Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ Λόγος, καὶ ὁ Λόγος ἦν πρὸς τὸν Θεόν, καὶ Θεὸς ἦν ὁ Λόγος.
In the beginning, was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Paraphrase: As I begin my account of the life and teaching of Jesus the Messiah, I want to take you back to the very beginning and actually even before the beginning. This is where the story of Jesus actually begins. Before there was any creature, even before there was any time, the Logos already was. The Logos was in a happy and joyful relationship with God just as God taught us in Prov 8:22, 30. In fact, the Logos partook of the same nature as God Himself.
Comments:
Westcott compares this with the In the beginning... of Genesis 1. He writes, "Moses dwells on that which starts from the point, and traces the record of divine action from the beginning while St John lifts our thoughts beyond the beginning and dwells on that which “was” when time, and with time finite being, began its course. cf Prov 8:23. Already when “God created the heaven and the earth,” “the Word was.” The “being” of the Word is thus necessarily carried beyond the limits of time, though the pre-existence of the Word is not definitely stated. The simple affirmation of existence in this connexion suggests a loftier conception than that of pre-existence; which is embarrassed by the idea of time. Pre-existence however is affirmed in a different connexion: Jn 17:5. source
Hengstenberg says that the words, in the beginning, are equivalent to, “when as yet there was no created thing," source
Robertson affirms that πρὸς τὸν Θεόν implies a "face to face" relationship and the most intimate fellowship as equals. source
Οὗτος ἦν ἐν ἀρχῇ πρὸς τὸν Θεόν.
πάντα δι’ αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο, καὶ χωρὶς αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο οὐδὲ ἕν ὃ γέγονεν.
ἐν αὐτῷ ζωὴ ἦν, καὶ ἡ ζωὴ ἦν τὸ φῶς τῶν ἀνθρώπων.
καὶ τὸ φῶς ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ φαίνει, καὶ ἡ σκοτία αὐτὸ οὐ κατέλαβεν.
Ἐγένετο ἄνθρωπος ἀπεσταλμένος παρὰ Θεοῦ· ὄνομα αὐτῷ Ἰωάννης.
John 1:7οὗτος ἦλθεν εἰς μαρτυρίαν, ἵνα μαρτυρήσῃ περὶ τοῦ φωτός, ἵνα πάντες πιστεύσωσιν δι’ αὐτοῦ.
John 1:8οὐκ ἦν ἐκεῖνος τὸ φῶς, ἀλλ’ ἵνα μαρτυρήσῃ περὶ τοῦ φωτός.
John 1:9Ἦν τὸ φῶς τὸ ἀληθινὸν, ὃ φωτίζει πάντα ἄνθρωπον, ἐρχόμενον εἰς τὸν κόσμον.
John 1:10ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ ἦν, καὶ ὁ κόσμος δι’ αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο, καὶ ὁ κόσμος αὐτὸν οὐκ ἔγνω.
John 1:11εἰς τὰ ἴδια ἦλθεν, καὶ οἱ ἴδιοι αὐτὸν οὐ παρέλαβον.
John 1:12ὅσοι δὲ ἔλαβον αὐτόν, ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς ἐξουσίαν τέκνα Θεοῦ γενέσθαι, τοῖς πιστεύουσιν εἰς τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ,
John 1:13οἳ οὐκ ἐξ αἱμάτων, οὐδὲ ἐκ θελήματος σαρκὸς, οὐδὲ ἐκ θελήματος ἀνδρὸς, ἀλλ’ ἐκ Θεοῦ ἐγεννήθησαν.
John 1:14Καὶ ὁ Λόγος σὰρξ ἐγένετο καὶ ἐσκήνωσεν ἐν ἡμῖν, καὶ ἐθεασάμεθα τὴν δόξαν αὐτοῦ, δόξαν ὡς μονογενοῦς παρὰ Πατρός, πλήρης χάριτος καὶ ἀληθείας.
John 1:15Ἰωάννης μαρτυρεῖ περὶ αὐτοῦ, καὶ κέκραγεν, λέγων, Οὗτος ἦν ὃν εἶπον, Ὁ ὀπίσω μου ἐρχόμενος, ἔμπροσθέν μου γέγονεν, ὅτι πρῶτός μου ἦν.
John 1:16Ὅτι ἐκ τοῦ πληρώματος αὐτοῦ, ἡμεῖς πάντες ἐλάβομεν καὶ χάριν ἀντὶ χάριτος.
John 1:17ὅτι ὁ νόμος διὰ Μωϋσέως ἐδόθη· ἡ χάρις καὶ ἡ ἀλήθεια διὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐγένετο.
