Category Archives: Son of God

Son of God – 1 John, Part 3

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Dear friends, John wrote to fellow believers, let us love (ἀγαπῶμεν, a form of ἀγαπάω) one another, because love (ἀγάπη) is from God, and everyone who loves (ἀγαπῶν, another form of ἀγαπάω) has been fathered (γεγέννηται, a form of γεννάω) by God and knows (γινώσκει, a form of γινώσκω) God.1  John used the word ἀγαπῶμεν over and over again in his letters to describe this love (ἀγάπη).

For this is the gospel message that you have heard from the beginning: that we should love (ἵνα ἀγαπῶμεν) one another (ἀλλήλους)…2  We know that we have crossed over from death to life because we love (ὅτι ἀγαπῶμεν) our fellow Christians (τοὺς ἀδελφούς).3  Little children, let us not love (μὴ ἀγαπῶμεν) with word or with tongue (λόγῳ μηδὲ τῇ γλώσσῃ) but in deed and truth.4  Now this is his commandment: that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love (καὶ ἀγαπῶμεν) one another (ἀλλήλους), just as he gave us the commandment.5  No one has seen God at any time.  If we love (ἐὰν ἀγαπῶμεν) one another (ἀλλήλους), God resides in us, and his love (ἀγάπη) is perfected in us.6  We love (ἡμεῖς ἀγαπῶμεν) because he loved (ἠγάπησεν, another form of ἀγαπάω) us first.7  By this we know that we love (ὅτι ἀγαπῶμεν) the children of God (τὰ τέκνα τοῦ θεοῦ): whenever we love God (ὅταν τὸν θεὸν ἀγαπῶμεν) and obey8 his commandments (καὶ τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ ποιῶμεν).9  But now I ask you, lady (not as if I were writing a new commandment to you, but the one we have had from the beginning), that we love (ἵνα ἀγαπῶμεν)10 one another (ἀλλήλους).11

This love (ἀγάπη) is from God,12 not from us.  It is the love (ἀγάπη) that does no wrong to a neighbor, and the love (ἀγάπη) that is the fulfillment of the law.13  It is the love (ἀγάπη) that is patient, the love (ἀγάπη) that is kind, and the love (ἀγάπη) that does not brag.14  It is the love (ἀγάπη) that never ends as opposed to prophecies, tongues and knowledge that will be set aside.15  It is one of the three that remain along with faith and hope, but the greatest of these is love (ἀγάπη).16  It is the love (ἀγάπη) of Christ17 that controls (συνέχει, a form of συνέχω) us,18 and it is the love that holds the preeminent place in the fruit of his Spirit: But the fruit of the Spirit is love (ἀγάπη), joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  Against such things there is no law [Table].19

John emphasized, everyone who loves has been fathered (γεγέννηται, a form of γεννάω) by God and knows (γινώσκει, a form of γινώσκω) God.20  The person who does not love (ἀγαπῶν, another form of ἀγαπάω) me, Jesus said, does not obey (τηρεῖ, a form of τηρέω) my words.  And the word you hear is not mine, but the Father’s who sent me.21  And Paul wrote, the one who loves (ἀγαπῶν, another form of ἀγαπάω) his neighbor has fulfilled the law.22

This love is the natural (e.g., super-natural) state of those born (γεννηθῇ, another form of γεννάω) from above,23 born (γεννηθῇ) of water and spirit,24 not born (ἐγεννήθησαν, another form of  γεννάω) by human parents (οὐκ ἐξ αἱμάτων, literally, “not out of blood”) or by human desire (οὐδὲ ἐκ θελήματος σαρκὸς, literally, “neither out from the will of the flesh”) or a husband’s decision (οὐδὲ ἐκ θελήματος ἀνδρὸς, literally, “neither out from the will of a husband”), but by God (ἀλλ᾿ ἐκ θεοῦ ἐγεννήθησαν, literally, “but out from God born”).25

If you know (εἰδῆτε, a form of εἴδω) that he is righteous, John wrote, you also26 know (γινώσκετε, another form of γινώσκω) that everyone who practices righteousness has been fathered (γεγέννηται, a form of γεννάω) by him.27  Everyone who has been fathered (γεγεννημένος, another form of γεννάω) by God does not practice sin, because God’s seed resides in him, and thus he is not able to sin, because he has been fathered (γεγέννηται) by God.28  Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been fathered (γεγέννηται) by God…29

I am the good shepherd, Jesus said.  I know (γινώσκω) my own and my own know (γινώσκουσι, another form of γινώσκω) me [Table] – just as the Father knows (γινώσκει, another form of γινώσκω) me and I know (γινώσκω) the Father – and I lay down my life for the sheep.30  And John added, The person who does not love (ἀγαπῶν, another form of ἀγαπάω) does not know (ἔγνω, another form of γινώσκω) God, because God is love (ἀγάπη).31  The point here is not for me to act like a hypocrite and turn Paul’s definition of ἀγάπη into a list of rules I strive to obey to con people into believing that I have been fathered by God.  The point is for me to believe Him and receive all that He has given to me in Christ.

By this the love (ἀγάπη) of God is revealed in us: that God has sent his one and only Son into the world so that we may live through him.  In this is love (ἀγάπη): not that we have loved (ἠγαπήκαμεν, another form of ἀγαπάω) God, but that he loved (ἠγάπησεν, another form of ἀγαπάω) us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins [Table].32

Dear friends (Ἀγαπητοί, a form of ἀγαπητός), John continued, if God so loved (ἠγάπησεν, another form of ἀγαπάω) us, then we also ought to love (ἀγαπᾶν, another form of ἀγαπάω) one another.  No one has seen God at any time.  If we love (ἀγαπῶμεν, another form of ἀγαπάω) one another, God resides in us, and his love (ἀγάπη) is perfected in us.33  Once again, lest I stray into hypocrisy believing that this ἀγάπη originates with me so that I may prove that God resides in me, John made it plain.  By this we know (γινώσκομεν, another form of γινώσκω) that we reside in God and he in us: in that he has given us of his Spirit,34 both gifts and fruit.  And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world,35 i.e., through his ἀγάπη (God has sent his one and only Son into the world so that we may live through him).

Then John connected knowing and believing this ἀγάπη with confessing that Jesus is the Son of God:  If anyone confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God resides in him and he in God [Table].  And we have come to know (ἐγνώκαμεν, another form of γινώσκω) and to believe (πεπιστεύκαμεν, a form of πιστεύω) the love (ἀγάπην, another form of ἀγάπη) that God has in us [Table].36  I began this study of the Son of God because I was curious37 how Peter, James and John followed through on Jesus’ command to tell (after his resurrection)38 about the vision when a voice from the cloud said, “This is my one dear Son, in whom I take great delight.  Listen to him!”39

Peter obeyed Jesus’ command to the letter.  He recounted the story of the transfiguration.40  But John wrote more in the spirit of Jesus’ command about the Son of God and all that meant.  From the very beginning of his ministry Paul proclaimed that Jesus was the Son of God: For several days [Paul]41 was with the disciples in Damascus [Table], and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “This man is the Son of God” [Table]42  And the writings of John and Paul most vividly portray the truth, And we have come to know and to believe the love that God has in us.  I can’t say much about Peter’s knowledge or faith, but his writing did not convey this same knowledge and faith in God’s love.

You have not seen him, Peter wrote, but you love (ἀγαπᾶτε, a form of ἀγαπάω) him.  You do not see him now but you believe in him, and so you rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy [Table], because you are attaining the goal of your faith – the salvation of your souls.43  This sounds like my feeling for Jesus rather than his ἀγάπη in us.  You have purified your souls by obeying the truth, Peter continued, in order to show sincere mutual love (φιλαδελφίαν, a form of φιλαδελφία).  So love (ἀγαπήσατε, a form of ἀγαπάω) one another earnestly from a pure heart.44  This sounds like our love for each other.  Perhaps brotherly affection and ἀγάπη were essentially interchangeable in the Greek language when Peter wrote.  But this usage doesn’t indicate any appreciation for the meaning that Paul ascribed to the ἀγάπη from God, or that John carried forward in his Gospel and letters.

Peter continued to make brotherly affection equivalent to ἀγάπη.  Honor all people, love (ἀγαπᾶτε, a form of ἀγαπάω) the family of believers, fear God, honor the king.45  Above all keep your love (ἀγάπην, a form of ἀγάπη) for one another fervent, because love (ἀγάπη) covers a multitude of sins.46  The love in this quotation of Proverbs 10:12 was φιλία in the Septuagint not ἀγάπη.  And Peter used ἀγάπη to describe a religious rite: Greet one another with a loving (ἀγάπης, a form of ἀγάπη) kiss.47

He did grant some ascendency to ἀγάπη over φιλαδελφίᾳ (brotherly affection) when he wrote, make every effort to add to your faith excellence, to excellence, knowledge; to knowledge, self-control; to self-control, perseverance; to perseverance, godliness; to godliness, brotherly affection (φιλαδελφίαν, a form of φιλαδελφίᾳ); to brotherly affection (φιλαδελφίᾳ), unselfish love (ἀγάπην, a form of ἀγάπη).48  But while I was busy adding all of these things to my faith I failed to understand that God’s divine power has bestowed on us everything necessary for life and godliness through the rich knowledge of the one who called us by his own glory and excellence.49  Or I thought the rich knowledge of the one who called us and the key to this life and godliness was the law.  

In other words I mistook the knowledge of sin50 for the knowledge of God,51 that intimate form of knowing alluded to in Romans 7:4, God is ἀγάπη,52 ἀγάπη is from God,53 and ἀγάπη is the fulfillment (πλήρωμα; fulfilling KJV) of the law.54  Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets, Jesus said.  I have not come to abolish these things but to fulfill (πληρῶσαι, a form of πληρόω) them.55  Apart from Paul’s and John’s writings I never would have understood that this ἀγάπη from God was the fruit of the Spirit, and, in a word, the credited righteousness of God.

God is love, John wrote, and the one who resides in love resides in God, and God resides in him [Table].  By this love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment, because just as Jesus is, so also are we in this world.  There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment.  The one who fears punishment has not been perfected in love.  We love because he loved us first [Table].56  For this is the love of God: that we keep his commandments.  And his commandments do not weigh us down, because everyone who has been fathered by God conquers the world.  This is the conquering power that has conquered the world: our57 faith [i.e., in Him, yes, and in this love (ἀγάπην, another form of ἀγάπη) that God has in us; Table].  Now58 who is the person who has conquered the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?59

If we accept the testimony of men, John continued, the testimony of God is greater [referring, I think, to the vision of the transfiguration], because this is the testimony of God that60 he has testified concerning his Son.  (The one who believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself;61 the one who does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has testified concerning his Son.)62  And this is the testimony… And here, I think, John made the ἀγάπη from God functionally equivalent63 to the life that is eternal (Love never ends).64  God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.  The one who has the Son has this eternal life; the one who does not have the Son of God does not have this eternal life.  I have written these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.65

And finally having received this ἀγάπη from God (Give us today our daily bread66):  We know that everyone fathered by God does not sin, but God protects the one he has fathered, and the evil one (πονηρὸς, a form of πονηρός) cannot touch him [Table].  [And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one (πονηροῦ, another form of πονηρός).67]  We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one (πονηρῷ, another form of πονηρός).  And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us insight to know him who is true, and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ.  This one is the true God and eternal life.  Little children, guard yourselves from idols.68

It takes a religious mind to be in close proximity to this ἀγάπη from God and yet reject it for the self-aggrandizing vindication of religious works.  For ignoring the righteousness that comes from God, and seeking instead to establish their own righteousness, they did not submit to God’s righteousness.69  I’ve been there, and I’ve done that.

I now regard all things as liabilities compared to the far greater value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things – indeed, I regard them as dung! – that I may gain Christ [Table],  and be found in him, not because I have my own righteousness derived from the law, but because I have the righteousness that comes by way of Christ’s faithfulness – a righteousness from God that is in fact based on Christ’s faithfulness.  My aim is to know him, to experience the power of his resurrection, to share in his sufferings, and to be like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead [Table].70

 

Addendum: June 7, 2026
Tables comparing 1 John 5:2; 2:29; 1 Peter 5:14; 1 John 5:5; 5:9, 10 and 5:13 in the KJV and NET follow.

1 John 5:2 (NET)

1 John 5:2 (KJV)
>By this we know that we love the children of God: whenever we love God and obey his commandments. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.

1 John 5:2 (NET Parallel Greek)

1 John 5:2 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

1 John 5:2 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἐν τούτῳ γινώσκομεν ὅτι ἀγαπῶμεν τὰ τέκνα τοῦ θεοῦ, ὅταν τὸν θεὸν ἀγαπῶμεν καὶ τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ ποιῶμεν εν τουτω γινωσκομεν οτι αγαπωμεν τα τεκνα του θεου οταν τον θεον αγαπωμεν και τας εντολας αυτου τηρωμεν εν τουτω γινωσκομεν οτι αγαπωμεν τα τεκνα του θεου οταν τον θεον αγαπωμεν και τας εντολας αυτου τηρωμεν

1 John 2:29 (NET)

1 John 2:29 (KJV)
If you know that he is righteous, you also know that everyone who practices righteousness has been fathered by him. If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.

1 John 2:29 (NET Parallel Greek)

1 John 2:29 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

1 John 2:29 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἐὰν εἰδῆτε ὅτι δίκαιος ἐστιν, γινώσκετε ὅτι |καὶ| πᾶς ὁ ποιῶν τὴν δικαιοσύνην ἐξ αὐτοῦ γεγέννηται εαν ειδητε οτι δικαιος εστιν γινωσκετε οτι πας ο ποιων την δικαιοσυνην εξ αυτου γεγεννηται εαν ειδητε οτι δικαιος εστιν γινωσκετε οτι πας ο ποιων την δικαιοσυνην εξ αυτου γεγεννηται

1 Peter 5:14 (NET)

1 Peter 5:14 (KJV)
Greet one another with a loving kiss. Peace to all of you who are in Christ. Greet ye one another with a kiss of charity. Peace be with you all that are in Christ Jesus. Amen.

1 Peter 5:14 (NET Parallel Greek)

1 Peter 5:14 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

1 Peter 5:14 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἀσπάσασθε ἀλλήλους ἐν φιλήματι ἀγάπης. Εἰρήνη ὑμῖν πᾶσιν τοῖς ἐν Χριστῷ ασπασασθε αλληλους εν φιληματι αγαπης ειρηνη υμιν πασιν τοις εν χριστω ιησου αμην ασπασασθε αλληλους εν φιληματι αγαπης ειρηνη υμιν πασιν τοις εν χριστω ιησου αμην

1 John 5:5 (NET)

1 John 5:5 (KJV)
Now who is the person who has conquered the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?

1 John 5:5 (NET Parallel Greek)

1 John 5:5 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

1 John 5:5 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Τίς [δέ] ἐστιν ὁ νικῶν τὸν κόσμον εἰ μὴ ὁ πιστεύων ὅτι Ἰησοῦς ἐστιν ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ τις εστιν ο νικων τον κοσμον ει μη ο πιστευων οτι ιησους εστιν ο υιος του θεου τις εστιν ο νικων τον κοσμον ει μη ο πιστευων οτι ιησους εστιν ο υιος του θεου

1 John 5:9, 10 (NET)

1 John 5:9, 10 (KJV)
If we accept the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater because this is the testimony of God that he has testified concerning his Son. If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son.

1 John 5:9 (NET Parallel Greek)

1 John 5:9 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

1 John 5:9 (Byzantine Majority Text)
εἰ τὴν μαρτυρίαν τῶν ἀνθρώπων λαμβάνομεν, ἡ μαρτυρία τοῦ θεοῦ μείζων ἐστίν· ὅτι αὕτη ἐστὶν ἡ μαρτυρία τοῦ θεοῦ ὅτι μεμαρτύρηκεν περὶ τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ ει την μαρτυριαν των ανθρωπων λαμβανομεν η μαρτυρια του θεου μειζων εστιν οτι αυτη εστιν η μαρτυρια του θεου ην μεμαρτυρηκεν περι του υιου αυτου ει την μαρτυριαν των ανθρωπων λαμβανομεν η μαρτυρια του θεου μειζων εστιν οτι αυτη εστιν η μαρτυρια του θεου ην μεμαρτυρηκεν περι του υιου αυτου
(The one who believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself; the one who does not believe God has made him a liar because he has not believed in the testimony that God has testified concerning his Son.) He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.

