1 John 1
What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we beheld and our hands touched — the relative is neuter four times, a ‘what’ and not a ‘whom’, and the text does not say what. vv.1-3 are one sentence: v.1 breaks off at ‘concerning the word of life’, the whole of v.2 comes between, and v.3 picks it up again. ‘From the beginning’ takes up John 1:1, though the phrase differs and the two places are rendered apart. Four verbs of sense make a rising order, and the first two are perfect — a hearing and a seeing that still stand. The life was manifested, and we have seen and bear witness and report the eternal life — ‘which was toward the Father’ is built like ‘was toward God’ at John 1:1. So that you too may have fellowship with us; and our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son. We write these things so that our joy may be filled full. This is the message we have heard and report: God is light, and in him there is no darkness at all. The predicate has no article, the place of John 1:1, and the ‘darkness’ of v.5 and the ‘dark’ of v.6 are the two words divided at Matt 4. The verb of vv.2-3 and the verb of v.5 are different lemmas, and this edition renders both ‘report’ — recorded as a loss. vv.6-10 weave five ‘if we say’ clauses: vv.6, 8 and 10 are false claims, vv.7 and 9 the true walk. If we claim fellowship while walking in the dark we lie and are not ‘doing the truth’ — the phrase of John 3:21. If we walk in the light we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from every sin. If we say we have no sin we deceive ourselves — active, so ‘deceive’, a different place from the passive ‘be led astray’. If we confess our sins he is faithful and righteous, so that he may forgive and cleanse — whether that ἵνα is purpose or result is not said, so it is not closed. If we say we have not sinned we make him a liar — the word that names the slanderer at John 8:44 is here laid on God. v.8 has a singular noun and v.10 a perfect verb, so sin one has is divided from sin one has done, and the two verses pair: ‘the truth is not in us’, ‘his word is not in us’.
Why this rendering
1John.1.4 Observation
Syntactic observation
Ὃ ἦν ἀπ’ ἀρχῆς, ὃ ἀκηκόαμεν … the relative ὅ comes four times and is neuter — a ‘what’, not a ‘whom’, and the text does not say what · vv.1-3 are one sentence whose main clause comes only at v.3 — v.1 breaks off at ‘concerning the word of life’ and the whole of v.2 comes between · ἀπ’ ἀρχῆς ‘from the beginning’ takes up ἐν ἀρχῇ at John 1:1 — this edition renders John 1:1 ‘in the beginning of all’, so the two places differ · four verbs of sense make a rising order — heard, seen (perfect), beheld (aorist), touched · ἀκηκόαμεν and ἑωράκαμεν are perfect, a hearing and a seeing that still stand · φανερόω ‘be manifested’ comes twice at v.2 · ἦν πρὸς τὸν πατέρα is built like ἦν πρὸς τὸν θεόν at John 1:1 · ⸀ἡμεῖς sets the subject out on its own · πεπληρωμένη is perfect passive.
Rendering options · 3
Basis The text does not use a form for a person — ‘him’ would close what it leaves open.
Basis The text breaks off, sets the whole of v.2 between, and picks up again at v.3.
Basis John 1:1 was rendered otherwise; this is a different phrase and one this letter keeps returning to.
Lost in translation
Four neuter ὅ (v.1) — a ‘what’, not a ‘whom’. Both leave it unfilled.
One sentence (vv.1-3) — the main clause only at v.3. Both render the break.
Two perfects (v.1) — a hearing and seeing that still stand. English keeps the perfect.
ἀπ’ ἀρχῆς (v.1) — taking up the phrase of John 1:1. Both differ from John 1:1.
Four verbs of sense (v.1). Both keep the four apart.
ἦν πρὸς τὸν πατέρα (v.2) — built like John 1:1. Both keep ‘toward’.
Why this rendering
1John.1.7 Observation
Syntactic observation
Καὶ ἔστιν αὕτη ἡ ἀγγελία ἣν ἀκηκόαμεν ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ … ἀγγελία ‘message’ stands only at 1:5 and 3:11, a noun of the ἀγγέλλω family · ἀπαγγέλλω at vv.2-3 and ἀναγγέλλω at v.5 are different lemmas, and this edition renders both ‘report’ — recorded as a loss · ὁ θεὸς φῶς ἐστιν has no article on the predicate, the place of θεὸς ἦν ὁ λόγος at John 1:1 · σκοτία ‘darkness’ at v.5 and σκότος ‘the dark’ at v.6 are two words, as this edition divided them at Matt 4 · οὐδεμία makes a double negative · vv.6-10 weave five ‘if we say’ clauses, three and two — vv.6, 8 and 10 are false claims, vv.7 and 9 the true walk · ποιεῖν τὴν ἀλήθειαν ‘do the truth’ is the phrase of John 3:21 · περιπατέω ‘walk’ faces itself at vv.6 and 7.
Rendering options · 3
Basis v.5 has σκοτία and v.6 σκότος, as divided at Matt 4.
Basis It is the phrase of John 3:21.
Basis ἀγγελία shares a root with ἀναγγέλλω and stands with it in one verse.
Lost in translation
σκοτία / σκότος (vv.5 · 6) — two words in a row. Both keep them apart.
ἀπαγγέλλω / ἀναγγέλλω (vv.2-3 · 5) — different lemmas, and both locales use one word.
ἀγγελία / ἀναγγέλλω (v.5) — one root in one verse. English keeps ‘message’ apart from ‘report’.
The predicate with no article (v.5) — the place of John 1:1. English drops the article and keeps it.
The double negative (v.5). Both negate only once.
ποιεῖν τὴν ἀλήθειαν (v.6) — the phrase of John 3:21. Both stand alike.
Why this rendering
1John.1.10 Observation
Syntactic observation
ἐὰν εἴπωμεν ὅτι ἁμαρτίαν οὐκ ἔχομεν, ἑαυτοὺς πλανῶμεν … v.8 has ἁμαρτίαν singular and v.10 ἡμαρτήκαμεν perfect — sin one has against sin one has done · πλανάω is active, so ‘deceive’ (as fixed at Matt 24:4), not the passive ‘be led astray’ · whether the ἵνα of v.9 is purpose or result the text does not say — rendered so as not to close it · ἀφῇ and καθαρίσῃ hang on the same ἵνα · καθαρίζω ‘cleanse’ comes at vv.7 and 9 — the blood from sin, he from unrighteousness · ψεύστης ‘liar’ is the word of John 8:44, where it names the slanderer; here God is made one · the three false claims of vv.6, 8 and 10 grow heavier — lying, self-deceiving, making God a liar · v.10 closes with ‘his word is not in us’, paired with ‘the truth is not in us’ at v.8.
Rendering options · 3
Basis At Matt 24:4 the active is ‘deceive’ and the passive ‘be led astray’; here it is active with a reflexive object.
Basis Purpose or result the text does not say.
Basis v.8 is a singular noun and v.10 a perfect verb — one wording would merge the two claims.
Lost in translation
Singular ἁμαρτίαν / perfect ἡμαρτήκαμεν (vv.8 · 10). Both keep them apart.
πλανάω active (v.8) — a different place from the passive. Both render the active.
ἵνα (v.9) — purpose or result is not said. Both leave it open.
καθαρίζω twice (vv.7 · 9). Both keep one word.
ψεύστης (v.10) — the word of John 8:44. Both stand alike.
The closes of vv.8 and 10 — ‘the truth in us’ paired with ‘his word in us’. Both match the shape.