a god
Translation Notes
God a, John 1:1 is one of
the most controversial verses in the NT, but not because of its meaning or
grammar which is quite clear, but the ological dogma. Greek has no indefinite article `a' or
`an'; the definite article `the' is used for most proper or specific nouns,
even names. So we find: `the God', `the Jesus', `the
There are some exceptions to this.
Grammarian E.C. Colwell formulated a rule in 1933, that when a predicate anarthrous noun (a descriptive one without the definite
article) preceeds the verb (as in John 1:1), it is
implied and should be supplied by the translator; only when it follows it
should the indefinite article be used. This holds good
in many cases, but there are so many exceptions that it can hardly be called a
rule. Colwell himself stated that the rule applies "only when the context
demands it". In John 1:1 the context states twice that the Word was with
God, thereby indicating two persons. This is confirmed throughout the rest of
John's gospel where our Lord said that "I am not seeking my own will, but
the will of the One having sent me"; "the Father is greater than
I"; "I am going away to the Father; glorify me beside thyself with
the glory I had beside thee before the world (came) to be"; "the
sayings which thou gave to me I have given to them"; and "I am
ascending to my Father and your Father and to my God and your God." (John
5:30;
Many translators render the noun `god'
here, as an adjective such as "divine", "godlike",
"same nature as God"; or a verbal clause "shared his
nature". By this they would appear to recognize the above principle while
seeming reluctant to assign the term `god' to anyone other that Almighty God.
However there is no need for such inhibition. When Jesus was refuting the Jews'
accusation that he was making himself a god by calling himself the Son of God,
he quoted the Hebrew scriptures which referred to the disobedient Israelites as
gods (John 10:33-36). Incidentally, vss 34 and 35 of
this text should have the article inserted according to Colwell's rule, which
would put the Israelites on a par with God!
Whatever his creed or
belief, a translator of God's Word must render the text as accurately as
possible according to the text itself, its grammatical structure, and the
context. Hence the given rendering of John 1:1.
For information on this Bible –C/h open BestBiblesPlus.htm and Scroll to the Bottom of the First List
Compare the 21st Century Translations Disclosure About Jn 1.1 with the Below and All that is Printed in-- –C/h
open JOHN1onePLUS.htm
When
complicated Grammatical language Rules Can’t Harmonize Translating
Words
or Phrases --and they don’t make sense to the reader--That’s
when the
The GWGPC-Rule –Must be
Applied to get the Truth---One Must also Remember that God has given
(imperfect) Mankind the Duty of Taken care of the
Devine Writings through out the ages,—(There is no Evidence He (G0D) has
prevervsed them Himself as Many Think) And Satan has been trying to get his
servants ( 2 Cor 11- 12-15) To have them done away with or Changed to Start another
False Religion-just as he did in the Garden of Eden when he Lied to Eve—that
started the First False Religion. This has been Proven so with 1 Tim 3-16 and 1
John 5-7 –as Rendered in the KJV and some others.
The Simple Solution Is..
SimpleBibleTruths.net--The
Alternative to Mysticism
SimpleBibleTruths.net –The GWGPC Rule is-A Simple Rule of Harmony. (God’s Word
is Great and Perfect and can not be Contradictive) The Best
Simple Truth Rule is –If all verses pertaining to any one given Subject
–If one verse is not in Harmony with all
the other verses then that verse is Translated wrong.—godly-divine-or a
god or Like God or God Like fits in at John 1.1 -----the Word was God – (If
Meant to be The Almighty God) Contradicts the Word being with God-.---Someone (
with life in himself John 5-26 ) can not be the same One with that One—That is
not Harmony in any Language ---Therefore it is not Translated correctly----Simple Rule of Harmony. You
can Correct the Out of Harmony Verse By Bringing it back into the Flock Like a Good Shepherd.-Some
how that Verse got out of Harmony –In some CASES by Evil Design. Some verses
may not harmonize –Due to Subject and of Time and Place for the real Purpose of
those Verses. But John 1.1 -1 -3,
14,18 --John 3-34 -->5-26-17-5 must Harmonize with Prov
Worshiping Jesus is a False
Religion (http://www.searchgodsword.org/lex/grk/view.cgi?number=4352)
( Jesus said to Worship the Father
Only—Jesus would not Lie to US) that
Stems From the Misunderstaning of One Unharmonizing Verse— the Second half of
John-1.1..---God Never Stopped Satan From
lying and deceiving Eve or from doing the Same to anyone to this very day.
Jesus Said Satan is a Manslayer . .Satan gets God to slay people that follower
And Believe Satan’s Lies.---
C/H-- If Jesus is God, the
Bible has many Contradictions
NEW
SIMPLIFIED BIBLE
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with
God, and the
Word was like God. (Greek: Theos: a deity, magistrate, supreme God,
God-like)
CONTEXTUAL
ACCURACY VERSUS GRAMMATICAL ACCURACY: The New Simplified Bible makes no
assertions of grammatical accuracy. In fact the NSB believes that contextual
accuracy is far more important. However, out of respect for Dr. Colwell the New
Simplified Bible uses the exact phrase he uses at the end of John 1:1, “the
Word was God” then the NSB completes the translation of the Greek word “theos” based on
the context of the verse.
CONTEXT PROVES TWO SEPARATE SPIRIT BEINGS: The context emphatically indicates
that it is talking about Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and God as two separate
spirit beings. Bible authorities agree that “the Word” is Jesus Christ. The
same verse, John 1:1, indicates that God and Jesus
Christ are two separate beings when it says that “the Word was with God.” The Greek “pros” means ‘with,’ ‘by the side of’ and ‘near to”
indicating two separate beings. The entire context of the ‘New
Testament’ refers to Jesus Christ as the Son of God and not as God
“GOD-LIKE” EXPRESSES ACCURATE MEANING: The NSB uses one of the other accurate
meanings of the Greek word “theos,” ‘God-like’ or
‘like God.’ This reference to Jesus Christ, the Word, as being God-like is
fitting since he is a member of the God family and is therefore very much like
his heavenly Father. It is in a relative sense that Jesus Christ could even be
considered God. After all he is not his own Father and his Father truly is God.
English Dictionary Definitions:
“Godlike” or “Godly”
Appropiate to or befitting a god.
Showing reverence for God.
Eminating
from God.
Having the nature of God
READ The New Simplified
Bible C/H -http://www.geocities.com/simplifiedbible/EnjoyNSB.html
NSB Translation Notes--