101 Translations of John 1:1: “…And the Word was God.”

 

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101 Translations Of John 1:1: “…and the Word was God.”

Below is a list of 101 English translations of the New Testament verse of the Bible identified as John 1:1. The versions represent the work of scholars from a wide variety of religious groups.

The time frame covered is approximately 700 years with the oldest translation coming from circa 1300 A.D. The translations are presented in alphabetical order based on the name of the Bible version from which they are taken. Please note that the Jehovah’s Witness Bible, The New World Translation, version of this verse on page 11 where its translators inserted the word “a” into the text, does not agree with these translations of the verse listed below. The actual, original Greek text below is followed with 101 English translations:

john1_1

bullets American Standard Version: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

bullets American Translation (Beck), An: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

bullets Amplified Bible: “In the beginning (before all time) was the Word (Christ), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God Himself. (Isa. 9:6.)”

bullets Analytical-Literal Translation: “In the beginning was the Word [or, the Expression of [divine] Logic], and the Word was with [or, in communion with] God, and the Word was God [or, was as to His essence God].”

bullets Aramaic New Covenant: “In the beginning the Word having been and the Word having been unto God and God having been the Word . . .”

bullets Archbishop Newcome’s New Testament (Prior to changes by Belsham): “The Word was in the beginning, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

bullets Barclay New Testament: “When the world began, the Word was already there. The Word was with God, and the nature of the Word was the same as the nature of God.”

bullets Basic Bible: “From the first he was the Word, and the Word was in relation with God and was God.”

bullets Bible in Basic English: “From the first he was the Word, and the Word was in relation with God and was God.”

bullets Bible Reader, The: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

bullets Bishops Bible: “In the begynnyng was the worde, & the worde was with God: and that worde was God.”

bullets Common English New Testament: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

bullets Complete Jewish Bible: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

bullets Concordant Literal New Testament: “In the beginning was the word, and the word was toward God, and God was the word.”

bullets Confraternity of Christian Doctrine Translation: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God; and the Word was God.”

bullets Conservative Version, A: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

bullets Contemporary English Version: “In the beginning was the one who is called the Word. The Word was with God and was truly God.”

bullets Coptic Version of the New Testament: “In (the) beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and God was the Word…”

bullets Coverdale Bible, The: “In the begynnynge was the worde, and the worde was with God, and God was ye worde.”

bullets Darby Holy Bible: “In (the) beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

bullets Documents of the New Testament, The: “In the Beginning there existed the Divine Reason, and the Divine Reason was with God, and the Divine Reason was God.”

bullets Douay-Rheims Bible: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

bullets Emphasized Bible by J.B. Rotherham, The: “//Originally// was /the Word, And //the Word// was /with God; And /the Word/ was //God//.

bullets Emphatic Diaglott, The: “In the beginning was the LOGOS, and the LOGOS was with God, and the LOGOS was God.”

bullets English Majority Text Version: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

bullets English Jubilee 2000 Bible: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with the God, and the Word was God.”

bullets English Version for the Deaf (a.k.a. Easy to Read Version): “Before the world began, the Word was there. The Word was there with God. The Word was God.”

bullets Geneva Bible, The: “In the beginning was the Worde, and the Worde was with God and that Worde was God.”

bullets Godbey Translation of the New Testament: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

bullets God’s Word (a.k.a. Today’s Bible Translation): “In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

bullets Great Bible (Cranmer 1539): “In the begynnynge was the worde, and the worde was wyth God: and God was the worde.”

bullets Holman Christian Standard Bible: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

bullets Holy Bible in Modern English, The: “The WORD existed in the beginning, and the WORD was with God, and the WORD was God.”

bullets Inclusive Version, An: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

bullets Interlinear Bible (Greene): “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

bullets International Standard Version: “In the beginning, the Word existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

bullets James Murdock’s Translation of the Syriac Peshitta: “In the beginning, was the Word; and the Word was with God; and the Word was God.”

bullets Jerusalem Bible, The: “In the beginning was the Word: the Word was with God and the Word was God.”

bullets John Wesley New Testament: “In the beginning existed the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God.”

bullets King James Version: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

bullets K leist-Lilly New Testament: “When time began, the Word was there, and the Word was face to face with God, and the Word was God.”

bullets Knox Translation: “At the beginning of time the Word already was; and God had the Word abiding with him, and the Word was God.”

bullets Lamsa Bible: “The Word was in the beginning, and that very Word was with God, and God was that Word.”

bullets Lattimore New Testament: “In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God.”

bullets Letchworth Version in Modern English: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

bullets Living Bible: “Before anything else existed, there was Christ, with God. He has always been alive and is himself God.”

bullets Living Oracles New Testament, The: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

bullets McCord’s New Testament Translation of the Everlasting Gospel: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

bullets Message, The (a.k.a. New Testament in Contemporary English): “The Word was first, the Word present to God, God present to the Word. The Word was God…”

bullets Modern Reader’s Bible: “IN THE BEGINNING WAS THE WORD: AND THE WORD WAS WITH GOD: AND THE WORD WAS GOD.”

bullets Modern Speech New Testament, The: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

bullets Montgomery New Testament (Helen Brett Montgomery): “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was face to face with God, and the Word was God.”