1 John 5:10 (NET Parallel Greek)

1 John 5:10 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

1 John 5:10 (Byzantine Majority Text)
(ὁ πιστεύων εἰς τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ θεοῦ ἔχει τὴν μαρτυρίαν ἐν |ἑαυτῷ|, ὁ μὴ πιστεύων τῷ θεῷ ψεύστην πεποίηκεν αὐτόν, ὅτι οὐ πεπίστευκεν εἰς τὴν μαρτυρίαν ἣν μεμαρτύρηκεν ὁ θεὸς περὶ τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ.) ο πιστευων εις τον υιον του θεου εχει την μαρτυριαν εν εαυτω ο μη πιστευων τω θεω ψευστην πεποιηκεν αυτον οτι ου πεπιστευκεν εις την μαρτυριαν ην μεμαρτυρηκεν ο θεος περι του υιου αυτου ο πιστευων εις τον υιον του θεου εχει την μαρτυριαν εν αυτω ο μη πιστευων τω θεω ψευστην πεποιηκεν αυτον οτι ου πεπιστευκεν εις την μαρτυριαν ην μεμαρτυρηκεν ο θεος περι του υιου αυτου

1 John 5:13 (NET)

1 John 5:13 (KJV)
I have written these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

1 John 5:13 (NET Parallel Greek)

1 John 5:13 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

1 John 5:13 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Ταῦτα ἔγραψα ὑμῖν ἵνα εἰδῆτε ὅτι ζωὴν ἔχετε αἰώνιον, τοῖς πιστεύουσιν εἰς τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ ταυτα εγραψα υμιν τοις πιστευουσιν εις το ονομα του υιου του θεου ινα ειδητε οτι ζωην εχετε αιωνιον και ινα πιστευητε εις το ονομα του υιου του θεου ταυτα εγραψα υμιν τοις πιστευουσιν εις το ονομα του υιου του θεου ινα ειδητε οτι ζωην αιωνιον εχετε και ινα πιστευητε εις το ονομα του υιου του θεου

1 1 John 4:7 (NET)

2 1 John 3:11 (NET)

3 1 John 3:14 (NET) Table

4 1 John 3:18 (NET) Table

5 1 John 3:23 (NET) Table

6 1 John 4:12 (NET)

7 1 John 4:19 (NET) Table

8 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had ποιῶμεν here, a form of ποιέω, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had τηρωμεν (KJV: keep), a form of τηρέω.

9 1 John 5:2 (NET)

10 Why was “should” inserted into 1 John 3:11 (NET)? …that we should love one another… (ἵνα ἀγαπῶμεν ἀλλήλους).  1 John 4:19 (NET) We love because he loved us first (ἡμεῖς ἀγαπῶμεν, ὅτι αὐτὸς πρῶτος ἠγάπησεν ἡμᾶς).  1 John 5:2 (NET) By this we know that we love the children of God (ἐν τούτῳ γινώσκομεν ὅτι ἀγαπῶμεν τὰ τέκνα τοῦ θεοῦ): whenever we love God and obey his commandments, (ὅταν τὸν θεὸν ἀγαπῶμεν καὶ τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ ποιῶμεν).

11 2 John 1:5 (NET) Table

12 1 John 4:7 (NET)

13 Romans 13:10 (NET)

14 1 Corinthians 13:4 (NET)

15 1 Corinthians 13:8 (NET) Table

16 1 Corinthians 13:13 (NET)

17 NET note 26: “The phrase ἡ ἀγάπη τοῦ Χριστοῦ (hē agapē tou Christou, ‘the love of Christ’) could be translated as either objective genitive (‘our love for Christ’) or subjective genitive (‘Christ’s love for us’). Either is grammatically possible, but with the reference to Christ’s death for all in the following clauses, a subjective genitive (‘Christ’s love for us’) is more likely.”

18 2 Corinthians 5:14 (NET) Table

19 Galatians 5:22, 23 (NET)

20 1 John 4:7 (NET)

21 John 14:24 (NET)

22 Romans 13:8 (NET)

23 John 3:3 (NET) Table

24 John 3:5 (NET) Table

25 John 1:13 (NET)

27 1 John 2:29 (NET)

28 1 John 3:9 (NET)

29 1 John 5:1a (NET) Table

30 John 10:14, 15 (NET)

31 1 John 4:8 (NET)

32 1 John 4:9, 10 (NET)

33 1 John 4:11, 12 (NET)

34 1 John 4:13 (NET)

35 1 John 4:14 (NET)

36 1 John 4:15, 16a (NET)

39 Matthew 17:5 (NET)

41 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ο σαυλος (KJV: Saul) here.  The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

42 Acts 9:19b, 20 (NET)

43 1 Peter 1:8, 9 (NET)

44 1 Peter 1:22 (NET) Table

45 1 Peter 2:17 (NET) Table

46 1 Peter 4:8 (NET) Table

47 1 Peter 5:14a (NET)

48 2 Peter 1:5-7 (NET)

49 2 Peter 1:3 (NET) Table

53 1 John 4:7 (NET); love comes from God (CEV, GWT, ISVNT, TEV, TMSG); love has its origin in God (MSNT), Greek: ὅτι ἡ ἀγάπη ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ ἐστιν (“because this love [1) out of, from, by, away from] the God is”)

55 Matthew 5:17 (NET)

56 1 John 4:16b-19 (NET)

57 The NET parallel Greek text, NA28 and Stephanus Textus Receptus had ἡμῶν here, where the Byzantine Majority Text had υμων (plural “your”).

59 1 John 5:3-5 (NET)

60 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had the conjunction ὅτι here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the relative pronoun ην (KJV: which).

61 The NET parallel Greek text and Stephanus Textus Receptus had ἑαυτῷ here, a form of the reflexive pronoun ἑαυτοῦ in the dative case, where the Byzantine Majority Text and NA28 had the personal pronoun αὐτῷ (“him”), a form of αὐτός in the dative case.

62 1 John 5:9, 10 (NET)

65 1 John 5:11-13 (NET) The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had και ινα πιστευητε εις το ονομα του υιου του θεου (KJV: and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

66 Matthew 6:11 (NET)

67 Matthew 6:13 (NET) Table

68 1 John 5:18-21 (NET)

69 Romans 10:3 (NET)

70 Philippians 3:8-11 (NET)

Son of God – 1 John, Part 2

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Who is the liar but the person who denies (ἀρνούμενος, a form of ἀρνέομαι) that Jesus is the Christ?  This one is the antichrist: the person who denies (ἀρνούμενος, a form of ἀρνέομαι) the Father and the Son.1  This is one of the things John wrote to his contemporaries about those who are trying to deceive you.2

It is interesting that this became a problem among believers after the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem, after those in Israel who rejected Jesus as Christ (or, Messiah) were compelled to accept Him as a credible prophet: Now while some were speaking about the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and offerings, Jesus said, “As for these things that you are gazing at, the days will come when not one stone will be left on another.  All will be torn down!”3  And, I tell you the truth, not one stone will be left on another.  All will be torn down!4 All will be torn down!5

Believers were not particularly troubled by the unbelief of enemies of the Gospel (enemies for your [believers’] sake, but in regard to election they are dearly loved for the sake of the fathers6) so long as the enemies defamed the Lord Jesus and threatened and harmed his followers.  The trouble began when the enemies softened their approach, accepted Jesus as a prophet, even a good man—but not the Messiah, not the Christ.

John continued: Everyone who denies (ἀρνούμενος, a form of ἀρνέομαι) the Son [i.e., denies that the Son is the Christ] does not have the Father either.  The person who confesses the Son has the Father also [Table].  As for you, what you have heard from the beginning must remain in you.  If7 what you heard from the beginning remains in you, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father.8  For John, what you have heard from the beginning was the Gospel, and he had written more about it previously, or perhaps it was more warning about those who are trying to deceive you (1 John 2:12, 13 NET):

I am writing to you, little children, that your sins have been forgiven because of his name.  I am writing to you, fathers, that you have known him who has been from the beginning.  I am writing to you, young people, that you have conquered the evil one (πονηρόν, a form of πονηρός).

The note (32) on the evil one in the NET reads: “The phrase the evil one is used in John 17:15 as a reference to Satan. Satan is also the referent here and in the four other occurrences in 1 John (2:14; 3:12; 5:18, 19).”  But in the definition of πονηρός they effectively acknowledge that they added the word one because the nominative case in Matthew 6:13 means “‘The Evil,’ and is probably referring to Satan.”

I think this is too limiting in both verses.  When I pray, And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil (πονηροῦ, another form of πονηρός) [Table],9 I am not praying to be delivered from Satan only, but from the meaningless deeds that are 1) full of labours, annoyances, and hardships; from being 1a) pressed and harassed by those labours; I pray to be delivered from 1b) this time full of peril to Christian faith and steadfastness that causes so much pain and trouble;  to be delivered from everything 2) bad, or of a bad nature or condition; from 2a) disease or blindness; as well as from that which is 2b) evil or wicked.

Likewise I believe that John wrote to young people that you have conquered the evil (πονηρόν, a form of πονηρός); not Satan only, but the meaningless deeds that are 1) full of labours, annoyances, and hardships; they are not 1a) pressed and harassed by those labours; they have overcome 1b) this time full of peril to Christian faith and steadfastness that causes so much pain and trouble; they have conquered everything 2) bad, or of a bad nature or condition; 2a) disease or blindness; as well as that which is 2b) evil or wicked.  John continued (1 John 2:14 NET):

I have written10 to you, children, that you have known the Father.  I have written to you, fathers, that you have known him who has been from the beginning.  I have written to you, young people, that you are strong, and the word of God resides in you, and you have conquered the evil (πονηρόν, a form of πονηρός)…

I fantasize sometimes what the world might be like if young people were taught that they are strong, and the word of God resides in them, that they have conquered the evil, and how all of this is true in Christ through his Holy Spirit, rather than being taught the rules their elders have devised for them.  In my mother’s day the path of righteousness was that girls shouldn’t wear lipstick.  My mother and her contemporaries religiously put on their lipstick every Sunday morning, some even refreshed it in the pew during the service.  In my day the path of righteousness was not listening to rock music.  Most of my contemporaries attend churches that rock.  Why not try John’s approach?  Could it be any worse?

At best these rules are equivalent to gezerot.  A gezerah (singular of gezerot) according to the online Jewish Encyclopedia was a “rabbinical enactment issued as a guard or preventive measure….The Rabbis based their institution of such enactments upon the Biblical passages, ‘Thou shalt not depart from the sentence,’ etc. (Deut. xvii. 11), although at the same time they transgressed another commandment: ‘Ye shall not add unto the word which I command thee, neither shall ye diminish from it’ (Deut. iv. 2; Shab. 23a; Ab. R. N. 25b).”11  Perhaps any particular “preventive measure” was a good idea at a particular time in a particular place.  But gezerot are not the Gospel.

The first gezerah followed swiftly after God’s first prohibition: The Lord God planted an orchard in the east, in Eden; and there he placed the man he had formed [Table].  The Lord God made all kinds of trees grow from the soil, every tree that was pleasing to look at and good for food.  (Now the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil were in the middle of the orchard.) [Table]…The Lord God took the man and placed him in the orchard in Eden to care for it and to maintain it [Table].12

God’s Prohibition

Eve’s Knowledge of God’s Prohibition
Then the Lord God commanded the man, “You may freely eat fruit from every tree of the orchard [Table], but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will surely die” [Table].

Genesis 2:16, 17 (NET)

 The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit from the trees of the orchard [Table]; but concerning the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the orchard God said, ‘You must not eat from it, and you must not touch it, or else you will die’” [Table].

Genesis 3:2, 3 (NET)

The circumstantial evidence points to Adam as the originator of the first gezerah, and you must not touch it.  It sounds like a good idea.  “If you don’t touch it, Eve, you won’t eat it and you won’t die—whatever that means.”  But in practice when Eve touched it she did not die—whatever that means.  She saw with her own eyes that the tree produced fruit that was good for food, and it was attractive to the eye.13  She had the serpent’s assurance that she would not die—whatever that means—and that God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will open and you will be like divine beings who know good and evil.14

If I take the sequence of events recorded in Genesis literally, after she took some of its fruit and ate it nothing happened, neither the serpent’s promise nor God’s.  After all, God’s prohibition was given to Adam.  Eve was created afterward.  Perhaps it was reasonable for Adam to assume that God’s prohibition applied also to his wife, but nothing happened until Eve also gave some of it to her husband who was with her, and he ate it [Table].  Then the eyes of both of them opened, and they knew they were naked [Table].15  I sincerely doubt that realizing she was naked was the wisdom Eve desired.16

So the Lord God expelled [Adam] from the orchard in Eden to cultivate the ground from which he had been taken [Table].  When he drove the man out, he placed on the eastern side of the orchard in Eden angelic sentries who used the flame of a whirling sword to guard the way to the tree of life [Table].17  Adam and Eve and all their descendants will surely die.  Perhaps Adam and Eve understood death when, The Lord God made garments from skin for [them], and clothed them.18  If not, they certainly understood it about a century later19 when their firstborn Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.20  But I want to remove the serpent from the equation for a moment.

If I suppose that the serpent did not persuade Eve to eat the forbidden fruit, and Eve did not persuade Adam, and if Adam raised his sons to stand guard over the tree of the knowledge of good and evil like the angelic sentries guarded the way to the tree of life, if they, or we to this very day, faithfully kept Adam’s gezerah not to touch the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, would that be the righteousness of God?  My answer is an unequivocal, “No.”  It would simply mean that tanks and machine guns and the fear of death had kept us from sinning against Adam’s gezerah, which only incidentally also kept us from violating God’s prohibition.

So at worst gezerot when practiced promote actions that ignore the righteousness that comes from God, and [seeks] instead to establish [one’s] own righteousness.21  It is a catastrophe if those who believe and practice them do not submit to God’s righteousness.  For Christ is the end (τέλος; “1d) the end to which all things relate, the aim, purpose” [Hover the cursor over τέλος in the NET parallel Greek online]) of the law, with the result that there is righteousness for everyone who believes.22  This people honors me with their lips, Jesus said, but their heart is far from me [Table], and they worship me in vain, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.23  As a teaching practice gezerot are sin relative to the Gospel.

Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness, John continued, indeed, sin is lawlessness.  And you know that Jesus was revealed to take away (ἄρῃ, a form of αἴρω) sins…24  John also used ἄρῃ in his Gospel account.  After Jesus died Joseph of Arimathea…asked Pilate if he could remove (ἄρῃ, a form of αἴρω) the body of Jesus.25  So as Joseph sought to take away the body of Jesus from the cross, Jesus was revealed to take away (ἄρῃ) sins from us, and in him there is no sin, John continued.  Everyone who resides in him does not sin; everyone who sins has neither seen him nor known him.  Little children, let no one deceive you: The one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as Jesus is righteous.  The one who practices sin is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning.26

But there is still hope: For this purpose the Son of God was revealed: to destroy the works of the devil.27  Jesus was still revealed to take away even the sin of rejecting his righteousness for our own gezerot.  Everyone who has been fathered by God does not practice sin, because God’s seed resides in him, and thus he is not able to sin, because he has been fathered by God.  By this the children of God and the children of the devil are revealed: Everyone who does not practice righteousness – the one who does not love his fellow Christian (ἀδελφὸν, a form of ἀδελφός)– is not of God.28

Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue but in deed and truth.  And by this we will know that we are of the truth and will convince our conscience in his presence, that if our conscience condemns us, that God is greater than our conscience and knows all things.  Dear friends, if our conscience does not condemn us, we have confidence in the presence of God, and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do the things that are pleasing to him.  Now this is his commandment: that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he gave us29 the commandment.  And the person who keeps his commandments resides in God, and God in him.  Now by this we know that God resides in us: by the Spirit he has given us.30

I included the Greek text of Jesus’ quote from Isaiah for completeness.

