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The Prologue: In the Beginning Was the Word

John 1:1–18 · Beginning of the ministry

Scripture

John 1:1–18

n the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2The same was in the beginning with God. 3All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4In him was life; and the life was the light of men. 5And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. 6There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. 8He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. 9That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. 10He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. 11He came unto his own, and his own received him not. 12But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 14And 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. 15John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me. 16And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace. 17For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. 18No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

King James Version · public domain

Joani 1:1–18

ë përpara herësë ishte Fjala, edhe Fjala ishte me Perëndinë, edhe Fjala ishte Perëndi, 2Këjo ishte që përpara herësë me Perëndinë. 3Të-gjitha u bënë me anë t’asaj; edhe pa atë nuk’ ubë as ndonjë gjë që është bërë. 4Nd’atë ishte jetë, edhe jeta ishte drita e njerësvet. 5Edhe drita ndrit nd’errësirët edhe errësira nuk’ e kupëtoj. 6Qe një njeri dërguarë nga Perëndia, i-cili e kishte emërinë Joan. 7Ky erdhi për dëshmim, që të apë dëshmim Dritënë, që të besonjënë të-gjithë me anë t’ati. 8Ay nuk’ ishte Drita, po qe dërguarë që të apë dëshmim për Dritënë. 9Ishte Drita e-vërtetë, që ndrit çdo njeri, kur vjen ndë botët. 10Ishte ndë botët, edhe bota ubë me anë t’ati; po bota nuk’ e njohu atë. 11Erdhi ndë të-tijt, edhe të-tijtë nuk’ e pritnë atë. 12Edhe sa e pritnë, atyre u dha pushtet të bënenë bij Perëndie, atyreve që besonjënë me anë t’ati; 13Ata nukë lintnë prej gjakesh, as prej dashurimi mishi, as prej dashurimi burri, po prej Perëndie. 14Edhe Fjala ubë mish, edhe ndënji ndër ne, (edhe pamë lavdin’ e ati, lavdi posi të-vetëmlinduri prej Atit,) plot me hir e me të-vërtetë. 15Joani ep dëshmim për atë, edhe bërtiti, dyke thënë, Ky është ay për të-cilinë thashë, Ay që vjen pas meje është më i-math se unë, sepse ishte përpara meje. 16Edhe të-gjithë ne muarmë prej të-mbushurit t’ati, edhe hir ndë vënt hiri. 17Sepse nomi udha me anë të Moisiut, po hiri edhe e-vërteta ubë me anë të Jisu Krishtit. 18Asndonjë kurrë s’e ka parë Perëndinë; veç i-Vetëmlinduri Bir, që është ndë gjit të Atit ay na e dëfteu.

Kristoforidhi, Dhiata e Re Toskërisht 1879 · zotërim publik

In their own words

Why, then, dost thou marvel that men are born of God? Consider God Himself born of men: "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us."

Blessed Augustine of Hippo, Tractates on the Gospel of St. John, Tractate II (on John 1:14)

The Prologue: In the Beginning Was the Word (John 1:1–18)

The texts below are quoted verbatim from public-domain English translations; nothing is paraphrased.

St. John Chrysostom (c. 347–407)

Homilies on the Gospel of St. John, Homilies IV and XI (on John 1:1–14) Source: trans. in the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, Vol. 14. Public domain. Full text: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf114.toc.html

On why John, unlike the other Evangelists, begins from the eternal generation, and on the co-eternity of the Word with the Father:

As therefore the expression, "In the beginning was the Word," shows His Eternity, so "was in the beginning with God," has declared to us His Co-eternity. For that you may not, when you hear "In the beginning was the Word," suppose Him to be Eternal ... he adds, "was in the beginning with God"; so eternally even as the Father Himself, for the Father was never without the Word, but He was always God with God, yet Each in His proper Person.

On the warning not to think the Word a creature or a mere spoken word:

But thou, beloved, when thou hast heard of "The Word," do not endure those who say, that He is a work; nor those even who think, that He is simply a word.