bullets New American Bible: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

bullets New American Standard Version: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

bullets New Berkeley Version in Modern English, The: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

bullets New Century Version: “In the beginning there was the Word. The Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

bullets New English Bible: “When all things began, the Word already was. The Word dwelt with God, and what God was, the Word was.”

bullets New Evangelical Translation: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

bullets New International Version: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

bullets New Jerusalem Bible: “In the beginning was the Word: and the Word was with God and the Word was God.”

bullets New King James: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

bullets New Life Version: “The Word (Christ) was in the beginning. The Word was with God. The Word was God.”

bullets New Living Translation: “In the beginning the Word already existed. He was with God, and he was God.”

bullets New Millenium Bible, The: “The Word already existed before the world was created. The Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

bullets New Revised Standard Version: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

bullets New Testament: An Understandable Version, The: “The Word (already) existed in the beginning (of time). (Note: this is a reference to the preexistence of Jesus, See verse 14). And the Word was with God and the Word was (what) God (was).”

bullets New Testament in Plain English: “In the beginning the Word of God was there. And the Word was face to face with God, and the Word was God.”

bullets New World Translation (Jehovah’s Witnesses): “In (the) beginning the Word was, and the Word was with God, and the Word was a god.”

bullets Noli New Testament: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was by God, and the Word was God.”

bullets Norlie’s Simplified New Testament: “The Word was in the beginning; the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

bullets Orthodox Jewish Brit Chadasha, The: “Bereshis (In the Beginning) was the Dvar Hashem (YESHAYAH 55:11; BERESHIT 1:1), and the Dvar Hasem was agav (along with) Hashem (MISHLE 8:30; 30:4), and the Dvar Hashem was nothing less, by nature, than Elohim! (TEHILLIM 56:11(10); yn17:5; Rev. 19:13).”

bullets People’s New Covenant, The: “In the original being the Word, or GOD-Idea existed; and the God-Idea existed in the at-one-ment with God; and the GOD-Idea was GOD-manifest.”

bullets Phillips Revised Student Edition: “At the beginning God expressed himself. That personal expression, that word, was with God, and was God…”

bullets Recovery Version: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

bullets Restoration of Original Sacred Name Bible: “Originally was the Word, and the Word was with YAHVAH; and the Word was YAHVAH.”

bullets Revised English Bible: “In the beginning the Word already was. The Word was in God’s presence, and what God was, the Word was.”

bullets Revised Version: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

bullets Revised Standard Version: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

bullets Riverside New Testament: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

bullets Sacred Scriptures, Bethel Edition, The: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with Yahweh, and the Word was Elohim.”

bullets Scholars Version: “In the beginning there was the divine word and wisdom. The divine word and wisdom was there with God, and it was what God was.”

bullets Scriptures (ISR), The: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with Elohim, and the Word was Elohim.”

bullets Shorter Bible, The: “In the beginning was the divine Wisdom, and the divine Wisdom was with God, and the divine Wisdom was God.”

bullets Spencer New Testament: “In the beginning was the WORD, and the WORD was with God, and the WORD was God.”

bullets Swann New Testament: “In the beginning was the TRUTH, and the TRUTH was with God, and God was the TRUTH.”

bullets Today’s English New Testament: “In the beginning was the Logos. And the Logos was with God. And God was the Logos.”

bullets Today’s English Version (a.k.a Good News Bible): “Before the world was created, the Word already existed; he was with God, and he was the same as God.”

bullets Twentieth Century New Testament, The: “At the Beginning the Word already was: The Word was with God; and the Word was God.”

bullets Unvarnished New Testament, The: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was toward God, and God was what the Word was.”

bullets Versified Rendering of the Complete Gospel Story: “CHRIST, the Living Word, existed ere creation’s work began. He was with God, and He was God…”

bullets Webster Bible, The: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

bullets Westminster Version of the Sacred Scriptures: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

bullets Weymouth New Testament: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

bullets The Wyclif Translation (by John Wycliffe): “In the bigynnynge was the word and the word was at god, and god was the word…”

bullets William Tyndale Translation: “In the beginnynge was the worde, and the worde was with God: and the worde was God.”

bullets Williams New Testament: “In the beginning the Word existed; and the Word was face to face with God; yea, the Word was God Himself.”

bullets World English Bible: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

bullets Worldwide English (New Testament): “The Word already was, way back before anything began to be. The Word and God were together. The Word was God.”

bullets Worrell New Testament: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

bullets Wuest Expanded Translation: “In the beginning the Word was existing. And the Word was in fellowship with God the Father. And the Word was as to His essence absolute deity.”

bullets Young’s Literal Translation, Revised Edition: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God; and the Word was God…”

For more information see:

bullets John 1:1 exposed in The Journal of Biblical Literature (4Jehovah.org)
bullets How Can Jesus be with God and at the same time be God? (4Jehovah.org)
bullets The Jehovah’s Witness Bible (The New World Translation) – List of Mistranslated Verses (4jehovah.org)
bullets Are Jehovah’s Witnesses allowed to read and study the Bible by itself without Watchtower literature? (4jehovah.org)

© 2008 Michael J. Caba, Reprinted and posted on our website by permission.

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