Jesus

Septuagint

Parallel Greek Text – NET
This people honors me with their lips,but their heart is far from me, and they worship me in vain, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.

Matthew 15:8, 9 (NET)

 ὁ λαὸς οὗτος τοῖς χείλεσιν αὐτῶν τιμῶσίν με ἡ δὲ καρδία αὐτῶν πόρρω ἀπέχει ἀπ᾽ ἐμοῦ μάτην δὲ σέβονταί με διδάσκοντες ἐντάλματα ἀνθρώπων καὶ διδασκαλίας

Isaiah 29:13

 ὁ λαὸς οὗτος τοῖς χείλεσιν με τιμᾷ, ἡ δὲ καρδία αὐτῶν πόρρω ἀπέχει ἀπ᾿ ἐμοῦ μάτην δὲ σέβονται με διδάσκοντες διδασκαλίας ἐντάλματα ἀνθρώπων

Matthew 15:8, 9

Translation from a contemporary understanding of ancient Hebrew
These people say they are loyal to me; they say wonderful things about me, but they are not really loyal to me.  Their worship consists of nothing but man-made ritual.31

Isaiah 29:13 (NET)

 

Addendum (7/15/2015): Jim Searcy has published that the Septuagint is a hoax written by Origen and Eusebius 200 hundred years or so after Christ.  “In fact, the Septuagint ‘quotes’ from the New Testament and not vice versa…”  His contention is that the “King James Version is the infallible Word of God.”  So, I’ll re-examine the quotations above with the KJV.

Jesus

KJV

Parallel Greek Text – NET
This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.
But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

Matthew 15:8, 9 (KJV)

 Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:

Isaiah 29:13

 ὁ λαὸς οὗτος τοῖς χείλεσιν με τιμᾷ, ἡ δὲ καρδία αὐτῶν πόρρω ἀπέχει ἀπ᾿ ἐμοῦ μάτην δὲ σέβονται μεδιδάσκοντες διδασκαλίας ἐντάλματα ἀνθρώπων

Matthew 15:8, 9

If as Jim Searcy claimed the Septuagint was written after the New Testament, But in vain (μάτην δὲ) was not a part of Isaiah’s original prophecy as Jesus claimed.  Rather, Jesus added it on the spot.

 

Addendum: May 11, 2026
Tables comparing Matthew 24:2; Mark 13:2; 1 John 2:24; 2:14; 3:5; John 19:38 and 1 John 3:23 in the KJV and NET follow.

Matthew 24:2 (NET)

Matthew 24:2 (KJV)
And he said to them, “Do you see all these things? I tell you the truth, not one stone will be left on another. All will be torn down!” And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.

Matthew 24:2 (NET Parallel Greek)

Matthew 24:2 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Matthew 24:2 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ὁ δὲ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· οὐ βλέπετε ταῦτα πάντα; ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν, οὐ μὴ ἀφεθῇ ὧδε λίθος ἐπὶ λίθον ὃς οὐ καταλυθήσεται ο δε ιησους ειπεν αυτοις ου βλεπετε παντα ταυτα αμην λεγω υμιν ου μη αφεθη ωδε λιθος επι λιθον ος ου μη καταλυθησεται ο δε ιησους ειπεν αυτοις ου βλεπετε παντα ταυτα αμην λεγω υμιν ου μη αφεθη ωδε λιθος επι λιθον ος ου καταλυθησεται

Mark 13:2 (NET)

Mark 13:2 (KJV)
Jesus said to him, “Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left on another. All will be torn down!” And Jesus answering said unto him, Seest thou these great buildings? there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.

Mark 13:2 (NET Parallel Greek)

Mark 13:2 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Mark 13:2 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν αὐτῷ· βλέπεις ταύτας τὰς μεγάλας οἰκοδομάς; οὐ μὴ ἀφεθῇ ὧδε λίθος ἐπὶ λίθον ὃς οὐ μὴ καταλυθῇ και ο ιησους αποκριθεις ειπεν αυτω βλεπεις ταυτας τας μεγαλας οικοδομας ου μη αφεθη λιθος επι λιθω ος ου μη καταλυθη και ο ιησους αποκριθεις ειπεν αυτω βλεπεις ταυτας τας μεγαλας οικοδομας ου μη αφεθη λιθος επι λιθω ος ου μη καταλυθη

1 John 2:24 (NET)

1 John 2:24 (KJV)
As for you, what you have heard from the beginning must remain in you. If what you heard from the beginning remains in you, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father. Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father.

1 John 2:24 (NET Parallel Greek)

1 John 2:24 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

1 John 2:24 (Byzantine Majority Text)
κὑμεῖς ὃ ἠκούσατε ἀπ᾿ ἀρχῆς, ἐν ὑμῖν μενέτω. ἐὰν ἐν ὑμῖν μείνῃ ὃ ἀπ᾿ ἀρχῆς ἠκούσατε, καὶ ὑμεῖς ἐν τῷ υἱῷ καὶ |ἐν| τῷ πατρὶ μενεῖτε υμεις ουν ο ηκουσατε απ αρχης εν υμιν μενετω εαν εν υμιν μεινη ο απ αρχης ηκουσατε και υμεις εν τω υιω και εν τω πατρι μενειτε υμεις ουν ο ηκουσατε απ αρχης εν υμιν μενετω εαν εν υμιν μεινη ο απ αρχης ηκουσατε και υμεις εν τω υιω και εν τω πατρι μενειτε

1 John 2:14 (NET)

1 John 2:13b, 14 (KJV)
I have written to you, children, that you have known the Father. I have written to you, fathers, that you have known him who has been from the beginning. I have written to you, young people, that you are strong, and the word of God resides in you, and you have conquered the evil one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father. (14) I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.

1 John 2:14 (NET Parallel Greek)

1 John 2:13b, 14 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

1 John 2:13b, 14 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἔγραψα ὑμῖν, παιδία, ὅτι ἐγνώκατε τὸν πατέρα ἔγραψα ὑμῖν, πατέρες, ὅτι ἐγνώκατε τὸν ἀπ᾿ ἀρχῆς. ἔγραψα ὑμῖν, νεανίσκοι, ὅτι ἰσχυροί ἐστε καὶ ὁ λόγος |τοῦ θεοῦ| ἐν ὑμῖν μένει καὶ νενικήκατε τὸν πονηρόν γραφω υμιν παιδια οτι εγνωκατε τον πατερα (14) εγραψα υμιν πατερες οτι εγνωκατε τον απ αρχης εγραψα υμιν νεανισκοι οτι ισχυροι εστε και ο λογος του θεου εν υμιν μενει και νενικηκατε τον πονηρον γραφω υμιν παιδια οτι εγνωκατε τον πατερα (14) εγραψα υμιν πατερες οτι εγνωκατε τον απ αρχης εγραψα υμιν νεανισκοι οτι ισχυροι εστε και ο λογος του θεου εν υμιν μενει και νενικηκατε τον πονηρον

1 John 3:5 (NET)

1 John 3:5 (KJV)
And you know that Jesus was revealed to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.

1 John 3:5 (NET Parallel Greek)

1 John 3:5 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

1 John 3:5 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ οἴδατε ὅτι ἐκεῖνος ἐφανερώθη, ἵνα τὰς ἁμαρτίας ἄρῃ, καὶ ἁμαρτία ἐν αὐτῷ οὐκ ἔστιν και οιδατε οτι εκεινος εφανερωθη ινα τας αμαρτιας ημων αρη και αμαρτια εν αυτω ουκ εστιν και οιδατε οτι εκεινος εφανερωθη ινα τας αμαρτιας ημων αρη και αμαρτια εν αυτω ουκ εστιν

John 19:38 (NET)

John 19:38 (KJV)
After this, Joseph of Arimathea, a disciple of Jesus (but secretly because he feared the Jewish leaders), asked Pilate if he could remove the body of Jesus. Pilate gave him permission, so he went and took the body away. And after this Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus: and Pilate gave him leave. He came therefore, and took the body of Jesus.

John 19:38 (NET Parallel Greek)

John 19:38 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

John 19:38 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα ἠρώτησεν τὸν Πιλᾶτον Ἰωσὴφ [ὁ] ἀπὸ Ἁριμαθαίας, ὢν μαθητὴς |τοῦ| Ἰησοῦ (κεκρυμμένος δὲ διὰ τὸν φόβον τῶν Ἰουδαίων), ἵνα ἄρῃ τὸ σῶμα τοῦ Ἰησοῦ· καὶ ἐπέτρεψεν ὁ Πιλᾶτος. ἦλθεν οὖν καὶ ἦρεν τὸ σῶμα αὐτοῦ μετα δε ταυτα ηρωτησεν τον πιλατον ο ιωσηφ ο απο αριμαθαιας ων μαθητης του ιησου κεκρυμμενος δε δια τον φοβον των ιουδαιων ινα αρη το σωμα του ιησου και επετρεψεν ο πιλατος ηλθεν ουν και ηρεν το σωμα του ιησου μετα ταυτα ηρωτησεν τον πιλατον ο ιωσηφ ο απο αριμαθαιας ων μαθητης του ιησου κεκρυμμενος δε δια τον φοβον των ιουδαιων ινα αρη το σωμα του ιησου και επετρεψεν ο πιλατος ηλθεν ουν και ηρεν το σωμα του ιησου

1 John 3:23 (NET)

1 John 3:23 (KJV)
Now this is his commandment: that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he gave us the commandment. And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.

1 John 3:23 (NET Parallel Greek)

1 John 3:23 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

1 John 3:23 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Καὶ αὕτη ἐστὶν ἡ ἐντολὴ αὐτοῦ, ἵνα πιστεύσωμεν τῷ ὀνόματι τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ καὶ ἀγαπῶμεν ἀλλήλους, καθὼς ἔδωκεν ἐντολὴν ἡμῖν και αυτη εστιν η εντολη αυτου ινα πιστευσωμεν τω ονοματι του υιου αυτου ιησου χριστου και αγαπωμεν αλληλους καθως εδωκεν εντολην ημιν και αυτη εστιν η εντολη αυτου ινα πιστευσωμεν τω ονοματι του υιου αυτου ιησου χριστου και αγαπωμεν αλληλους καθως εδωκεν εντολην

1 1 John 2:22 (NET)

2 1 John 2:26 (NET)

3 Luke 21:5, 6 (NET)

4 Matthew 24:2 (NET) The last clause in the KJV was: that shall not be thrown down. The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ου μη for the negative particle not, where the NET parallel Greek Text and NA28 had simply οὐ.

5 Mark 13:2 (NET)

6 Romans 11:28 (NET)

7 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ουν (KJV: therefore) near the beginning of this clause. The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

8 1 John 2:23, 24 (NET)

9 Matthew 6:13 (NET)

10 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had ἔγραψα here, a form of γραφω in the 1st aorist tense, were the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had γραφω (KJV: I write, 1 John 2:13b) in the present tense.

11 GEZERAH (pl. Gezerot), by Solomon Schechter, Julius H. Greenstone

12 Genesis 2:8, 9, 15 (NET)

13 Genesis 3:6a (NET) Table

14 Genesis 3:5 (NET) Table

15 Genesis 3:6b-7a (NET)

16 …the woman saw that the tree produced fruit that was good for food, was attractive to the eye, and was desirable for making one wise… (Genesis 3:6a NET Table)

17 Genesis 3:23, 24 (NET)

18 Genesis 3:21 (NET) Table

20 Genesis 4:8 (NET) Table

21 Romans 10:3a (NET)

22 Romans 10:3b, 4 (NET)

23 Matthew 15:8, 9 (NET)

24 1 John 3:4, 5a (NET) The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ημων (KJV: our) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

25 John 19:38a (NET)

26 1 John 3:5b-8 (NET)

27 1 John 3:8b (NET)

28 1 John 3:9, 10 (NET)

30 1 John 3:18-24 (NET)

31 NET note 27: “Heb ‘their fear of me is a commandment of men that has been taught.’”

Son of God – 1 John, Part 1

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This is what we proclaim to you, John wrote, what was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen (ἑωράκαμεν, a form of ὁράω) with our eyes, what we have looked at (ἐθεασάμεθα, a form of θεάομαι) and our hands have touched (concerning the word of life – and the life was revealed, and we have seen [ἑωράκαμεν, a form of ὁράω] and testify and announce to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was revealed to us).1  John, by making the word of life—what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and our hands have touched—equivalent to—the eternal life that was with the Father and was revealed to us—has defined eternal life as something more than a future time without end.

Eternal life is the Lord Jesus, the life He lived, the righteousness that comes by way of [his] faithfulness – a righteousness from God that is in fact based on Christ’s faithfulness,2 and the love that is the fulfillment of the law,3 as well as a place with Him in heaven.  As Jesus prayed, Now this is eternal life – that they know (γινώσκωσιν, a form of γινώσκω) you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you sent.4  If you have known (ἐγνώκατε, another form of γινώσκω) me, He said to Thomas, you will know (γνώσεσθε, another form of γινώσκω) my Father too.  And from now on you do know (γινώσκετε, another form of γινώσκω) him and have seen (ἑωράκατε, another form of ὁράω) him.5  The person who has seen (ἑωρακὼς, another form of ὁράω) me, he replied to Philip, has seen (ἑώρακεν, another form of ὁράω) the Father!6

What we have seen (ἑωράκαμεν, a form of ὁράω) and heard we announce to you too, John continued, so that you may have fellowship with us (and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ).  Thus we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.  Now this is the gospel7 message8 we have heard from him and announce to you, John continued, God is light, and in him there is no darkness (σκοτία) at all.  If we say we have fellowship with him and yet keep on walking in the darkness (σκότει, a form of σκότος), we are lying and not practicing the truth.9

The reason the translators added gospel to the text above is quoted in a footnote below.10  Jesus said, or John wrote, light has come into the world and people loved the darkness (σκότος) rather than the light, because their deeds were evil (πονηρὰ, a form of πονηρός; or, full of labours, annoyances, hardships).  For everyone who does evil (φαῦλα, a form of φαῦλος; or ordinary, or, worthless) deeds hates the light and does not come to the light, so that their deeds will not be exposed.11

When I read the Bible and said, “yea, verily, amen, Lord,” and didn’t believe what it said, I was walking in darkness.  It was a foolish thing to do, considering the psalm, O Lord, you examine me and know [Table]…even from far away you understand my motives [Table].12  I stepped into the light when I began to argue with Him.  And I wasn’t always reverent about it.  But his Spirit was patient with me.  He made me honest with Him, what I believed and what I didn’t believe, and eventually with myself (which is not easy), and patient enough to wait for understanding, where I was wrong or had misunderstood his word (as opposed to running off, saying, “none of it is true,” or, “it means whatever you want”).

But if we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, John continued, we have fellowship with one another [e.g., with others walking in the light] and the blood of Jesus13 his Son cleanses us from all sin.14  This is so important, Faith 101.  It is equivalent in my mind to, There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.15  Honesty is impossible apart from this knowledge.  Walking in darkness I wasn’t such a bad guy.  In the light I discovered how sinful the sin in my flesh actually is, and I mourned.  Walking deeper into the light I discovered how corrupt my righteousness is, and I grieved.

If we say we do not bear the guilt of sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.  But if we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous, forgiving us our sins and cleansing us from all unrighteousness.  If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar and his word is not in us.  (My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin.)  But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous One, and he himself is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for our sins but also for the whole world.16  As Paul wrote, For God has consigned all people to disobedience (ἀπείθειαν, a form of ἀπείθεια) so that he may show mercy to them all.17

 

Addendum: April 5, 2026
Tables comparing 1 John 1:5 and 1:7 in the KJV and NET follow.

