already existed. The Word was with God and shared his nature."
Tree of Life Version (TLV 2011) "In the beginning was the Word. The Word was with God, and the Word was God."
Twentieth Century New Testament (1901) "In the beginning the Word was; And the Word was with God; And the Word was God."
Tyndale's New Testament "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God: and the Word was God."
University New Testament (Weaver 1909) "In the beginning was the word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
Unvarnished New Testament, The "In the beginning was the word, and the Word was toward God, and God was what the Word was."
Updated Bible Version "In the beginning was the Speech, and the Speech was with God, and the Speech was God."
Updated King James Version "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
Variorum Edition of the New Testament (1881) "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
Versified Rendering of the Complete Gospel Story "CHRIST, the Living Word, existed ere creation’s work began. He was with God, and He was God…"
Voice Bible, The "Before time itself was measured, the Voice was speaking. The Voice was and is God."
Webster's Version, Revised (1833) "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
Westminster Version of the Sacred Scriptures "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
Wilton Translation of the NT, The 2013 (Wilton) "The Word was in the beginning, and the Word was with God, and the Word was divine."
Word of Promise, The "Before the world began, there was the Word. The Word was with God, and the Word was God."
World English Bible 2014 "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
Worrell New Testament, The "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
Worsley New Testament (1770) "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
Wycliffe (Purvey) New Testament "In the bigynnyng was the word, and the word was at God, and God was the word."
Young's Literal Translation (1898) "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God;"


Related links:
70 non-trinitarian translations of John 1:1
John 1 in 50+ English Translations
48 non-trinitarian translations of John 1:1
Good Companion Books
John 1:1 - wikipedia
Defend Jehovah's Witnesses
OnlyTrueGod.org
In Defense of the New World Translation. John 1:1 files
BIBLE VERSES EXPLAINED - John 1:1—“In the Beginning Was the Word”

What about the word "WITH" in John 1:1?

If Jesus 'was God', in what way could it be said that Jesus was 'with God' in the beginning?

The phrase "the word was with God" from John 1:1, sounds innocent enough but is it? John 1:14 establishes
that 'the word' is the only begotten son, who of course is Jesus Christ. This fact is our common ground
of understanding for all of us.

Since the word is Jesus, we could just as well say 'Jesus was with God', no problem. The trinity doctrine
claims that Jesus is God. So now can we say 'God was with God'? This does not sound right, it is very odd.
But why?

Please Google the word 'with' on the internet and read several definitions from different websites.
You will find that the word 'with' joins or associates two distinct and separate things together.

If a police detective asked a suspect "who were you with"? Suppose the suspect had actually been all
alone, so a thruthful and honest suspect might answer:
    1. no one
    2. I was alone
    3. I was by myself
    4. no one was with me
But the suspect would NOT say:
    5. I was with myself
The word 'with' always indicates two objects, or two entities, or an object and and entity, never just one.
Saying 'I was with myself' is using the word 'with' incorrectly.

This lesson applies to John 1:1, where Jesus is the word, and where most translations read: "the word was
with God". Again, the trinitarians say Jesus is God, if this is true then one cannot say "God was with
God" because it violates the definition of the word 'with' since there are not two entities being spoken
about, but only one, namely God.

Compare these three equivalent versions of the middle phrase in John 1:1 in question:
    1. 'the word was with God' (OK!)
    2. 'Jesus was with God' (OK!)
    3. 'God was with God' (What?)
Certainly saying 'God was with God' is rediculous. This absurdity is making a mockery of God.

In reality Jesus is a mighty one or 'a god'. Since Jesus is 'a god', it can be said that he is 'with God'.
    1. 'the word was with God' (OK!)
    2. 'Jesus was with God' (OK!)
    3. 'a god was with God' (OK!)
These three equivalent phrases make sense since they all use the word 'with' properly each time
referencing two distinct and separate entities.

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What was the actual 'beginning' that John was refering to at John 1:1?
We know God is eternal and had no beginning and will have no end.

The logos or word is a spokesman. When would God need a spokesman?
After Adam and Eve were created there were people that could speak.

This goes along quite well with John says at 1:3a - Through him all
things were made... - NIV. John is refering to the creation of
Genesis chapter 1.

The beginning of the dialog of God through his Son, Jesus Christ, to
humans is the 'beginning' that John was refering to at John 1:1.

There are several places in the Christian Greek scriptures that the
act of creation is mentioned such as: John 1:3, Colossians 1:15, 16
and Hebrews 1:2. At each occurrence God is said to create all things
"through" Jesus Christ.

How could God create anything "through" Jesus Christ if God and Jesus
Christ are one and the same? A person can write a letter through
their secretary to someone else. If the person dictating and the
secretary are one and the same person, how can it then be said the
writting was done through themself?

A person can walk from one room through a doorway into another room.
The doorway is separate and distinct from the person or rooms.
A person can talk to another person through a telephone. The
telephone is separate and distinct from the people.

If the Word was God, God could not create anything through the Word
because the Word is God and not separate and distinct.

By Jim Shook 03/20/2017