John 1:1 Text
King James Version (KJV)
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
World English Bible (WEB)
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
What John 1:1 Means
John opens his Gospel with deliberate echoes of Genesis 1:1, saying the Word already existed when everything began. 'Word' translates the Greek logos, which can mean speech, reason, or the expression of a thought. For Jewish readers it recalled God creating by speaking; for Greek readers it suggested the order behind the world. John then makes three claims: the Word existed in the beginning, the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The second and third claims are held together, so the Word is distinct from God the Father yet shares his nature. The KJV and WEB read identically here. John does not name the Word until verse 14, where he says the Word became flesh, and verse 17 names Jesus Christ. Christians have long read the opening as a statement of Jesus' divinity.
Context of John 1:1
The Gospel of John is traditionally attributed to John the apostle, though some scholars discuss whether a closely connected disciple wrote or edited it, and it was probably written in the late first century. Unlike the other Gospels, it starts with a poetic prologue rather than a birth story or genealogy. The verses that follow say all things were made through the Word, and that life and light were in him. To read the whole book, see random verse from John.
How to Apply John 1:1
This verse invites a bit of wonder before any to-do list. If Jesus is the eternal Word through whom things were made, then his life and words are not one voice among many but the clearest picture of God. Try reading a short passage of John slowly this week, asking what it shows about God.
Related Verses
- Genesis 1:1 – In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
- John 1:14 – And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
- Colossians 1:16 – For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
- Revelation 19:13 – And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.
Looking for more verses on this theme? Browse Bible Verses About Faith, each with a short note on its context.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 'the Word was God' mean?
It means the Word, who John later identifies as Jesus, shares the very nature of God while being distinct from the Father. Many Christians cite this verse as one of the clearest New Testament statements that Jesus is divine.
Who is the Word in John 1:1?
The Word is Jesus Christ. John does not say so until verse 14, where the Word becomes flesh and lives among people, and verse 17 names Jesus. Before that, the opening speaks of him as the eternal expression of God.
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