1 John 1:5 (NET)

1 John 1:5 (KJV)
Now this is the gospel message we have heard from him and announce to you: God is light, and in him there is no darkness at all. This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

1 John 1:5 (NET Parallel Greek)

1 John 1:5 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

1 John 1:5 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Καὶ ἔστιν αὕτη ἡ ἀγγελία ἣν ἀκηκόαμεν ἀπ᾿ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀναγγέλλομεν ὑμῖν, ὅτι ὁ θεὸς φῶς ἐστιν καὶ σκοτία |ἐν αὐτῷ| οὐκ ἔστιν οὐδεμία και αυτη εστιν η επαγγελια ην ακηκοαμεν απ αυτου και αναγγελλομεν υμιν οτι ο θεος φως εστιν και σκοτια εν αυτω ουκ εστιν ουδεμια και εστιν αυτη η αγγελια ην ακηκοαμεν απ αυτου και αναγγελλομεν υμιν οτι ο θεος φως εστιν και σκοτια εν αυτω ουκ εστιν ουδεμια

1 John 1:7 (NET)

1 John 1:7 (KJV)
But if we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

1 John 1:7 (NET Parallel Greek)

1 John 1:7 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

1 John 1:7 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἐὰν δὲ ἐν τῷ φωτὶ περιπατῶμεν ὡς αὐτός ἐστιν ἐν τῷ φωτί, κοινωνίαν ἔχομεν μετ᾿ ἀλλήλων καὶ τὸ αἷμα Ἰησοῦ τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ καθαρίζει ἡμᾶς ἀπὸ πάσης ἁμαρτίας εαν δε εν τω φωτι περιπατωμεν ως αυτος εστιν εν τω φωτι κοινωνιαν εχομεν μετ αλληλων και το αιμα ιησου χριστου του υιου αυτου καθαριζει ημας απο πασης αμαρτιας εαν δε εν τω φωτι περιπατωμεν ως αυτος εστιν εν τω φωτι κοινωνιαν εχομεν μετ αλληλων και το αιμα ιησου χριστου του υιου αυτου καθαριζει ημας απο πασης αμαρτιας

1 1 John 1:1, 2 (NET)

2 Philippians 3:9 (NET)

4 John 17:3 (NET)

5 John 14:7 (NET) Table

6 John 14:9b (NET) Table

7 NET note 13: The word “gospel” is not in the Greek text but is supplied to clarify the meaning. See the note on the following word “message.”

9 1 John 1:3-6 (NET)

10 NET note 14 on the word “message”: The word ἀγγελία (angelia) occurs only twice in the NT, here and in 1 John 3:11. It is a cognate of ἐπαγγελία (epangelia) which occurs much more frequently (some 52 times in the NT) including 1 John 2:25. BDAG 8 s.v. ἀγγελία 1 offers the meaning “message” which suggests some overlap with the semantic range of λόγος (logos), although in the specific context of 1:5 BDAG suggests a reference to the gospel. (The precise “content” of this “good news’ is given by the ὅτι [Joti] clause which follows in 1:5b.) The word ἀγγελία here is closely equivalent to εὐαγγέλιον (euangelion): (1) it refers to the proclamation of the eyewitness testimony about the life and ministry of Jesus Christ as proclaimed by the author and the rest of the apostolic witnesses (prologue, esp. 1:3-4), and (2) it relates to the salvation of the hearers/readers, since the purpose of this proclamation is to bring them into fellowship with God and with the apostolic witnesses (1:3). Because of this the adjective “gospel” is included in the English translation.

11 John 3:19, 20 (NET)

12 Psalm 139:1, 2 (NET)

13 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had χριστου (KJV: Christ) following Jesus. The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

14 1 John 1:7 (NET)

15 Romans 8:1 (NET) Table

16 1 John 1:8-2:2 (NET)

17 Romans 11:32 (NET)

Son of God – John, Part 5

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Jesus was walking in the temple area in Solomon’s1 Portico.2  Religious leaders surrounded him and asked, “How long will you keep us in suspense?  If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” Jesus replied, “I told you and you do not believe (πιστεύετε, a form of πιστεύω).”3  They did not think it was true; they were not persuaded.4  The deeds (ἔργα, a form of ἔργον) I do in my Father’s name testify (μαρτυρεῖ, a form of μαρτυρέω) about me.5  The ἔργα that Jesus did in his Father’s name testified that He is the Christ, as opposed to those who loved the darkness rather than the light, because their ἔργα were [full of labours, annoyances, and hardships].6

But7 you refuse to believe (πιστεύετε), Jesus continued, because8 you are not9 my sheep.10  The word translated refuse is simply οὐ, the absolute as opposed to the relative negation in Greek.  You believe not, Jesus said, because you are not my sheep.  They were hardened [Table], as it is written, “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that would not see and ears that would not hear, to this very day.”11

My sheep listen (ἀκούουσιν, a form of ἀκούω) to my voice.12  This is in contrast to those who had not been given the opportunity to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven:13  For this reason I speak to them in parables: Although they see they do not see, and although they hear they do not hear (ἀκούουσιν) nor do they understand.14  And Paul wrote, they did not stumble into an irrevocable fall, did they?  Absolutely not!  But by their transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles, to make Israel jealous.15

Still speaking of his sheep, Jesus said, I know (γινώσκω) them, and they follow me.16  These are they who are called according to [God’s] purpose, because those whom he foreknew (προέγνω, a form of προγινώσκω) he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.  And those he predestined, he also called; and those he called, he also justified; and those he justified, he also glorified.17

I give them eternal life, and they will never perish; no one will snatch them from my hand.  My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one can snatch them from my Father’s hand [Table].  The Father and I are one.18  Then by their actions the religious leaders proved Jesus’ original words, that they did not believe that his deeds testified that He was the Christ.  They picked up19 rocks again to stone him to death.20  I have shown you many good deeds from the Father, Jesus said.  For which one of them are you going to stone me?21  We are not going to stone you for a good deed, the religious leaders answered, but for blasphemy, because you, a man, are claiming to be God.22

They lacked the knowledge that was revealed to Peter by Jesus’ Father in heaven:23 You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.24  They did not share Nathaniel’s insight that Jesus was the Son of God and the king of Israel.25  Apparently the religious leaders assumed that the Christ would serve their interests as they perceived their interests not supersede them, certainly not question their leadership.  “Is it not written in your law,” Jesus answered them, “‘I26 said, you are gods’?  If those people to whom the word of God came were called ‘gods’ (and the scripture cannot be broken), do you say about the one whom the Father set apart and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’?”27

There is a lot to say about this turn in Jesus’ argument.  I hope to get to it in time.  For the moment I want to highlight Jesus’ heart.  In the heat of debate he did not ask the religious leaders to believe that He was a new species of human being, born of the flesh of Adam through his mother Mary and born of the Spirit of his Father.  He simply referred to those instances in the book of Exodus where human judges, those entrusted to judge according to God’s law, were called elohim (הָ֣אֱלֹהִ֔ים, a form of אֱלֹהִים), gods.28  If God called Israel’s judges gods, He reasoned, is it right to “say about the one whom the Father set apart and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’?”

If I do not perform the deeds (ἔργα) of my Father, Jesus continued, do not believe (πιστεύετε) me.29  And here again He revealed his heart.  But if I do them, even if you do not believe (πιστεύητε, another form of πιστεύω) me, believe30 (πιστεύετε) the deeds (ἔργοις, another form of ἔργον)…31  Though he had hardened them so that by their transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles,32 though we live by faith, not by sight,33 though it is a true and trustworthy statement that if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved,34 face-to-face with his beloved adversaries Jesus encouraged them to trust their sight, the deeds they saw Him accomplish, so that you may come to know (γνῶτε, another form of γινώσκω) and understand35 (γινώσκητε, another form of γινώσκω) that I am in the Father36 and the Father is in me.37

This was essentially what Jesus said to the messengers from John the Baptist when they asked, “‘Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?’”  At that38 very time Jesus cured many people of diseases, sicknesses, and evil spirits, and granted sight39 to many who were blind.  So he40 answered them, “Go tell John what you have seen and heard: The41 blind see, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed,42 the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have good news proclaimed to them.  Blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me.”43

The religious leaders tried unsuccessfully to seize Him again.  Jesus, however, continued performing the deeds (ἔργα) of [his] Father (John 11:1-4 NET).

Now a certain man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village where Mary and her sister Martha lived.  (Now it was Mary who anointed the Lord with perfumed oil and wiped his feet dry with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick [Table].)  So the sisters sent a message to Jesus, “Lord, look, the one you love is sick.”  When Jesus heard this, he said, “This sickness will not lead to death, but to God’s glory, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”

“Lazarus, come out!” Jesus said to the corpse that had laid four days in its tomb.  The one who had died came out, his feet and hands tied up with strips of cloth, and a cloth wrapped around his face.  Jesus said to them, “Unwrap him and let him go” [Table].44  “We have a law, the religious leaders said, and according to our law [Jesus] ought to die, because he claimed to be the Son of God!”45

Now Jesus performed many other miraculous signs in the presence of the disciples, John concluded, which are not recorded in this book.  But these are recorded so that you may believe (πιστεύητε, another form of πιστεύω) that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing (πιστεύοντες, another form of πιστεύω) you may have life in his name.46  For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, John wrote (or Jesus said) but that the world should be saved through him.47

 

Addendum: March 24, 2026
According to a note (84) in the NET Jesus quoted from Psalm 82:6 in John 10:34. The following table compares the Greek of that quotation with the Septuagint.

John 10:34b (NET Parallel Greek)

Psalm 82:6a (Septuagint BLB) Table

Psalm 81:6a (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐγὼ εἶπα· θεοί ἐστε ἐγὼ εἶπα θεοί ἐστε ἐγὼ εἶπα· θεοί ἐστε

John 10:34b (NET)

Psalm 81:6a (NETS)

Psalm 81:6a (English Elpenor)
I said, you are gods I said, “Gods you are, I have said, Ye are gods;

The following tables are examples in Exodus (e.g., the law) of forms of אֱלֹהִים (‘ĕlōhîm) understood as references to men according to a note (4) in the NET on Psalm 82:1.

Masoretic Text

Septuagint

Exodus 21:6 (Tanakh)

Exodus 21:6 (NET)

Exodus 21:6 (NETS)

Exodus 21:6 (English Elpenor)
then his master shall bring him unto G-d (הָ֣אֱלֹהִ֔ים), and shall bring him to the door, or unto the door-post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an awl; and he shall serve him for ever. then his master must bring him to the judges (‘ĕlōhîm, האלהים), and he will bring him to the door or the doorpost, and his master will pierce his ear with an awl, and he shall serve him forever. his master shall lead him to the tribunal of God (τὸ κριτήριον τοῦ θεοῦ), and then he shall lead him to the door at the doorpost, and his master shall pierce his ear with a small awl, and he shall be subject to him forever. his master shall bring him to the judgment-seat of God (τὸ κριτήριον τοῦ Θεοῦ), and then shall he bring him to the door,– to the door-post, and his master shall bore his ear through with an awl, and he shall serve him for ever.

Here הָ֣אֱלֹהִ֔ים, a form of אֱלֹהִים (‘ĕlōhîm), unto G-d (Tanakh), to the judges (NET), was translated τὸ κριτήριον τοῦ Θεοῦ, to the tribunal of God (NETS), to the judgment-seat of God (English Elpenor), in the Septuagint.

Masoretic Text

Septuagint

Exodus 22:7, 8 (Tanakh)

Exodus 22:8, 9 (NET)

Exodus 22:8, 9 (NETS)

Exodus 22:8, 9 (English Elpenor)
If the thief be not found, then the master of the house shall come near unto G-d (הָֽאֱלֹהִ֑ים), to see whether he have not put his hand unto his neighbour’s goods. If the thief is not caught, then the owner of the house will be brought before the judges (‘ĕlōhîm, האלהים) to see whether he has laid his hand on his neighbor’s goods. But if the thief is not found, the owner of the house shall draw near before God (τοῦ θεοῦ) and swear that surely he himself has not acted wickedly against the entire deposit of the neighbor. But if the thief be not found, the master of the house shall come forward before God (τοῦ Θεοῦ), and shall swear that surely he has not wrought wickedly in regard of any part of his neighbour’s deposit,
For every matter of trespass, whether it be for ox, for ass, for sheep, for raiment, or for any manner of lost thing, whereof one saith: ‘This is it,’ the cause of both parties shall come before G-d (הָֽאֱלֹהִ֔ים); he whom G-d (אֱלֹהִ֔ים) shall condemn shall pay double unto his neighbour [Table]. In all cases of illegal possessions, whether for an ox, a donkey, a sheep, a garment, or any kind of lost item, about which someone says ‘This belongs to me,’ the matter of the two of them will come before the judges (‘ĕlōhîm, האלהים), and the one whom the judges (‘ĕlōhîm, אלהים) declare guilty must repay double to his neighbor. With regard to any specific injustice concerning calf and draft animal and sheep and garment and any loss which is alleged, whatever in fact it might be, the trial of both parties shall come before God (τοῦ θεοῦ), and the one convicted by God (τοῦ θεοῦ) shall pay double in compensation to his neighbor [Table]. according to every injury alleged, both concerning a calf, and an ass, and a sheep, and a garment, and every alleged loss, whatsoever in fact it may be,– the judgment of both shall proceed before God (τοῦ Θεοῦ), and he that is convicted by God (τοῦ Θεοῦ) shall repay to his neighbour double.

In Exodus 22:8 (22:7) הָֽאֱלֹהִ֑ים, a form of אֱלֹהִים (‘ĕlōhîm), unto G-d (Tanakh), the judges (NET), was translated τοῦ Θεοῦ, God (NETS, English Elpenor), in the Septuagint. And likewise in Exodus 22:9 (22:8) הָֽאֱלֹהִ֔ים and אֱלֹהִ֔ים (‘ĕlōhîm) were translated G-d in the Tanakh (the judges in the Net) and τοῦ Θεοῦ, God and by God (NETS, English Elpenor), in the Septuagint.

Tables comparing Psalm 82:6; Exodus 21:6 and 22:8 (22:7) in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and comparing the Greek of Psalm 82:6 (81:6); Exodus 21:6 and 22:8 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor), and tables comparing John 10:23; 10:26; 10:31-33; 10:34; 10:38 and Luke 7:20-22 in the KJV and NET follow.

Psalm 82:6 (Tanakh)

Psalm 82:6 (KJV)

Psalm 82:6 (NET)
I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High. I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High. I thought, ‘You are gods; all of you are sons of the Most High.’

Psalm 82:6 (Septuagint BLB)

Psalm 81:6 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐγὼ εἶπα θεοί ἐστε καὶ υἱοὶ ὑψίστου πάντες ἐγὼ εἶπα· θεοί ἐστε καὶ υἱοὶ ῾Υψίστου πάντες

Psalm 81:6 (NETS)

Psalm 81:6 (English Elpenor)
I said, “Gods you are, and sons of the Most High, I have said, Ye are gods; and all [of you] children of the Most High.

Exodus 21:6 (Tanakh)

Exodus 21:6 (KJV)

Exodus 21:6 (NET)
then his master shall bring him unto G-d, and shall bring him to the door, or unto the door-post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an awl; and he shall serve him for ever. Then his master shall bring him unto the judges; he shall also bring him to the door, or unto the door post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an aul; and he shall serve him for ever. then his master must bring him to the judges, and he will bring him to the door or the doorpost, and his master will pierce his ear with an awl, and he shall serve him forever.