John 1:18Θεὸν οὐδεὶς ἑώρακεν πώποτε· μονογενὴς Θεὸς, ὁ ὢν εἰς τὸν κόλπον τοῦ Πατρὸς, ἐκεῖνος ἐξηγήσατο.
John 1:19Καὶ αὕτη ἐστὶν ἡ μαρτυρία τοῦ Ἰωάννου, ὅτε ἀπέστειλαν πρὸς αὐτὸν οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι ἐξ Ἱεροσολύμων, ἱερεῖς καὶ Λευίτας, ἵνα ἐρωτήσωσιν αὐτόν, Σὺ, τίς εἶ;
John 1:20καὶ ὡμολόγησεν καὶ οὐκ ἠρνήσατο, καὶ ὡμολόγησεν ὅτι, Ἐγὼ οὐκ εἰμὶ ὁ Χριστός.
John 1:21Καὶ ἠρώτησαν αὐτόν, Τί οὖν; σὺ Ἠλίας εἶ; Καὶ λέγει, Οὐκ εἰμί. Ὁ προφήτης εἶ σύ; Καὶ ἀπεκρίθη, Οὔ.
John 1:22Εἶπαν οὖν αὐτῷ, Τίς εἶ; ἵνα ἀπόκρισιν δῶμεν τοῖς πέμψασιν ἡμᾶς· τί λέγεις περὶ σεαυτοῦ;
John 1:23Ἔφη, Ἐγὼ φωνὴ βοῶντος ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ, Εὐθύνατε τὴν ὁδὸν Κυρίου, καθὼς εἶπεν Ἠσαΐας ὁ προφήτης.
John 1:24Καὶ ἀπεσταλμένοι ἦσαν ἐκ τῶν Φαρισαίων.
John 1:25καὶ ἠρώτησαν αὐτὸν καὶ εἶπαν αὐτῷ, Τί οὖν βαπτίζεις, εἰ σὺ οὐκ εἶ ὁ Χριστὸς, οὐδὲ Ἠλίας, οὐδὲ ὁ προφήτης;
John 1:26Ἀπεκρίθη αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰωάννης λέγων, Ἐγὼ βαπτίζω ἐν ὕδατι· μέσος ὑμῶν ἕστηκεν* ὃν ὑμεῖς οὐκ οἴδατε,
John 1:27ὁ ὀπίσω μου ἐρχόμενος, οὗ οὐκ εἰμὶ ἐγὼ ἄξιος ἵνα λύσω αὐτοῦ τὸν ἱμάντα τοῦ ὑποδήματος.
John 1:28Ταῦτα ἐν Βηθανίᾳ ἐγένετο, πέραν τοῦ Ἰορδάνου, ὅπου ἦν ὁ Ἰωάννης βαπτίζων.
John 1:29Τῇ ἐπαύριον βλέπει τὸν Ἰησοῦν ἐρχόμενον πρὸς αὐτόν καὶ λέγει, Ἴδε ὁ Ἀμνὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὁ αἴρων τὴν ἁμαρτίαν τοῦ κόσμου!
John 1:30οὗτός ἐστιν ὑπὲρ οὗ ἐγὼ εἶπον, Ὀπίσω μου ἔρχεται ἀνὴρ, ὃς ἔμπροσθέν μου γέγονεν, ὅτι πρῶτός μου ἦν.
John 1:31κἀγὼ οὐκ ᾔδειν αὐτόν· ἀλλ’ ἵνα φανερωθῇ τῷ Ἰσραὴλ, διὰ τοῦτο, ἦλθον ἐγὼ ἐν ὕδατι βαπτίζων.
John 1:32Καὶ ἐμαρτύρησεν Ἰωάννης λέγων ὅτι, Τεθέαμαι τὸ Πνεῦμα, καταβαῖνον ὡς περιστερὰν ἐξ οὐρανοῦ, καὶ ἔμεινεν ἐπ’ αὐτόν.
John 1:33κἀγὼ οὐκ ᾔδειν αὐτόν· ἀλλ’ ὁ πέμψας με βαπτίζειν ἐν ὕδατι, ἐκεῖνός μοι εἶπεν, Ἐφ’ ὃν ἂν ἴδῃς τὸ Πνεῦμα καταβαῖνον καὶ μένον ἐπ’ αὐτόν, οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ βαπτίζων ἐν Πνεύματι Ἁγίῳ.
John 1:34κἀγὼ ἑώρακα καὶ μεμαρτύρηκα ὅτι οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ.
