BibleTexts.com Commentary on Individual Verses

John 1:18

Incorrect and correct translations that account for Greek nuances

 

Translations of John 1:18

INCORRECT TRANSLATIONS

KJV w/Strong# - No <3762> man <3762> hath seen <3708> God <2316> at <4455> any <4455> time <4455>; the only <3439> begotten <3439> Son <5207>, which <3588> is in the bosom <2859> of the Father <3962>, he hath declared <1834> [him].

TOO LITERAL TRANSLATIONS (The incorrect translations are based upon a too literal translation that does not address Greek grammatical nuances. Unfortunately only a few phrase-by-phrase translations render Joh 1:18 properly. Virtually all word-for-word translations seem unable -- or lacking the courage -- to properly address the nuances of some Greek grammatical structures, such as the anarthrous pre-verbal predicate nominatives found in Joh 1:1 and Joh 1:18, as explained below.)

ESV: 18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known.

BibleTexts.com note: More preferred than the ESV or any other word-for-word translation, the TEV (1976 or 1992, a.k.a., GNT) has the rendering of this particular verse that would be the best substitute for the KJV rendering or for the ESV or any of the other word-for-word translation's rendering.

NRSV: 8 No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father's heart, who has made him known.

NAB: 18 No one has ever seen God. The only Son, God, who is at the Father's side, has revealed him.

NASB: 18 No man has seen God at any time ; the only begotten God, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.

CORRECT TRANSLATIONS - only found in a few phrase-by-phrase translations

BibleTexts.com translation 1: No one has ever seen God. The only-begotton one who is the same as God, who is in the lap of the Father, has made him known.

BibleTexts.com translation 2: No one has ever seen God. The divine* only-begotten one, who is in the lap of the Father, has made him known.

Goodspeed - No one has ever seen God; it is the divine Only Son, who leans upon his Father's breast, that has made him known.

Moffatt - Nobody has ever seen God, but God has been unfolded by the divine One, the only Son, who lies upon the Father's breast.

REB - No one has ever seen God; God's only Son, he who is nearest to the Father's heart, has made him known.

Schonfield - No one has ever seen God. God's Only-Begotten, who is in the Father's bosom, he has portrayed him.

TEV (1976 & 1992, a.k.a., GNT) - No one has ever seen God. The only Son, who is the same as God and is at the Father's side, he has made him known.


Commentary

Joh 1:18 - KJV wording: the only begotten son, which is in the bosom of the Father - corrected translation consistent with the original Greek text: the being who is the same as God, who is the only one born of God, who is in the lap of the Father or: the only divine son, who is in the lap of the Father

 

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