On why the Evangelist says the Word "was made" flesh, against those who deny the reality of His flesh:

So that when you hear that "the Word became Flesh," be not disturbed nor cast down. For that Essence did not change to flesh, (it is impiety to imagine this,) but continuing what it is, It so took upon It the form of a servant.

On the very word "was made":

Wherefore then does he use the expression, "was made"? To stop the mouths of the heretics.

St. Cyril of Alexandria (c. 376–444)

Commentary on the Gospel of St. John, Book I (on John 1:1) Source: trans. P. E. Pusey, Library of Fathers, 1874. Public domain. Full text: https://www.tertullian.org/fathers/cyril_on_john_01_book1.htm

On "And the Word was God," that the Son is God by nature and consubstantial with the Father:

Not only was the Word with God, but He was also God, that through His being with God, He might be known to be Other than the Father and might be believed to be Son distinct and by Himself; through being God, He might be conceived of as Consubstantial and of Him by Nature, as being both God and coming forth from God.

On the Word's being God from eternity, not becoming God in time:

He was then also God. He did not become so at last, but He was, if indeed eternal being will most specially and surely follow on being God: for that which became in time, or was at all brought from not being into being, will not be by Nature God.

St. Basil the Great (c. 330–379)

As preserved in the Catena Aurea on John. Public domain. Full text: https://isidore.co/aquinas/english/CAJohn.htm

On "the Word," that it is no human or created word, but the Only-Begotten Himself:

This Word is not a human word. For how was there a human word in the beginning, when man received his being last of all? There was not then any word of man in the beginning, nor yet of Angels; for every creature is within the limits of time, having its beginning of existence from the Creator. But what says the Gospel? It calls the Only-Begotten Himself the Word.

Theophylact of Ohrid (c. 1055–1107)

As preserved in the Catena Aurea on John. Public domain. Full text: https://isidore.co/aquinas/english/CAJohn.htm

On how "the Word was with God" overthrows Sabellius, who confounded the Persons:

Sabellius is overthrown by this text. For he asserts that the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are one Person, Who sometimes appeared as the Father, sometimes as the Son, sometimes as the Holy Ghost. But he is manifestly confounded by this text, and the Word was with God; for here the Evangelist declares that the Son is one Person, God the Father another.

Blessed Augustine of Hippo (354–430)

Tractates on the Gospel of St. John, Tractate II (on John 1:14) Source: trans. in the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, Vol. 7. Public domain. Full text: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf107.toc.html

On "the Word was made flesh," set beside our being born of God:

When, therefore, he had said, "born of God," lest we should ... be filled with amazement and trembling at such grace ... as if assuring thee, he says, "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us." Why, then, dost thou marvel that men are born of God? Consider God Himself born of men: "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us."

On the humility of His flesh as the eye-salve that heals our sight:

by His very nativity he made an eye-salve to cleanse the eyes of our heart, and to enable us to see His majesty by means of His humility.

St. Bede the Venerable (c. 673–735)

As preserved in the Catena Aurea on John. Public domain. Full text: https://isidore.co/aquinas/english/CAJohn.htm

On how John's opening answers the other Evangelists point for point:

The other Evangelists describe Christ as born in time; John witnesseth that He was in the beginning, saying, In the beginning was the Word. The others describe His sudden appearance among men; he witnesseth that He was ever with God, saying, And the Word was with God. The others prove Him very man; he very God, saying, And the Word was God. The others exhibit Him as man conversing with men for a season; he pronounces Him God abiding with God in the beginning, saying, The Same was in the beginning with God.

Patristic sources

Read the sources: Chrysostom, Homilies on John (CCEL, NPNF1-14) · Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on John, Book 1 (tertullian.org, Pusey 1874) · Augustine, Tractates on John (CCEL, NPNF1-7) · Catena Aurea on John (isidore.co, Oxford ed. J. H. Newman)