Exodus 21:6 (Septuagint BLB)

Exodus 21:6 (Septuagint Elpenor)
προσάξει αὐτὸν ὁ κύριος αὐτοῦ πρὸς τὸ κριτήριον τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ τότε προσάξει αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τὴν θύραν ἐπὶ τὸν σταθμόν καὶ τρυπήσει αὐτοῦ ὁ κύριος τὸ οὖς τῷ ὀπητίῳ καὶ δουλεύσει αὐτῷ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα προσάξει αὐτὸν ὁ κύριος αὐτοῦ πρὸς τὸ κριτήριον τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ τότε προσάξει αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τὴν θύραν ἐπὶ τὸν σταθμόν, καὶ τρυπήσει ὁ κύριος αὐτοῦ τὸ οὖς τῷ ὀπητίῳ, καὶ δουλεύσει αὐτῷ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα

Exodus 21:6 (NETS)

Exodus 21:6 (English Elpenor)
his master shall lead him to the tribunal of God, and then he shall lead him to the door at the doorpost, and his master shall pierce his ear with a small awl, and he shall be subject to him forever. his master shall bring him to the judgment-seat of God, and then shall he bring him to the door,– to the door-post, and his master shall bore his ear through with an awl, and he shall serve him for ever.

Exodus 22:7 (Tanakh)

Exodus 22:8 (KJV)

Exodus 22:8 (NET)
If the thief be not found, then the master of the house shall come near unto G-d, to see whether he have not put his hand unto his neighbour’s goods. If the thief be not found, then the master of the house shall be brought unto the judges, to see whether he have put his hand unto his neighbour’s goods. If the thief is not caught, then the owner of the house will be brought before the judges to see whether he has laid his hand on his neighbor’s goods.

Exodus 22:8 (Septuagint BLB)

Exodus 22:8 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐὰν δὲ μὴ εὑρεθῇ ὁ κλέψας προσελεύσεται ὁ κύριος τῆς οἰκίας ἐνώπιον τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ ὀμεῖται ἦ μὴν μὴ αὐτὸς πεπονηρεῦσθαι ἐφ᾽ ὅλης τῆς παρακαταθήκης τοῦ πλησίον ἐὰν δὲ μὴ εὑρεθῇ ὁ κλέψας, προσελεύσεται ὁ κύριος τῆς οἰκίας ἐνώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ ὀμεῖται ἦ μὴν μὴ αὐτὸν πεπονηρεῦσθαι ἐφ᾿ ὅλης τῆς παρακαταθήκης τοῦ πλησίον

Exodus 22:8 (NETS)

Exodus 22:8 (English Elpenor)
But if the thief is not found, the owner of the house shall draw near before God and swear that surely he himself has not acted wickedly against the entire deposit of the neighbor. But if the thief be not found, the master of the house shall come forward before God, and shall swear that surely he has not wrought wickedly in regard of any part of his neighbour’s deposit,

John 10:23 (NET)

John 10:23 (KJV)
It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple area in Solomon’s Portico. And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon’s porch.

John 10:23 (NET Parallel Greek)

John 10:23 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

John 10:23 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ περιεπάτει |ὁ| Ἰησοῦς ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ ἐν τῇ στοᾷ τοῦ Σολομῶνος και περιεπατει ο ιησους εν τω ιερω εν τη στοα του σολομωντος και περιεπατει ο ιησους εν τω ιερω εν τη στοα σολομωνος

John 10:26 (NET)

John 10:26 (KJV)
But you refuse to believe because you are not my sheep. But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.

John 10:26 (NET Parallel Greek)

John 10:26 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

John 10:26 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἀλλὰ ὑμεῖς οὐ πιστεύετε, ὅτι οὐκ ἐστὲ ἐκ τῶν προβάτων τῶν ἐμῶν αλλ υμεις ου πιστευετε ου γαρ εστε εκ των προβατων των εμων καθως ειπον υμιν αλλ υμεις ου πιστευετε ου γαρ εστε εκ των προβατων των εμων καθως ειπον υμιν

John 10:31-33 (NET)

John 10:31-33 (KJV)
The Jewish leaders picked up rocks again to stone him to death. Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him.

John 10:31 (NET Parallel Greek)

John 10:31 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

John 10:31 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Ἐβάστασαν πάλιν λίθους οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι ἵνα λιθάσωσιν αὐτόν εβαστασαν ουν παλιν λιθους οι ιουδαιοι ινα λιθασωσιν αυτον εβαστασαν ουν παλιν λιθους οι ιουδαιοι ινα λιθασωσιν αυτον
Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many good deeds from the Father. For which one of them are you going to stone me?” Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?

John 10:32 (NET Parallel Greek)

John 10:32 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

John 10:32 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἀπεκρίθη αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς· πολλὰ ἔργα |καλὰ| ἔδειξα ὑμῖν ἐκ τοῦ πατρός· διὰ ποῖον αὐτῶν ἔργον ἐμὲ λιθάζετε απεκριθη αυτοις ο ιησους πολλα καλα εργα εδειξα υμιν εκ του πατρος μου δια ποιον αυτων εργον λιθαζετε με απεκριθη αυτοις ο ιησους πολλα καλα εργα εδειξα υμιν εκ του πατρος μου δια ποιον αυτων εργον λιθαζετε με
The Jewish leaders replied, “We are not going to stone you for a good deed but for blasphemy because you, a man, are claiming to be God.” The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.

John 10:33 (NET Parallel Greek)

John 10:33 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

John 10:33 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἀπεκρίθησαν αὐτῷ οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι· περὶ καλοῦ ἔργου οὐ λιθάζομεν σε ἀλλὰ περὶ βλασφημίας, καὶ ὅτι σὺ ἄνθρωπος ὢν ποιεῖς σεαυτὸν θεόν απεκριθησαν αυτω οι ιουδαιοι λεγοντες περι καλου εργου ου λιθαζομεν σε αλλα περι βλασφημιας και οτι συ ανθρωπος ων ποιεις σεαυτον θεον απεκριθησαν αυτω οι ιουδαιοι λεγοντες περι καλου εργου ου λιθαζομεν σε αλλα περι βλασφημιας και οτι συ ανθρωπος ων ποιεις σεαυτον θεον

John 10:34 (NET)

John 10:34 (KJV)
Jesus answered, “Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, you are gods’? Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?

John 10:34 (NET Parallel Greek)

John 10:34 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

John 10:34 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἀπεκρίθη αὐτοῖς [ὁ] Ἰησοῦς· οὐκ ἔστιν γεγραμμένον ἐν τῷ νόμῳ ὑμῶν ὅτι ἐγὼ εἶπα· θεοί ἐστε απεκριθη αυτοις ο ιησους ουκ εστιν γεγραμμενον εν τω νομω υμων εγω ειπα θεοι εστε απεκριθη αυτοις ο ιησους ουκ εστιν γεγραμμενον εν τω νομω υμων εγω ειπα θεοι εστε

John 10:38 (NET)

John 10:38 (KJV)
But if I do them, even if you do not believe me, believe the deeds, so that you may come to know and understand that I am in the Father and the Father is in me.” But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him.

John 10:38 (NET Parallel Greek)

John 10:38 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

John 10:38 (Byzantine Majority Text)
εἰ δὲ ποιῶ, κὰν ἐμοὶ μὴ πιστεύητε, τοῖς ἔργοις πιστεύετε, ἵνα γνῶτε καὶ γινώσκητε ὅτι ἐν ἐμοὶ ὁ πατὴρ καγὼ ἐν τῷ πατρί ει δε ποιω καν εμοι μη πιστευητε τοις εργοις πιστευσατε ινα γνωτε και πιστευσητε οτι εν εμοι ο πατηρ καγω εν αυτω ει δε ποιω καν εμοι μη πιστευητε τοις εργοις πιστευσατε ινα γνωτε και πιστευσητε οτι εν εμοι ο πατηρ καγω εν αυτω

Luke 7:20-22 (NET)

Luke 7:20-22 (KJV)
When the men came to Jesus, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to you to ask, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?’” When the men were come unto him, they said, John Baptist hath sent us unto thee, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another?

Luke 7:20 (NET Parallel Greek)

Luke 7:20 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Luke 7:20 (Byzantine Majority Text)
παραγενόμενοι δὲ πρὸς αὐτὸν οἱ ἄνδρες εἶπαν· Ἰωάννης ὁ βαπτιστὴς ἀπέστειλεν ἡμᾶς πρὸς σὲ λέγων· σὺ εἶ ὁ ἐρχόμενος ἢ ἄλλον προσδοκῶμεν παραγενομενοι δε προς αυτον οι ανδρες ειπον ιωαννης ο βαπτιστης απεσταλκεν ημας προς σε λεγων συ ει ο ερχομενος η αλλον προσδοκωμεν παραγενομενοι δε προς αυτον οι ανδρες ειπον ιωαννης ο βαπτιστης απεσταλκεν ημας προς σε λεγων συ ει ο ερχομενος η αλλον προσδοκωμεν
At that very time Jesus cured many people of diseases, sicknesses, and evil spirits, and granted sight to many who were blind. And in that same hour he cured many of their infirmities and plagues, and of evil spirits; and unto many that were blind he gave sight.

Luke 7:21 (NET Parallel Greek)

Luke 7:21 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Luke 7:21 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ὥρᾳ ἐθεράπευσεν πολλοὺς ἀπὸ νόσων καὶ μαστίγων καὶ πνευμάτων πονηρῶν καὶ τυφλοῖς πολλοῖς ἐχαρίσατο βλέπειν εν αυτη δε τη ωρα εθεραπευσεν πολλους απο νοσων και μαστιγων και πνευματων πονηρων και τυφλοις πολλοις εχαρισατο το βλεπειν εν αυτη δε τη ωρα εθεραπευσεν πολλους απο νοσων και μαστιγων και πνευματων πονηρων και τυφλοις πολλοις εχαρισατο το βλεπειν
So he answered them, “Go tell John what you have seen and heard: The blind see, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have good news proclaimed to them. Then Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached.

Luke 7:22 (NET Parallel Greek)

Luke 7:22 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Luke 7:22 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· πορευθέντες ἀπαγγείλατε Ἰωάννῃ ἃ εἴδετε καὶ ἠκούσατε· τυφλοὶ ἀναβλέπουσιν, χωλοὶ περιπατοῦσιν, λεπροὶ καθαρίζονται καὶ κωφοὶ ἀκούουσιν, νεκροὶ ἐγείρονται, πτωχοὶ εὐαγγελίζονται και αποκριθεις ο ιησους ειπεν αυτοις πορευθεντες απαγγειλατε ιωαννη α ειδετε και ηκουσατε οτι τυφλοι αναβλεπουσιν χωλοι περιπατουσιν λεπροι καθαριζονται κωφοι ακουουσιν νεκροι εγειρονται πτωχοι ευαγγελιζονται και αποκριθεις ο ιησους ειπεν αυτοις πορευθεντες απαγγειλατε ιωαννη α ειδετε και ηκουσατε οτι τυφλοι αναβλεπουσιν χωλοι περιπατουσιν λεπροι καθαριζονται κωφοι ακουουσιν νεκροι εγειρονται πτωχοι ευαγγελιζονται

1 In the NET parallel Greek text, NA28 and Byzantine Majority Text Solomon’s was spelled Σολομῶνος, and σολομωντος in the Stephanus Textus Receptus. These appear to be alternate spellings of the same part of speech. The NET parallel Greek text, NA28 and Stephanus Textus Receptus had the article τοῦ preceding Solomon’s. The Byzantine Majority Text did not.

2 John 10:23 (NET)

3 John 10:24, 25a (NET)

4 πιστεύετε was derived from πείθω.

5 John 10:25b (NET)

6 John 3:19 (NET)

10 John 10:26 (NET) The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had καθως ειπον υμιν (KJV: as I said unto you) at the end of this clause. The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

11 Romans 11:7b, 8 (NET) See Romans, Part 39 for a table comparing the Greek of Paul’s quotation to the Septuagint.

12 John 10:27a (NET) Table

13 Matthew 13:11 (NET)

14 Matthew 13:13 (NET)

15 Romans 11:11 (NET)

16 John 10:27b (NET) Table

17 Romans 8:28b-30 (NET)

18 John 10:28-30 (NET)

19 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ουν (KJV: Then) following picked up. The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

20 John 10:31 (NET)

21 John 10:32 (NET) The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had ἐμὲ (NET: me) preceding stone, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had με (KJV: me) following.

22 John 10:33 (NET)

23 Matthew 16:17 (NET) Table

24 Matthew 16:16 (NET)

25 John 1:49 (NET) Table

26 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had ὅτι preceding this clause, understood in the NET as an indication of a direct quotation. The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not. This clause is ἐγὼ εἶπα· θεοί ἐστε in Greek in the New Testament, and ἐγὼ εἶπα θεοί ἐστε in Psalm 82:6 (81:6) in the Septuagint.

27 John 10:34-36 (NET)

28 Exodus 21:6; 22:8, 9 (NET) A note (4) in the NET on Psalm 82:1 reads: “The present translation assumes that the Hebrew term אֱלֹהִים (ʾelohim, ‘gods’) here refers to the pagan gods who supposedly comprise El’s assembly according to Canaanite religion. Those who reject the polemical view of the psalm prefer to see the referent as human judges or rulers (אֱלֹהִים sometimes refers to officials appointed by God, see Exod 21:6; 22:8-9; Ps 45:6) or as angelic beings (אֱלֹהִים sometimes refers to angelic beings, see Gen 3:5; Ps 8:5).” So, I have chosen the passages in Exodus (from the first five books of the law) that are assumed to reference men for illustration here.

29 John 10:37 (NET)

30 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had πιστευσατε here, a form of the verb πιστεύω in the imperative mood (e.g., “you must believe”), where the NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had πιστεύετε, which can be understood in the imperative or indicative mood. I’ve come to understand this as multiplexing: The old man (τὸν παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον; “the old human”) reading in Greek hears a command in the imperative mood—“you must believe the deeds”—while the new man (τὸν καινὸν ἄνθρωπον; “the new human”) hears a fact and a promise—“you believe the deeds.”

31 John 10:38a (NET)

32 Romans 11:11 (NET)

33 2 Corinthians 5:7 (NET)

34 Romans 10:9 (NET)

37 John 10:38b (NET)

38 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had ἐκείνῃ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αυτη δε (KJV: And…that same).

39 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the article το preceding sight. The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

40 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ο ιησους (KJV: Jesus) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

41 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had οτι (KJV: how that) at the beginning of this clause. The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

42 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had the conjunction καὶ (not translated in the NET) joining these clauses. The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

43 Luke 7:20-23 (NET)

44 John 11:43b, 44 (NET)

45 John 19:7 (NET) Table

46 John 20:30, 31 (NET) Table

47 John 3:17 (NET) Table

Son of God – John, Part 4

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This is round three of my attempt to determine whether that the light has come into the world and people loved the darkness rather than the light1 is the judgment/condemnation God did not send his Son into the world to do2 and has been done already to the one who does not believe,3 or the basis for judging,4 and the rationale or justification for condemning one to burn in hell for all eternity.  First, that the light has come into the world and people loved the darkness rather than the light could be a judgment.  (“Oh, you lover of darkness” is admittedly a bit weak as condemnation.)  But loving darkness rather than light is merely a preference, and cannot be a basis for judging apart from the reality that preference indicates:  because their deeds were evil.5  In other words evil deeds supply the power that justifies making a preference for darkness a basis for judging, and then condemning someone to hell.

I never thought to question the translation of πονηρὰ (a form of πονηρός) as evil until I read the definitions in the NET online Bible: “1) full of labours, annoyances, hardships 1a) pressed and harassed by labours 1b) bringing toils, annoyances, perils; of a time full of peril to Christian faith and steadfastness; causing pain and trouble 2) bad, of a bad nature or condition 2a) in a physical sense: diseased or blind 2b) in an ethical sense: evil wicked, bad.”  But was Jesus speaking ethically as a moral philosopher?  It seems to me that I would have related to Him a whole lot sooner if that were the case.  I loved Socrates.

But before I substitute any other definitions I should point out that the NET translation is not alone in translating πονηρὰ evil.  The NAS and KJV use the word evil, too.  That is getting very close to the beginning of translating the New Testament into the English language.  This is a long tradition.  Perhaps the translators of the NAS and KJV didn’t know all the meanings for πονηρὰ that the translators of the NET had at their disposal.  So I’ll begin with the more limited definition from Strong’s Concordance: “hurtful, that is, evil (properly in effect or influence, and thus differing from G2556, which refers rather to essential character…).”

Now this is the basis for judging: that the light has come into the world and people loved the darkness rather than the light, because their deeds were [hurtful].6  Obviously, hurtful lacks the justificatory power of evil (e.g., the power to justify judging and condemning someone to hell), but it does sound like Jesus.

Saul, Saul, Jesus said, why are you persecuting me?  You are hurting yourself by kicking against the goads.7  The implication here was that Jesus had already reached out to Saul in other more subtle ways.  But Saul’s faith in his religion was so strong that it took nothing less than a personal appearance in all his glory (which Saul perceived as a blinding light and a voice) to persuade Saul to hear.  Jesus did not say, “Saul, Saul, you evil sinner, why are you arresting my followers and condemning them to death?”  His concern was that Saul’s persistent and stubborn resistance to the insistent and stubborn call of God was hard on Saul.

So I said,8 Paul (Saul) continued, “Who are you, Lord?”  And the Lord9 replied, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.  But get up and stand on your feet, for I have appeared to you for this reason, to designate you in advance as a servant and witness to the things you have seen and to the things in which I will appear to you.  I will rescue you from your own people and from10 the Gentiles, to whom I11 am sending you to open their eyes so that they turn from darkness (σκότους, a form of σκότος) to light (φῶς) and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a share among those who are sanctified by faith in me.”12

So rather than standing back in ethical detachment as a moral philosopher, using people’s preference for darkness as a basis for judging and then condemning them to hell, this sounds as if Jesus sent Saul (Paul) to open their eyes so that they turn from darkness (σκότους, a form of σκότος) to light (φῶς) and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a share among those who are sanctified by faith in [Jesus].  In this light then, that the light (φῶς) has come into the world and people loved the darkness (σκότος) rather than the light (φῶς) sounds more like a judgment than a basis for judging.  And this judgment prompted at least two action items on the divine to-do list.  It is the reason God sent his Son into the world, that the world should be saved through him, and the reason Jesus, the Son, sent Saul to open [Gentile’s] eyes.

To be fair to the NET translators, they didn’t think Jesus was speaking in John 3:19.  Perhaps John was speaking ethically as a moral philosopher.  So I turned to another instance of πονηρὰ translated evil in John’s Gospel.  The world cannot hate you, Jesus told his half brothers, but it hates me, because I am testifying (μαρτυρῶ, a form of μαρτυρέω) about it that its deeds are evil (πονηρά).13  Again evil is used in all three translations, KJV, NAS and NET.

KJV

NAS

NET
7:7 The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil. “The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify of it, that its deeds are evil.” “The world cannot hate you, but it hates me, because I am testifying about it that its deeds are evil.”

If Jesus had been traveling around Judea “testifying” that people’s deeds were evil, it would seem a little bit like what God did not send his Son into the world to do (that is, judge or condemn the world).  But Jesus had also said, If I testify (μαρτυρῶ, a form of μαρτυρέω) about myself, my testimony is not true,14 and, the deeds that the Father has assigned me to complete – the deeds I am now doing – testify (μαρτυρεῖ, another form of μαρτυρέω) about me that the Father has sent me.15  It isn’t hard for me to imagine that Jesus’ righteousness testified to those around Him that their deeds didn’t measure up.  But here I picked up the scent.  It will be harder to throw me off the trail.

The word evil conjures an image of sin and sinners, violations of God’s holy law.  But that doesn’t square with the Gospel narratives at all.  It wasn’t an angry mob of prostitutes and tax collectors that led Jesus to Golgotha.  It was a mob of religious people, indignant because his deeds of righteousness testified that their religious deeds were hurtful (as opposed to evil).  Their religion kept them from coming to Him.  He was ready to forgive their sin, their evil, but their faith in their religion and their own “righteous” deeds were the hurtful deeds that caused them so much harm.

I feel more confident now to substitute what the NET translators considered the first definition of πονηρὰ (a form of πονηρός):  Now this is the [judgment]: that the light has come into the world and people loved the darkness rather than the light, because their deeds were [full of labours, annoyances, and hardships].16  This definitely sounds like Jesus.  Come to me, He said, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke on you and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls [Table].  For my yoke is easy to bear, and my load is not hard to carry.17

If I continue in this vein, rejecting the ethical definition of φαῦλα (a form of φαῦλος),I get, For everyone who does [ordinary or worthless] deeds hates the light and does not come to the light, so that their deeds will not be exposed [e.g., as ordinary or worthless].  But the one who practices the truth comes to the light, so that it may be plainly evident that his deeds have been done in God.18

While in is a perfectly acceptable translation of ἐν, the NET translators used with 145 times and by 135 times in other places in the New Testament.  But the one who practices the truth comes to the light, so that it may be plainly evident that his deeds have been done [by] God, would have further highlighted the contrast between righteousness and ordinary or worthless religious works done in one’s own strength.

It seems to me now that the translation of πονηρά as evil in these two instances was at best the work of moral philosophers recasting Jesus in their own image.  At worst it was the religious mind reasserting itself while attempting to remain in the shadows by focusing the light away from itself and on to the evil.  But Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, tax collectors and prostitutes will go ahead of you into the kingdom of God!”19

 

Addendum: January 30, 2026
Tables comparing Acts 26:15 and 26:17 in the KJV and NET follow.

Acts 26:15 (NET)

Acts 26:15 (KJV)
So I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And the Lord replied, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.

Acts 26:15 (NET Parallel Greek)

Acts 26:15 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Acts 26:15 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἐγὼ δὲ εἶπα· τίς εἶ, κύριε; ὁ δὲ κύριος εἶπεν· ἐγώ εἰμι Ἰησοῦς ὃν σὺ διώκεις εγω δε ειπον τις ει κυριε ο δε ειπεν εγω ειμι ιησους ον συ διωκεις εγω δε ειπον τις ει κυριε ο δε ειπεν εγω ειμι ιησους ον συ διωκεις

Acts 26:17 (NET)

Acts 26:17 (KJV)
I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending you Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee,

Acts 26:17 (NET Parallel Greek)

Acts 26:17 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Acts 26:17 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἐξαιρούμενος σε ἐκ τοῦ λαοῦ καὶ ἐκ τῶν ἐθνῶν εἰς οὓς ἐγὼ ἀποστέλλω σε εξαιρουμενος σε εκ του λαου και των εθνων εις ους νυν σε αποστελλω εξαιρουμενος σε εκ του λαου και των εθνων εις ους εγω σε αποστελλω

1 John 3:19 (NET)

2 John 3:17 (NET) Table

3 John 3:18 (NET)

4 John 3:19 (NET)

5 John 3:19b (NET)

6 John 3:19 (NET)

7 Acts 26:14b (NET) Table

8 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had εἶπα here, a form of λέγω in the 1st aorist tense, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the verb ειπον in the 2nd aorist tense.

9 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had κύριος here. The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not (KJV: he).

11 The NET parallel Greek text, NA28 and Byzantine Majority Text had ἐγὼ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus had νυν (KJV: now).

12 Acts 26:15-18 (NET)

13 John 7:7 (NET)

14 John 5:31 (NET)

15 John 5:36b (NET) Table

16 John 3:19 (NET)

17 Matthew 11:28-30 (NET)

18 John 3:20, 21 (NET)

19 Matthew 21:31b (NET) Table

Son of God – John, Part 3

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This is round two of my attempt to determine whether that the light has come into the world and people loved the darkness rather than the light1 is the judgment/condemnation God did not send his Son into the world to do2 and has been done already to the one who does not believe,3 or the basis for judging,4 and the rationale or justification for another unspecified judgment/condemnation.  Secondly, assuming that this unspecified judgment/condemnation is to burn in hell for all eternity, I am attempting to discover whether John 3:16-21 offers any scriptural support for the gospel I was socialized into: believe in the Lord Jesus Christ or burn in hell for all eternity.

Jesus certainly taught his disciples about hell (γέεννα).  The note (27) in the NET provides a brief historical sketch: “The word translated hell is ‘Gehenna’ (γέεννα, geenna), a Greek transliteration of the Hebrew words ge hinnom (‘Valley of Hinnom’). This was the valley along the south side of Jerusalem. In OT times it was used for human sacrifices to the pagan god Molech (cf. Jer 7:31; 19:5-6; 32:35), and it came to be used as a place where human excrement and rubbish were disposed of and burned. In the intertestamental period, it came to be used symbolically as the place of divine punishment (cf. 1 En. 27:2, 90:26; 4 Ezra 7:36).”

Jesus said, fear the one who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.5  Fear the one who, after the killing, has authority to throw you into hell.  Yes, I tell you, fear him!6  Woe to you, experts in the law and you Pharisees, hypocrites!  You cross land and sea to make one convert, and when you get one, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves!7  You snakes, you offspring of vipers!  How will you escape being condemned to hell?8

He made the following comparisons:  It is better to lose one of your members than to have your whole body thrown into hell [Table].9  It is better for you10 to enter into life crippled than to have two hands and go into hell, to the unquenchable fire.11  It is better12 to enter life lame than to have two feet and be thrown into hell.13  It is better for you to enter into life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into fiery hell.14  It is better15 to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell,16 where their worm never dies and the fire is never quenched.17  And finally Jesus said, whoever says “Fool” will be sent to fiery hell.18

That is some strong language.  It lends credence to the NET translation, Now this is the basis for judging: that the light has come into the world and people loved the darkness rather than the light…19  After all, this section begins with the statement that God gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.20  The Greek word translated will…perish is ἀπόληται (a form of ἀπόλλυμι).  (The negation is μὴ.)  One of the metaphorical definitions of ἀπόληται according to the NET online Bible is: “1e) metaph. to devote or give over to eternal misery in hell.”  It is translated lose in Matthew 5:29, 30 (NET).

If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away!  It is better to lose (ἀπόληται) one of your members than to have your whole body thrown into hell.  If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away!  It is better to lose (ἀπόληται) one of your members than to have your whole body go into hell [Table].

It was translated be lost in the parable of the lost sheep (Matthew 18:10, 12-14 NET).

See that you do not disdain one of these little ones [who believe in me21].  For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven…What do you think?  If someone owns a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go look for the one that went astray?  And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he will rejoice more over it than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray.  In the same way, your Father in heaven is not willing (οὐκ ἔστιν θέλημα) that one of these little ones be lost (ἀπόληται) [Table].

It was translated will perish when Jesus foretold his disciples’ future (Luke 21:10-19 NET):

Nation will rise up in arms against22 nation, and kingdom against kingdom.  There will be great earthquakes, and famines and plagues in various places, and there will be terrifying sights and great signs from heaven.  But before all23 this, they will seize you and persecute you, handing you over to the24 synagogues and prisons.  You will be brought25 before kings and governors because of my name.  This26 will be a time for you to serve as witnesses.  Therefore be resolved27 not to rehearse ahead of time how to make your defense.  For I will give you the words along with the wisdom that none28 of your adversaries will be able to withstand or29 contradict.  You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends, and they will have some of you put to death.  You will be hated by everyone because of my name.  Yet not a hair of your head will perish (ἀπόληται).  By your endurance you will gain your lives.

When they were all satisfied, after Jesus fed 5,000 or more people with five loaves of bread and two fish, Jesus said to his disciples, “Gather up the broken pieces that are left over, so that nothing is wasted (ἀπόληται).”30  But ἀπόληται was translated to perish once again in John’s Gospel when Caiaphas prophesied (John 11:49-53 NET).

Then one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said, “You know nothing at all!  You do not realize that it is more to your advantage to have one man die for the people than for the whole nation to perish (ἀπόληται).”  (Now he did not say this on his own, but because he was high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the Jewish nation [Table], and not for the Jewish nation only, but to gather together into one the children of God who are scattered.)  So from that day they planned together to kill him [Table].

“He was led like a sheep to slaughter, and like a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth.  In humiliation justice (κρίσις) was taken from him.  Who can describe his posterity?  For his life was taken away from the earth.”31  This was the passage from Isaiah that the Ethiopian eunuch read (aloud presumably) when Philip was led by the Holy Spirit to accompany his chariot on the road from Jerusalem to Gaza.  Then the eunuch said to Philip, “Please tell me, who is the prophet saying this about – himself or someone else?”  So Philip started speaking, and beginning with this scripture proclaimed the good news about Jesus to him.32

This translation of κρίσις as justice leads me back to the translation of κρίσις as the basis for judging, for what is justice if not a basis for judging?  Now this is the basis for judging: that the light has come into the world and people loved the darkness rather than the light, because their deeds were evil.33  Viewed this way people were not condemned to be given over to eternal misery in hell because they loved the darkness rather than the light, but because loving the darkness rather than the light demonstrated that their deeds were evil.  For everyone who does evil deeds hates the light and does not come to the light, so that their deeds will not be exposed.  But the one who practices the truth comes to the light, so that it may be plainly evident that his deeds have been done in God.34

One of the definitions of πονηρὰ (a form of πονηρός), the word translated evil in verse 19, is “evil wicked, bad.”  And one of the definitions of φαῦλα (a form of φαῦλος), the word translated evil deeds in verse 20, is “bad, base, wicked.”

 

Addendum: December 14, 2025
According to a note (85) in the NET Acts 8:32b, 33 was a quotation from Isaiah 53:7, 8. The following tables compare the Greek of that quotation with the Septuagint.

Acts 8:32b (NET Parallel Greek)

Isaiah 53:7b (Septuagint BLB) Table

Isaiah 53:7b (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὡς πρόβατον ἐπὶ σφαγὴν ἤχθη καὶ ὡς ἀμνὸς ἐναντίον τοῦ |κείραντος| αὐτὸν ἄφωνος, οὕτως οὐκ ἀνοίγει τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ ὡς πρόβατον ἐπὶ σφαγὴν ἤχθη καὶ ὡς ἀμνὸς ἐναντίον τοῦ κείροντος αὐτὸν ἄφωνος οὕτως οὐκ ἀνοίγει τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ ὡς πρόβατον ἐπὶ σφαγὴν ἤχθη καὶ ὡς ἀμνὸς ἐναντίον τοῦ κείροντος αὐτὸν ἄφωνος, οὕτως οὐκ ἀνοίγει τὸ στόμα

Acts 8:32b (NET)

Isaiah 53:7b (NETS)

Isaiah 53:7b (English Elpenor)
“He was led like a sheep to slaughter, and like a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth. like a sheep he was led to the slaughter, and as a lamb is silent before the one shearing it, so he does not open his mouth. he was led as a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before the shearer is dumb, so he opens not his mouth.

Acts 8:33 (NET Parallel Greek)

Isaiah 53:8a (Septuagint BLB) Table

Isaiah 53:8a (Septuagint Elpenor)
Ἐν τῇ ταπεινώσει ἡ κρίσις αὐτοῦ ἤρθη· τὴν γενεὰν αὐτοῦ τίς διηγήσεται; ὅτι αἴρεται ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς ἡ ζωὴ αὐτοῦ ἐν τῇ ταπεινώσει ἡ κρίσις αὐτοῦ ἤρθη τὴν γενεὰν αὐτοῦ τίς διηγήσεται ὅτι αἴρεται ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς ἡ ζωὴ αὐτοῦ ἐν τῇ ταπεινώσει ἡ κρίσις αὐτοῦ ἤρθη· τὴν δὲ γενεὰν αὐτοῦ τίς διηγήσεται; ὅτι αἴρεται ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς ἡ ζωὴ αὐτοῦ

Acts 8:33 (NET)

Isaiah 53:8a (NETS)

Isaiah 53:8a (English Elpenor)
In humiliation justice was taken from him. Who can describe his posterity? For his life was taken away from the earth.” In his humiliation his judgment was taken away. Who will describe his generation? Because his life is being taken from the earth, In [his] humiliation his judgment was taken away: who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken away from the earth:

Tables comparing Isaiah 53:7 and 53:8 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and comparing the Greek of Isaiah 53:7 and 53:8 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor), and comparing Mark 9:43; 9:45; 9:47; Luke 21:10 and 21:12-15 in the KJV and NET follow.

Isaiah 53:7 (Tanakh)

Isaiah 53:7 (KJV)

Isaiah 53:7 (NET)
He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. He was treated harshly and afflicted, but he did not even open his mouth. Like a lamb led to the slaughtering block, like a sheep silent before her shearers, he did not even open his mouth.

Isaiah 53:7 (Septuagint BLB)

Isaiah 53:7 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ αὐτὸς διὰ τὸ κεκακῶσθαι οὐκ ἀνοίγει τὸ στόμα ὡς πρόβατον ἐπὶ σφαγὴν ἤχθη καὶ ὡς ἀμνὸς ἐναντίον τοῦ κείροντος αὐτὸν ἄφωνος οὕτως οὐκ ἀνοίγει τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ καὶ αὐτὸς διὰ τὸ κεκακῶσθαι οὐκ ἀνοίγει τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ· ὡς πρόβατον ἐπὶ σφαγὴν ἤχθη καὶ ὡς ἀμνὸς ἐναντίον τοῦ κείροντος αὐτὸν ἄφωνος, οὕτως οὐκ ἀνοίγει τὸ στόμα

Isaiah 53:7 (NETS)

Isaiah 53:7 (English Elpenor)
And he, because he has been ill-treated, does not open his mouth; like a sheep he was led to the slaughter, and as a lamb is silent before the one shearing it, so he does not open his mouth. And he, because of his affliction, opens not his mouth: he was led as a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before the shearer is dumb, so he opens not his mouth.

Isaiah 53:8 (Tanakh)

Isaiah 53:8 (KJV)

Isaiah 53:8 (NET)
He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. He was led away after an unjust trial—but who even cared? Indeed, he was cut off from the land of the living; because of the rebellion of his own people he was wounded.

Isaiah 53:8 (Septuagint BLB)

Isaiah 53:8 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐν τῇ ταπεινώσει ἡ κρίσις αὐτοῦ ἤρθη τὴν γενεὰν αὐτοῦ τίς διηγήσεται ὅτι αἴρεται ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς ἡ ζωὴ αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ τῶν ἀνομιῶν τοῦ λαοῦ μου ἤχθη εἰς θάνατον ἐν τῇ ταπεινώσει ἡ κρίσις αὐτοῦ ἤρθη· τὴν δὲ γενεὰν αὐτοῦ τίς διηγήσεται; ὅτι αἴρεται ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς ἡ ζωὴ αὐτοῦ, ἀπὸ τῶν ἀνομιῶν τοῦ λαοῦ μου ἤχθη εἰς θάνατον

Isaiah 53:8 (NETS)

Isaiah 53:8 (English Elpenor)
In his humiliation his judgment was taken away. Who will describe his generation? Because his life is being taken from the earth, he was led to death on account of the acts of lawlessness of my people. In [his] humiliation his judgment was taken away: who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken away from the earth: because of the iniquities of my people he was led to death.

Mark 9:43 (NET)

Mark 9:43 (KJV)
If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off! It is better for you to enter into life crippled than to have two hands and go into hell, to the unquenchable fire. And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:

Mark 9:43 (NET Parallel Greek)

Mark 9:43 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Mark 9:43 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Καὶ ἐὰν |σκανδαλίζῃ| σε ἡ χείρ σου, ἀπόκοψον αὐτήν· καλόν ἐστίν σε κυλλὸν εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὴν ζωὴν ἢ τὰς δύο χεῖρας ἔχοντα ἀπελθεῖν εἰς τὴν γέενναν, εἰς τὸ πῦρ τὸ ἄσβεστον και εαν σκανδαλιζη σε η χειρ σου αποκοψον αυτην καλον σοι εστιν κυλλον εις την ζωην εισελθειν η τας δυο χειρας εχοντα απελθειν εις την γεενναν εις το πυρ το ασβεστον και εαν σκανδαλιζη σε η χειρ σου αποκοψον αυτην καλον σοι εστιν κυλλον εις την ζωην εισελθειν η τας δυο χειρας εχοντα απελθειν εις την γεενναν εις το πυρ το ασβεστον

Mark 9:45 (NET)

Mark 9:45 (KJV)
If your foot causes you to sin, cut it off! It is better to enter life lame than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:

Mark 9:45 (NET Parallel Greek)

Mark 9:45 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Mark 9:45 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ ἐὰν ὁ πούς σου σκανδαλίζῃ σε, ἀπόκοψον αὐτόν· καλόν ἐστίν σε εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὴν ζωὴν χωλὸν ἢ τοὺς δύο πόδας ἔχοντα βληθῆναι εἰς τὴν γέενναν και εαν ο πους σου σκανδαλιζη σε αποκοψον αυτον καλον εστιν σοι εισελθειν εις την ζωην χωλον η τους δυο ποδας εχοντα βληθηναι εις την γεενναν εις το πυρ το ασβεστον και εαν ο πους σου σκανδαλιζη σε αποκοψον αυτον καλον εστιν σοι εισελθειν εις την ζωην χωλον η τους δυο ποδας εχοντα βληθηναι εις την γεενναν εις το πυρ το ασβεστον

Mark 9:47 (NET)

Mark 9:47 (KJV)
If your eye causes you to sin, tear it out! It is better to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire:

Mark 9:47 (NET Parallel Greek)

Mark 9:47 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Mark 9:47 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ ἐὰν ὁ ὀφθαλμός σου σκανδαλίζῃ σε, ἔκβαλε αὐτόν· καλόν σέ ἐστιν μονόφθαλμον εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ θεοῦ ἢ δύο ὀφθαλμοὺς ἔχοντα βληθῆναι εἰς |τὴν| γέενναν και εαν ο οφθαλμος σου σκανδαλιζη σε εκβαλε αυτον καλον σοι εστιν μονοφθαλμον εισελθειν εις την βασιλειαν του θεου η δυο οφθαλμους εχοντα βληθηναι εις την γεενναν του πυρος και εαν ο οφθαλμος σου σκανδαλιζη σε εκβαλε αυτον καλον σοι εστιν μονοφθαλμον εισελθειν εις την βασιλειαν του θεου η δυο οφθαλμους εχοντα βληθηναι εις την γεενναν του πυρος

Luke 21:10 (NET)

Luke 21:10 (KJV)
Then he said to them, “Nation will rise up in arms against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:

Luke 21:10 (NET Parallel Greek)

Luke 21:10 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Luke 21:10 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Τότε ἔλεγεν αὐτοῖς· ἐγερθήσεται ἔθνος ἐπ᾿ ἔθνος καὶ βασιλεία ἐπὶ βασιλείαν τοτε ελεγεν αυτοις εγερθησεται εθνος επι εθνος και βασιλεια επι βασιλειαν τοτε ελεγεν αυτοις εγερθησεται εθνος επι εθνος και βασιλεια επι βασιλειαν

Luke 21:12-15 (NET)

Luke 21:12-15 (KJV)
But before all this, they will seize you and persecute you, handing you over to the synagogues and prisons. You will be brought before kings and governors because of my name. But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name’s sake.

Luke 21:12 (NET Parallel Greek)

Luke 21:12 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Luke 21:12 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Πρὸ δὲ τούτων πάντων ἐπιβαλοῦσιν ἐφ᾿ ὑμᾶς τὰς χεῖρας αὐτῶν καὶ διώξουσιν, παραδιδόντες εἰς τὰς συναγωγὰς καὶ φυλακάς, ἀπαγομένους ἐπὶ βασιλεῖς καὶ ἡγεμόνας ἕνεκεν τοῦ ὀνόματος μου προ δε τουτων απαντων επιβαλουσιν εφ υμας τας χειρας αυτων και διωξουσιν παραδιδοντες εις συναγωγας και φυλακας αγομενους επι βασιλεις και ηγεμονας ενεκεν του ονοματος μου προ δε τουτων παντων επιβαλουσιν εφ υμας τας χειρας αυτων και διωξουσιν παραδιδοντες εις συναγωγας και φυλακας αγομενους επι βασιλεις και ηγεμονας ενεκεν του ονοματος μου
This will be a time for you to serve as witnesses. And it shall turn to you for a testimony.

Luke 21:13 (NET Parallel Greek)

Luke 21:13 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Luke 21:13 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἀποβήσεται ὑμῖν εἰς μαρτύριον αποβησεται δε υμιν εις μαρτυριον αποβησεται δε υμιν εις μαρτυριον
Therefore be resolved not to rehearse ahead of time how to make your defense. Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer:

Luke 21:14 (NET Parallel Greek)

Luke 21:14 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Luke 21:14 (Byzantine Majority Text)
θέτε οὖν ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ὑμῶν μὴ προμελετᾶν ἀπολογηθῆναι θεσθε ουν εις τας καρδιας υμων μη προμελεταν απολογηθηναι θεσθε ουν εις τας καρδιας υμων μη προμελεταν απολογηθηναι
For I will give you the words along with the wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict. For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.

Luke 21:15 (NET Parallel Greek)

Luke 21:15 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Luke 21:15 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἐγὼ γὰρ δώσω ὑμῖν στόμα καὶ σοφίαν ᾗ οὐ δυνήσονται ἀντιστῆναι ἢ ἀντειπεῖν ἅπαντες οἱ ἀντικείμενοι ὑμῖν εγω γαρ δωσω υμιν στομα και σοφιαν η ου δυνησονται αντειπειν ουδε αντιστηναι παντες οι αντικειμενοι υμιν εγω γαρ δωσω υμιν στομα και σοφιαν η ου δυνησονται αντειπειν ουδε αντιστηναι παντες οι αντικειμενοι υμιν

1 John 3:19 (NET)

2 John 3:17 (NET) Table

3 John 3:18 (NET)

4 John 3:19 (NET)

5 Matthew 10:28 (NET) Table

6 Luke 12:5 (NET)

7 Matthew 23:15 (NET)

8 Matthew 23:33 (NET)

9 Matthew 5:29, 30 (NET)

11 Mark 9:43b (NET)

12 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had σε in the accusative case following It is better, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had σοι (KJV: for thee) in the dative case.

13 Mark 9:45b (NET) The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εις το πυρ το ασβεστον (KJV: into the fire that never shall be quenched) following hell. The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

14 Matthew 18:9 (NET)

15 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had σε in the accusative case following It is better, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had σοι (KJV: for thee) in the dative case.

16 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had του πυρος (KJV: fire) following hell. The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

17 Mark 9:47b, 48 (NET)

18 Matthew 5:22b (NET) Table

19 John 3:19 (NET)

20 John 3:16 (NET) Table

24 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had τὰς preceding synagogues. The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

25 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had ἀπαγομένους here, a form of ἀπάγω, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αγομενους (KJV: being brought), a form of ἄγω.

26 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had δε (KJV: And) near the beginning of this clause. The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

27 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had θέτε here, a form of τίθημι in the active voice and ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις in the dative case, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had θεσθε in the middle voice followed by εις τας καρδιας (KJV: Settle it…in your hearts) in the accusative case.

28 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had ἅπαντες here, a form of ἅπας, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had παντες (KJV: all) a form of πᾶς. Apparently, the NET translators applied οὐ, the negative particle preceding will be able, to ἅπαντες (NET: none…will be able). The translators of the KJV did not apply the negative particle to παντες (KJV: all…shall not be able).

29 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had the conjunction ἢ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the adverb ουδε (KJV: nor).

30 John 6:12 (NET)

31 Acts 8:32, 33 (NET)

32 Acts 8:34, 35 (NET)

33 John 3:19 (NET)

34 John 3:20, 21 (NET)

Son of God – John, Part 2

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The next occurrence of Son of God (υἱοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ) in John’s Gospel is found in verse 18 of the third chapter.

KJV

NAS

NET
3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. “He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. The one who believes in him is not condemned.  The one who does not believe has been condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God.

The first thing I noticed here is that the KJV has believeth on the Son of God where the NAS and NET have believes in the Son of God.  The Greek word is εἰς which is to or into.  Believe into the Son of God is an interesting image of entering in to the Son of God or the life of the Son of God, everyone who believes in (εἰς) him will…have eternal life.1  In Romans 10:11 below the Greek word is ἐπ᾿ (a form of ἐπί) which is on or upon, but the NAS and NET translators still rendered it in.

KJV

NAS

NET
10:11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For the Scripture says, “WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED.” For the scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.”

This is also an interesting image of resting upon the Son of God: He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep, and laid the foundation on (ἐπὶ) bedrock.2  Apparently the translators picked one of these two images and stuck with it.

Again, in John 3:18 κρίνεται (another form of κρίνω) was translated condemned in the KJV and NET and judged in the NAS.  Whatever God did not send his Son into (εἰς) the world to do in verse 17 was not done to the one who believes in (εἰς) Him.  The one who does not believe has been condemned already.3  The Greek word translated condemned in the KJV and NET and judged in the NAS is κέκριται (another form of κρίνω).  So whatever God did not send his Son into (εἰς) the world to do is done already to the one who does not believe…because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God.4  So what is it that God did not send his Son into the world to do, that was not done to those who believe in the Son of God, but done already to those who do not believe?  Here is where the three translations diverge.

KJV

NAS

NET
3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. “This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. Now this is the basis for judging: that the light has come into the world and people loved the darkness rather than the light, because their deeds were evil.

In the KJV and NAS the condemnation or judgment that God did not send his Son into the world to do, that was not done to those who believe in the Son of God, but was done already to those who do not believe was that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light (KJV), and that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light (NAS) respectively.  In the NET the condemnation is not clearly defined, only that the light has come into the world and people loved the darkness rather than the light is the basis for making an unspecified condemnation (or, judgment, as the case may be).

Here the Greek word is κρίσις.  The translators of the KJV and NAS treated κρίσις as if it were the noun of the verb κρίνω.  The translators of the NET did not.  The translators of the NET are probably about my age.  I assume they were socialized into a gospel similar to mine: believe in the Lord Jesus Christ or burn in hell for all eternity.  Their translation of John 3:16-19 certainly supports that gospel.  The unspecified condemnation, then, would be to burn in hell for all eternity.  It is just; it is justice because light has come into the world and people loved the darkness rather than the light.  In other words, Jesus has been here and gone and people prefer their sins to Jesus’ righteousness.  Why are people like this? Because their deeds [are] evil.  So people loving darkness rather than light when light has come into the world is a basis for judging them.  It makes perfect sense relative to the gospel I was socialized into, but is it what the Scripture says?

I was surprised to discover that John 3:1-15 didn’t necessarily support5 “believe in the Lord Jesus Christ or burn in hell for all eternity.”  But I could let it go because I was confident that John 3:16-21 was completely clear on the matter.  Now that confidence is shaken and it is that much more difficult for me to let go.  Every thought, every word comes slowly.  But I will consider the alternative implications of κρίσις being the noun that is equivalent to the verb κρίνω.

“For God did not send the Son into the world to judge (κρίνῃ, another form of κρίνω; NET condemn) the world…”

John 3:17a (NAS) Table

 “Do not judge (κρίνετε, another form of κρίνω) so that you will not be judged (κριθῆτε, another form of κρίνω).  For by the standard you judge (κρίνετε, another form of κρίνω) you will be judged (κριθήσεσθε, another form of κρίνω), and the measure you use will be the measure you receive” [Table].

Matthew 7:1, 2 (NET)
Now this is the basis for judging (κρίσις): that the light has come into the world and people loved the darkness rather than the light, because their deeds were evil.

John 3:19 (NET)

 Speak and act as those who will be judged (κρίνεσθαι, another form of κρίνω) by a law that gives freedom.  For judgment (κρίσις) is merciless6 for the one who has shown no mercy.  But7 mercy8 triumphs over judgment (κρίσεως, a form of κρίσις).

James 2:12, 13 (NET)

In this round I began with the NAS translation, “For God did not send the Son into the world to judge (κρίνῃ; NET condemn) the world…”9  The word κρίνῃ (a form of κρίνω) was only used once in the New Testament.  I can’t say that judge is a better translation than condemn.  I can only observe the symmetries if judge were accepted as the better translation.  If the Father did not send his Son into the world to judge the world, then it makes perfect sense that Jesus taught his disciples not to judge: “Do not judge (κρίνετε, another form of κρίνω) so that you will not be judged (κριθῆτε, another form of κρίνω).  For by the standard you judge (κρίνετε, another form of κρίνω) you will be judged (κριθήσεσθε, another form of κρίνω), and the measure you use will be the measure you receive.”10

The Greek words κρίνετε, κριθῆτε and κριθήσεσθε are also forms of κρίνω and are translated do judge and you judge, and you will be judged in the NET.  The negation comes from Μὴ in the first instance of κρίνετε (Μὴ κρίνετε, Do not judge) and μὴ κριθῆτε (you will not be judged [‘Μ’ is the uppercase and ‘μ’ the lowercase of the letter ‘mu’ in the Greek alphabet]).  And this is a “qualified negation” according to Strong’s Concordance as compared to the “absolute denial” of οὐ, the negation used in God did not (οὐ) send his Son into the world to condemn (or, judge) the world,11 and, The one who believes in him is not (οὐ) condemned (or, judged).12

It also makes sense to me that Jesus’ half-brother James would have a handle on judging, judgment and mercy from growing up in the home with his elder brother, while Paul the former Pharisee had to learn that lesson sometime after he wrote 1 Corinthians 5 and before Galatians 6:1-5.  Another thing worth noting is that the NET translators treated κρίσις as if it were the noun for the verb κρίνεσθαι (another form of κρίνω): Speak and act as those who will be judged (κρίνεσθαι) by a law that gives freedom.  For judgment (κρίσις) is merciless for the one who has shown no mercy.  But mercy triumphs over judgment (κρίσεως).13  And finally, κρίσις was translated simply judgment.  There is nothing intrinsic to the word ending that justifies translating it the basis for judging in John 3:19 (NET).

 

Addendum: September 30, 2025
According to a note (13) in the NET Paul quoted from Isaiah 28:16 in Romans 10:11. The following table compares the Greek of that quotation with the Septuagint.

Romans 10:11b (NET Parallel Greek)

Isaiah 28:16b (Septuagint BLB) Table

Isaiah 28:16b (Septuagint Elpenor)
πᾶς ὁ πιστεύων ἐπ᾿ αὐτῷ οὐ καταισχυνθήσεται ὁ πιστεύων ἐπ᾽ αὐτῷ οὐ μὴ καταισχυνθῇ ὁ πιστεύων ἐπ᾿ αὐτῷ οὐ μὴ καταισχυνθῇ

Romans 10:11b (NET)

Isaiah 28:16b (NETS)

Isaiah 28:16b (English Elpenor)
Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame the one who believes in him will not be put to shame he that believes [on him] shall by no means be ashamed

Tables comparing Luke 6:48 and James 2:13 in the KJV and NET follow.

Luke 6:48 (NET)

Luke 6:48 (KJV)
He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on bedrock. When a flood came, the river burst against that house but could not shake it because it had been well built. He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.

Luke 6:48 (NET Parallel Greek)

Luke 6:48 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Luke 6:48 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ὅμοιος ἐστιν ἀνθρώπῳ οἰκοδομοῦντι οἰκίαν ὃς ἔσκαψεν καὶ ἐβάθυνεν καὶ ἔθηκεν θεμέλιον ἐπὶ τὴν πέτραν· πλημμύρης δὲ γενομένης προσέρηξεν ὁ ποταμὸς τῇ οἰκίᾳ ἐκείνῃ, καὶ οὐκ ἴσχυσεν σαλεῦσαι αὐτὴν διὰ τὸ καλῶς οἰκοδομῆσθαι αὐτήν ομοιος εστιν ανθρωπω οικοδομουντι οικιαν ος εσκαψεν και εβαθυνεν και εθηκεν θεμελιον επι την πετραν πλημμυρας δε γενομενης προσερρηξεν ο ποταμος τη οικια εκεινη και ουκ ισχυσεν σαλευσαι αυτην τεθεμελιωτο γαρ επι την πετραν ομοιος εστιν ανθρωπω οικοδομουντι οικιαν ος εσκαψεν και εβαθυνεν και εθηκεν θεμελιον επι την πετραν πλημμυρας δε γενομενης προσερρηξεν ο ποταμος τη οικια εκεινη και ουκ ισχυσεν σαλευσαι αυτην τεθεμελιωτο γαρ επι την πετραν

James 2:13 (NET)

James 2:13 (KJV)
For judgment is merciless for the one who has shown no mercy. But mercy triumphs over judgment. For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.

James 2:13 (NET Parallel Greek)

James 2:13 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

James 2:13 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἡ γὰρ κρίσις ἀνέλεος τῷ μὴ ποιήσαντι ἔλεος· κατακαυχᾶται ἔλεος κρίσεως η γαρ κρισις ανιλεως τω μη ποιησαντι ελεος και κατακαυχαται ελεος κρισεως η γαρ κρισις ανελεος τω μη ποιησαντι ελεος κατακαυχαται ελεον κρισεως

1 John 3:16b (NET) Table

2 Luke 6:48 (NET)

3 John 3:18b (NET)

4 John 3:18b (NET)

5 I tell you the solemn truth, unless a person is born of water and spirit, he cannot enter (εἰσελθεῖν) the kingdom of God (John 3:5 NET [Table]), may provide support for “believe in the Lord Jesus Christ or burn in hell for all eternity.”  On the other hand it may have been Jesus’ way of turning a phrase when Nicodemus said, He cannot enter (εἰσελθεῖν) his mother’s womb and be born a second time (John 3:4 NET).

6 The NET parallel Greek text, NA28 and Byzantine Majority Text had the adjective ἀνέλεος here, which could be masculine or feminine, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus had the feminine adjective ανιλεως (KJV: without mercy). Both modify the noun κρίσις, judgment, which is feminine.

7 The Stephanus Textus Receptus had the conjunction και (KJV: and) here. The NET parallel Greek text, NA28 and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

9 John 3:17a (NAS) Table

10 Matthew 7:1, 2 (NET) Table

11 John 3:17a (NET) Table

12 John 3:18a (NET)

13 James 2:12, 13 (NET)

Son of God – John, Part 1

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The first time the phrase Son of God (υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ) occurs in John’s Gospel account is in the story when Nathaniel first met Jesus (John 1:47-49 NET).

Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and exclaimed, “Look, a true Israelite in whom there is no deceit!”  Nathanael asked him, “How do you know me?”  Jesus replied, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.”  Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel!” [Table]

Earlier Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses1 wrote about in the law, and the prophets also wrote about – Jesus of Nazareth, the son2 of Joseph.”  Nathanael replied, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”  Philip3 replied, “Come and see.”4  Nathaniel put his prejudice aside and did exactly that.  But it says to me that he already had a preconceived notion that the one Moses and the prophets wrote about, the king of Israel, was also the Son of God.  Even Jesus seemed a bit surprised at how easily Nathaniel believed: Because I told you that5 I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe?  You will see6 greater things than these.7

For this is the way God loved the world, the next time there is mention of God’s Son in John’s Gospel began, He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.8  I want to compare the King James Version (KJV), and the New American Standard Bible (NAS) with the New English Translation (NET).

KJV

NAS

NET
3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For this is the way God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

The first thing I noticed was that the KJV and NAS share the phrase only begotten Son (τὸν υἱὸν τὸν μονογενῆ) where the NET has one and only Son.  The note in the NET explains: “Although this word is often translated ‘only begotten,’ such a translation is misleading, since in English it appears to express a metaphysical relationship. The word in Greek was used of an only child (a son [Luke 7:12, 9:38] or a daughter [Luke 8:42]). It was also used of something unique (only one of its kind) such as the mythological Phoenix (1 Clement 25:2). From here it passes easily to a description of Isaac (Heb 11:17 and Josephus, Ant. 1.13.1 [1.222]) who was not Abraham’s only son, but was one-of-a-kind because he was the child of the promise. Thus the word means ‘one-of-a-kind’ and is reserved for Jesus in the Johannine literature of the NT. While all Christians are children of God (τέκνα θεοῦ, tekna theou), Jesus is God’s Son in a unique, one-of-a-kind sense. The word is used in this way in all its uses in the Gospel of John (1:14, 1:18, 3:16, and 3:18).”

I am unclear what the term “metaphysical relationship” meant, so I want to repeat what Luke’s Gospel said about Jesus’ ‘one-of-a-kind’ relationship to his Father.  When Mary Jesus’ mother was visited by the angel Gabriel and told of his birth, she asked, “How will this be, since I have not had sexual relations with a man?”  The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon (ἐπελεύσεται, a form of ἐπέρχομαι) you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow (ἐπισκιάσει, a form of ἐπισκιάζω) you.  Therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called the Son of God (υἱὸς θεοῦ).9

While his mother Mary was engaged to Joseph, Matthew wrote, but before they came together (συνελθεῖν, a form of συνέρχομαι), she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit.  Because Joseph, her husband to be, was a righteous man, and because he did not want to disgrace her, he intended to divorce her privately.  When he had contemplated this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, because the child conceived (γεννηθὲν, a form of γεννάω) in her is from the Holy Spirit.”10

The next thing I noticed was that the KJV has no quotation marks.  The translators proposed no theory of who was speaking in John 3:16-21.  The NAS translators on the other hand used quotation marks to indicate their belief that Jesus was still speaking to Nicodemus.  The NET translators ended Jesus’ quotation marks at verse 15, indicating their belief that John was speaking.

KJV

NAS

NET
3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. “For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.” For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world should be saved through him [Table].

Here I noticed that the KJV and NET have condemn where the NAS has judge for the Greek word κρίνῃ.  For clarity I’ll work through the NET definitions of κρίνῃ.  God did not send his Son into the world 1) to separate, put asunder, to pick out, select, or choose the world; God did not send his Son into the world 2) to approve, esteem, or to prefer the world; God did not send his Son into the world 3) to be of the world’s opinion, or to deem, or think like the world; God did not send his Son into the world 4) to determine, resolve, or decree the world; God did not send his Son into the world 5) to judge the world or 5a) to pronounce an opinion concerning right and wrong 5a1) or to summon the world to trial or 5b) to pronounce judgment upon, or to subject the world to censure or 5b1) to act the part of judge or arbiter in matters of common life, or pass judgment on the deeds and words of others; God did not send his Son into the world 6) to rule, or govern the world or 6a) to preside over it with the power of giving judicial decisions; God did not send his Son into the world 7) to contend together, as a warrior or combatant with the world; or 7a) to dispute with it or 7b1) have suit at law with the world.

Ordinarily I soar over this rugged terrain at about 30,000 feet.  I already know what it means.  I know most people die and go to hell.  This was Jesus, or John, certainly the Holy Spirit, vindicating God of the destruction of so many souls:  God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world.  Let God be proven true, Paul wrote, and every human being shown up as a liar, just as it is written: “so that you will be justified in your words and will prevail when you are judged.”11  But as I sit here now, a relativist, gazing up at this majestic rocky cliff face of absolute negation, I begin to wonder, “Is that all it means?  Is it really just God saving face?  What did God send his Son into the world to do?”

God sent his Son into the world that the world should be saved through him.  Here I noticed that the KJV and NAS have might be where the NET had should be saved.  The Greek is ἀλλ᾿ ἵνα σωθῇ ὁ κόσμος δι᾿ αὐτοῦ: ἀλλ᾿ (but) ἵνα (that) σωθῇ (to save) ὁ (the) κόσμος (world) δι᾿ (through) αὐτοῦ (him).  I know I’m no Greek scholar, but I don’t find any might be or should be in this text.  Is one or the other of them really contained within the word ending?  Is it a theological interpretation?  Is it just to make the English flow better?  I admit I don’t know, but I’m willing to keep on searching.

[Addendum: July 20, 2019] The Greek verb σωθῇ (should be saved) is in the subjunctive mood.  According to the “Greek Verbs (Shorter Definitions)” at ntgreek.org: “The subjunctive mood indicates probability or objective possibility. The action of the verb will possibly happen, depending on certain objective factors or circumstances.  It is oftentimes used in conditional statements (i.e. ‘If…then…’ clauses) or in purpose clauses.  However if the subjunctive mood is used in a purpose or result clause, then the action should not be thought of as a possible result, but should be viewed as a definite outcome that will happen as a result of another stated action.”  How one translates σωθῇ here depends then on whether one considers it to be in a “result clause” or not.

Addendum: August 26, 2025
With a few more years under my belt I say that σωθῇ is in a purpose or result clause because of the conjunction ἵνα. But a translators’ note (55) in the NET on 1 John 4:21 added a new wrinkle: “It makes better sense to understand this ἵνα clause as (3) epexegetical to the pronoun ταύτην (tautēn)…” And so, they translated a verb in the indicative or subjunctive mood as an imperative.

Tables comparing John 1:45, 46 and 1:50 in the KJV and NET follow.

John 1:45, 46 (NET)

John 1:45, 46 (KJV)
Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the law, and the prophets also wrote about—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.

John 1:45 (NET Parallel Greek)

John 1:45 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

John 1:45 (Byzantine Majority Text)
εὑρίσκει Φίλιππος τὸν Ναθαναὴλ καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ· ὃν ἔγραψεν Μωϋσῆς ἐν τῷ νόμῳ καὶ οἱ προφῆται εὑρήκαμεν, Ἰησοῦν υἱὸν τοῦ Ἰωσὴφ τὸν ἀπὸ Ναζαρέτ ευρισκει φιλιππος τον ναθαναηλ και λεγει αυτω ον εγραψεν μωσης εν τω νομω και οι προφηται ευρηκαμεν ιησουν τον υιον του ιωσηφ τον απο ναζαρετ ευρισκει φιλιππος τον ναθαναηλ και λεγει αυτω ον εγραψεν μωσης εν τω νομω και οι προφηται ευρηκαμεν ιησουν τον υιον του ιωσηφ τον απο ναζαρετ
Nathanael replied, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip replied, “Come and see.” And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.

John 1:46 (NET Parallel Greek)

John 1:46 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

John 1:46 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Ναθαναήλ· ἐκ Ναζαρὲτ δύναται τι ἀγαθὸν εἶναι; λέγει αὐτῷ [ὁ] Φίλιππος· ἔρχου καὶ ἴδε και ειπεν αυτω ναθαναηλ εκ ναζαρετ δυναται τι αγαθον ειναι λεγει αυτω φιλιππος ερχου και ιδε και ειπεν αυτω ναθαναηλ εκ ναζαρετ δυναται τι αγαθον ειναι λεγει αυτω φιλιππος ερχου και ιδε

John 1:50 (NET)

John 1:50 (KJV)
Jesus said to him, “Because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these.

John 1:50 (NET Parallel Greek)

John 1:50 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

John 1:50 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἀπεκρίθη Ἰησοῦς καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· ὅτι εἶπον σοι ὅτι εἶδον σε ὑποκάτω τῆς συκῆς, πιστεύεις; μείζω τούτων ὄψῃ απεκριθη ιησους και ειπεν αυτω οτι ειπον σοι ειδον σε υποκατω της συκης πιστευεις μειζω τουτων οψει απεκριθη ιησους και ειπεν αυτω οτι ειπον σοι ειδον σε υποκατω της συκης πιστευεις μειζω τουτων οψει

2 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the article τον preceding son. The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

3 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had the article ὁ (in brackets) preceding Philip. The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

4 John 1:45, 46 (NET)

6 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had ὄψῃ here, a form of ὁράω, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had οψει (KJV: thou shalt see). These seem to be the same part of speech on the Koine Greek Lexicon online. On Blue Letter Bible online οψει is listed as a form of ὀπτάνομαι.

7 John 1:50 (NET)

8 John 3:16 (NET) Table

9 Luke 1:34, 35 (NET)

10 Matthew 1:18b-20 (NET) Table

11 Romans 3:4 (NET) Table