[B-Greek] Help Translating John 1:18

tempest at sunsetgrfx.com tempest at sunsetgrfx.com
Mon Jul 7 20:58:47 EDT 2008


  

	I'm helping to edit a new edition of the Gospel of John.  Neither of
us, (the editor nor me) actually read Greek, but I seriously want to
learn it and am ever so slowing working on it.  We use greek
dictionaries, concordances and Barry's interlinear when we find
something "fishy" and I go over it all comparing it word for word to
Barry's Interlinear.  T he editor translated John 1:18 as follows:
"The Only Son coming from God, Who no one has seen at anytime, is in
the Bosom of the Father He declared."  At first I strongly believed
this to be wrong.  Now I'm having second thoughts.  I tried looking up
all the words I could, and deeply thought about the endings of the
words, but I'm just not sure now.  Looking at the Greek text, it looks
so wrong.  It sounds great, but I really want it to be accurate, as
does the editor (L.W.). The Greek text I'm using states it as follows
(in B-Greek's lettering system): "QEON OUDEIS hEWRAKEN PWPOTE hO
MONOGENHS hUIOS hO WN EIS TON KOLPON TOU PATROS EKEINOS EXHGHSATO" If
anyone could help me figure out if the above (the english one) is an
accurate literal translation, and /or give an accurate literal
alternative, I would be very appreciative, as it could very well
relieve a huge burden from me.  I'm especially interested in the order
of the first line, "The Only Son coming from God", because (and this
is what caused my "second thought") that "hO MONOGENHS hUIOS" has
subject endings, and "QEON" has object endings.  Though not as
seemingly important to me right now, "MONOGENHS" being translated as
"only coming from" has always seemed strange to me. Thank you all.  I
pray GodJesus blesses you all in furthering and learning His Word
(HIM).  Love. - Nichole Boseck



More information about the B-Greek mailing list