John 1:35Τῇ ἐπαύριον πάλιν εἱστήκει ὁ Ἰωάννης, καὶ ἐκ τῶν μαθητῶν αὐτοῦ δύο.
John 1:36καὶ ἐμβλέψας τῷ Ἰησοῦ περιπατοῦντι, λέγει, Ἴδε ὁ Ἀμνὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ!
John 1:37καὶ ἤκουσαν οἱ δύο μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ λαλοῦντος, καὶ ἠκολούθησαν τῷ Ἰησοῦ.
John 1:38Στραφεὶς δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς, καὶ θεασάμενος αὐτοὺς ἀκολουθοῦντας, λέγει αὐτοῖς, Τί ζητεῖτε; Οἱ δὲ εἶπαν αὐτῷ, Ῥαββί ὃ λέγεται, μεθερμηνευόμενον, Διδάσκαλε— Ποῦ μένεις;
John 1:39Λέγει αὐτοῖς, Ἔρχεσθε καὶ ὄψεσθε. ἦλθαν οὖν καὶ εἶδαν ποῦ μένει· καὶ παρ’ αὐτῷ ἔμειναν τὴν ἡμέραν ἐκείνην. ὥρα ἦν ὡς δεκάτη.
John 1:40Ἦν Ἀνδρέας, ὁ ἀδελφὸς Σίμωνος Πέτρου, εἷς ἐκ τῶν δύο τῶν ἀκουσάντων παρὰ Ἰωάννου, καὶ ἀκολουθησάντων αὐτῷ.
John 1:41εὑρίσκει οὗτος πρῶτον τὸν ἀδελφὸν τὸν ἴδιον Σίμωνα, καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ, Εὑρήκαμεν τὸν Μεσσίαν, ὅ ἐστιν μεθερμηνευόμενον Χριστός.
John 1:42ἤγαγεν αὐτὸν πρὸς τὸν Ἰησοῦν. ἐμβλέψας αὐτῷ, ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν, Σὺ εἶ Σίμων ὁ υἱὸς Ἰωάννου· σὺ κληθήσῃ Κηφᾶς ὃ ἑρμηνεύεται Πέτρος.
John 1:43Τῇ ἐπαύριον ἠθέλησεν ἐξελθεῖν εἰς τὴν Γαλιλαίαν. καὶ εὑρίσκει Φίλιππον. καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς, Ἀκολούθει μοι.
John 1:44ἦν δὲ ὁ Φίλιππος ἀπὸ Βηθσαϊδά, ἐκ τῆς πόλεως Ἀνδρέου καὶ Πέτρου.
John 1:45Εὑρίσκει Φίλιππος τὸν Ναθαναὴλ καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ, Ὃν ἔγραψεν Μωϋσῆς ἐν τῷ νόμῳ, καὶ οἱ προφῆται, εὑρήκαμεν, Ἰησοῦν υἱὸν τοῦ Ἰωσὴφ, τὸν ἀπὸ Ναζαρέτ.
John 1:46Καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Ναθαναήλ, Ἐκ Ναζαρὲτ δύναταί τι ἀγαθὸν εἶναι; Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ Φίλιππος, Ἔρχου καὶ ἴδε.
John 1:47Εἶδεν ‹ὁ› Ἰησοῦς τὸν Ναθαναὴλ ἐρχόμενον πρὸς αὐτὸν, καὶ λέγει περὶ αὐτοῦ, Ἴδε ἀληθῶς Ἰσραηλίτης, ἐν ᾧ δόλος οὐκ ἔστιν.
John 1:48Λέγει αὐτῷ Ναθαναήλ, Πόθεν με γινώσκεις; Ἀπεκρίθη Ἰησοῦς καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ, Πρὸ τοῦ σε Φίλιππον φωνῆσαι, ὄντα ὑπὸ τὴν συκῆν, εἶδόν σε.
John 1:49Ἀπεκρίθη αὐτῷ Ναθαναήλ, Ῥαββί, σὺ εἶ ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ· σὺ Βασιλεὺς εἶ τοῦ Ἰσραήλ.
John 1:50Ἀπεκρίθη Ἰησοῦς καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ, Ὅτι εἶπόν σοι ὅτι εἶδόν σε ὑποκάτω τῆς συκῆς, πιστεύεις; μείζω τούτων ὄψῃ.
John 1:51καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ, Ἀμὴν, ἀμὴν, λέγω ὑμῖν, ὄψεσθε τὸν οὐρανὸν ἀνεῳγότα καὶ τοὺς ἀγγέλους τοῦ Θεοῦ ἀναβαίνοντας καὶ καταβαίνοντας ἐπὶ τὸν Υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου.