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“As Moses lifted up the serpent [the serpent made of bronze described in Numbers 21:8–9] in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that whosoever believes in Him will have eternal life, for God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten [uniquely born] Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
“…for by grace you are saved through faith and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not as a result of works, lest any man should boast.”
Above is the content of John 3:14–16 and the content of Ephesians 2:8–9, respectively. Itʼs worthwhile to refrain from receiving the mark referenced in Revelation 13:11–18 and to instead receive eternal life for free by believing that Jesus is the Savior. Before doing any Bible studying and before praying to God the Father, it is useful for a person who has believed in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Savior to try to think of any sins that one might have committed since one last confessed oneʼs known post-salvation sins to God the Father, and if one has indeed committed any, to then silently confess those sins to God the Father—confessing only one time for each sin—in accordance with what is mentioned in 1 John 1:9:
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
This webpage could be periodically updated. If there is a mass disappearance of people professing to be Christians, and if the original author of this webpage is amongst those people disappearing en masse, then it is possible that this webpage will no longer be updated. Also, if there is a mass disappearance of people professing to be Christians, it is worthwhile to consider the possibility that those people have exited from the earth on the occasion known as the Rapture instead of assuming that that mass disappearance involves extraterrestrials abducting those people or involves the annihilation of those people or involves anything else other than the Rapture.
Below are links related to archived copies of this webpage.
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web.archive.org/*/John314-16.com/John_1-12–13_and_the_Other_Verses_of_John_1-1–18-Print_Version.html
Also, it is possible that it is worthwhile to print this content in case of time periods involving lack of Internet connectivity.
When studying the Word of God, it is beneficial to keep in mind the content of Hebrews 4:12:
“Indeed, the Word of God is alive and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of the soul and the spirit and of the joints and the marrow and is a critic of thoughts and intents of the heart.”
Note: The heart refers to the mind.
It is also beneficial to keep in mind the content of 2 Timothy 3:16–17 when studying the Word of God:
“All Scripture is God breathed and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God might be mature, having been thoroughly furnished unto all good work.”
It is the responsibility of a pastor-teacher to endeavor to correctly understand the Word of God and then to accurately teach the Word of God, as per the content of 2 Timothy 2:15:
“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the Word of Truth.”
A pastor-teacher is a communicator rather than a crutch on which to be leaned. In that regard, a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ should refrain from putting oneʼs trust in and thereby serving as a devoted follower of and thus worshiping a pastor-teacher. Likewise, a believer should refrain from putting oneʼs trust in and thereby serving as a devoted follower of and thus worshiping anyone other than the Trinity [God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit], as per Joshua 24:15, the content of which references Joshua speaking to the Israelites:
If it is disagreeable/bad/evil/wrong/wretchedness/displeasing in your sight to serve/worship Jehovah / Yahweh / I am I am / the existing One, choose for yourselves today whom you serve/worship: whether the gods ['elohiym / false gods] which your fathers have served/worshiped which were beyond the river or the gods ['elohiym / false gods] of the Amorites in whose land you are living. As for me and my house, we serve/worship Jehovah / Yahweh / I am I am / the existing One.
Note: Joshua, the leader of the Israelites after Joshua had been serving as the assistant of Moses while Moses was the leader of the Israelites, set the example for the Israelites. Joshua chose to put his trust in and thereby serve as a devoted follower of and thus worship God the Father rather than Joshua choosing to put his trust in and thereby serve as a devoted follower of and thus worship the lesser of multiple evils amongst multiple choices of 'elohiym [el-oh-HEEM]. The word 'elohiym with a lowercase e can refer to false gods, to angels, or to human rulers or judges. The word 'Elohiym with a capital E refers to the Trinity. The word 'elohiym can also be used to refer to might as in mightiness. In that regard, the use of the word 'elohiym in reference to false gods, to angels, or to human rulers or judges involves the connotation of mightiness in comparison to an average human. When a person puts oneʼs trust in and thereby serves as a devoted follower of and thus worships an angel or human, that angel or human is that personʼs false god. Regarding the foregoing, the content of Joshua 24:15 involves Joshua calling attention to the choices that the Israelites had, and that content involves Joshua permitting the Israelites to make their choices while Joshua led by example with his choice.
The gift of pastor-teacher is for the purpose of each pastor-teacher functioning as a messenger who communicates the Word of God rather than functioning as a priest between the Trinity and mankind. In that regard, the time period that can be referred to as the Church Age started fifty days after the Lord Jesus Christ was resurrected, and all Church Age believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are priests. The Lord Jesus Christ is the High Priest of Church Age believers, and believers should be willing to acknowledge/confess/profess to people the believersʼ faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, as per Hebrews 4:14–15:
Therefore, since we have a great High Priest Who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast the acknowledgment/confession/profession. Indeed, we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One Who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.
Also, the Lord Jesus Christ is the High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek [mel-KIZ-uh-dek], who was the ruler of Salem when Abraham was still named Abram. Melchizedek was both a king and a priest, as per Genesis 14:18, which references Melchizedek greeting Abram:
Then Melchizedek king of Salem has brought out bread and wine, and he is a priest of 'El [AYL] 'Elyown [el-YOHN] / God [focusing on God the Fatherʼs power] Most High.
The Lord Jesus Christ is also both a king and a priest because the Lord is the Priest according to the order of Melchizedek, as per Hebrews 7:14–17:
Indeed, it is evident that our Lord has arisen from Judah, a tribe with reference to which Moses spoke nothing concerning priests. Also, it is still much more evident: that according to the similarity of Melchizedek, Another of a different type of priest arises, Who has become such not on the basis of a law of fleshly command / physical requirement but according to the power of an indestructible life. Indeed, it is attested: “YOU ARE A PRIEST FOREVER, ACCORDING TO THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK.”
Note: The Lord Jesus Christ is from the tribe of Judah. Also, the Lord Jesus Christ is qualified to be a priest because He was resurrected and therefore has an indestructible body. The above content in all capital letters is a reference to Psalm 110:4.
Because a king is royalty, a king who is a priest is a royal priest. In that regard, Church Age believers are royalty because they are members of the Lord Jesus Christʼs family. Therefore, all Church Age believers are royal priests, as per 1 Peter 2:9–10:
However, you are A CHOSEN PEOPLE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR ACQUISITION/PRESERVATION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him Who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light, for you once were NOT A PEOPLE, but now you are GODʼS PEOPLE. You had NOT RECEIVED MERCY, but now you have RECEIVED MERCY.
Note: Before the Church Age, Gentiles were not Godʼs people. In the Church Age, both Jewish and Gentile believers are Godʼs people. The content of 1 Peter 2:10 references Hosea 2:23. In that regard, Peter uses references involving Israel in the Old Testament to refer to Church Age believers.
Itʼs the message rather than the messenger that should be the focus of the believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. Put succinctly: itʼs the message rather than the messenger. In that regard, it is beneficial to keep in mind the content of Revelation 22:8–9, which was written by the apostle John, who, in addition to writing The Revelation to John, wrote The Gospel According to John, The First Epistle of John, The Second Epistle of John, and The Third Epistle of John:
I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things, and when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed me these things, but he says* to me, “Do not do that. I am a fellow servant of yours and of your brethren the prophets and of those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.”
*Note: The word says is in the Greek historical present tense. By means of the Greek historical present tense, past action or future action can be described from the perspective of someone seeing the action as it occurs.
Regarding messages, believers should use the Word of God to examine what is being communicated. That is what the Bereans who are mentioned in Acts 17:10–12 did:
The brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, who, when they arrived, went into the synagogue of the Jews. Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, who received the word with all eagerness / readiness of mind, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so. Therefore, many of them believed, and not a few prominent Greek women and men.
Note: The phrase not a few means “quite a few.”
Today, the return of the Lord Jesus Christ to meet believers in the Lord Jesus Christ in the clouds on the occasion of the Rapture is one day closer than it was yesterday. The Rapture involves both deceased and living believers in the Lord Jesus Christ meeting the Lord in the clouds in the atmosphere of the earth, receiving glorified immortal resurrection bodies similar to the Lord Jesus Christʼs glorified resurrection body, and going to Heaven with those resurrection bodies. Before the Rapture occurs, deceased believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are in Heaven without glorified bodies. While it is possible that the Rapture will occur on the day of the Feast of Trumpets / Yom Teruah [yahm tuh-ROO-uh or yohm tuh-ROO-uh]—which is what some people call Rosh Hashanah and which some people celebrate for two days—the next occurrence of which will possibly be during August, September, or October of 2026, it is worthwhile for believers in the Lord Jesus Christ to get into the habit of being prepared every day for the return of the Lord, just in case the Rapture will occur on a day other than the day of the Feast of Trumpets / Yom Teruah. Furthermore, it is worthwhile to be in the habit of being prepared for the Rapture so that if it does occur on the day of the Feast of Trumpets / Yom Teruah, one can be prepared for that day because of already being in the habit of being prepared. Examples of being prepared for the Rapture include applying the content of 1 John 1:9 whenever one sins, being unselfish, and whenever circumstances are such that an opportunity arises, sharing the gospel—the good news that believing that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Savior Who was judged on the cross for the sins of humanity is the means by which a person is able to have eternal life. Regarding sharing the gospel, one could also have a written or printed message containing the gospel with that written or printed message located somewhere where it could be easily noticed so that if a person or people were to read or hear that written or printed message either before or after the Rapture occurs, that person or people would thereby read or hear the gospel by means of that written or printed message.
Regarding information about the Rapture, it is beneficial to keep in mind the content of 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 and 1 Corinthians 15:51–52:
1 Thessalonians 4:13–18
Now we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope, for if we believe that Jesus died and rose again—and we do indeed believe that Jesus died and rose again—so also God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep through Jesus. Indeed, this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive who remain until the coming of the Lord will not precede those who have fallen asleep, for the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout of command, with a voice of an archangel and with a trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive who remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore, comfort one another with these words.
1 Corinthians 15:51–52
Behold, I tell you a mystery: we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in a twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet, for a trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we will be changed.
After the Rapture will be the seven-year Tribulation. The believers who will be alive on the earth when the Rapture occurs will escape the Tribulation. 1 Thessalonians 5:1–11 covers that topic. In that regard, in the book 1 Thessalonians, the content of 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 is immediately followed by the content of 1 Thessalonians 5:1–11.
1 Thessalonians 5:1–11
Now as to the times and the epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you, for you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord is coming just like a thief in the night. While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape. However, you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief, for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness; therefore, let us not sleep as others, but let us be alert and sober. Indeed, those who sleep do their sleeping at night, and those who get drunk get drunk at night. However, since we are of day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and benevolence/goodwill, and as a helmet, the hope / absolute confidence of deliverance, for God has not destined us for wrath but for obtaining deliverance through our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him. Therefore, comfort one another and edify one another, just as you also are doing.
Note: In this context, the day of the Lord is the time period that consists of the Rapture, the seven years of the Tribulation, and the Second Advent. In that regard, deliverance from the Tribulation is the deliverance in this context. Also, unspecified is who will be saying “Peace and safety!” In this context, sleeping refers to a lack of alertness. The alertness in this context involves being ready for the Rapture. In order to be ready for the Rapture, a believer needs to be filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit and to pay attention for historical trends such as people saying “Peace and safety!” and for historical trends that match the pattern of the world being on the brink of tremendous calamities like those that will occur during the Tribulation. Regarding being filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit, once a believer commits a sin after salvation, that believer is no longer filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit and is out of fellowship with the Trinity. After that believer has confessed/acknowledged to God the Father all of that believerʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins, fellowship with the Trinity and the filling with the power of the Holy Spirit are restored. The procedure for confessing/acknowledging to God the Father all of oneʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins is mentioned in 1 John 1:9: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Fellowship with God the Father and God the Son is mentioned in 1 John 1. Being out of fellowship with God the Holy Spirit is referenced in Ephesians 4:30. In that regard, when a believer sins, that believer grieves the Holy Spirit. Losing the filling of the power of God the Holy Spirit is referenced in 1 Thessalonians 5:19. In that regard, when a believer sins, the power of God the Holy Spirit is quenched in that believer. After a believer has confessed/acknowledged to God the Father all of that believerʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins, that believer is then filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit again and in fellowship with the Trinity again.
The verses of the day for July 31st are John 1:12–13. The title of the book John is also known as “The Gospel According to John.” The book John was written by the apostle John. He also wrote The First Epistle of John, The Second Epistle of John, The Third Epistle of John, and The Revelation to John. Because it is useful to study verses in the context of the verses around them, below is content related to John 1:1–18.
John 1:1
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Note: The three instances of Word with a capital W in John 1:1 refer to God the Son. The first instance of the word God in this verse refers to God the Father. The second instance of the word God in this verse refers to God the Son.
In English, the articles are a, an, and the. The articles a and an are indefinite articles, and the article the is a definite article. In English, to emphasize a noun, the definite article before that noun is pronounced THEE regardless of whether the word after the definite article starts with a vowel sound or a consonant sound. When a noun is not being emphasized in English, the definite article before that noun is pronounced THEE when the word after the definite article starts with a vowel sound and is pronounced THUH when the word after the definite article starts with a consonant sound.
In Koine [KOI-nay] Greek, the definite article can be used in front of a proper noun—in other words, in front of a noun that is a name of someone or something. In English, a proper noun is used without a definite article. In that regard, whereas the Koine Greek phrase τὸν Θεόν [pronounced TAHN theh-AHN and transliterated as ton Theon] in John 1:1 involves the Koine Greek definite article τὸν [TAHN] and the Koine Greek noun Θεόν [theh-AHN], the phrase τὸν Θεόν can be translated into English as “God” without a definite article because the noun God in John 1:1 is a proper noun. In English, a proper noun is also used without an indefinite article.
There is an absence of a definite article in front of the second instance of the Koine Greek noun that is translated as “God” in this verse. In that regard, the second instance of the word God in the above content of John 1:1 is a translation of the Koine Greek noun Θεὸς [pronounced theh-AHS and transliterated as Theos]. That noun is an inflected form of the root word θεός [pronounced theh-AHS and transliterated as theos]. The absence of a definite article in front of a noun is known as an anarthrous construction [an-AR-thruhs kuhn-STRUHK-shuhn]. When there is an anarthrous construction, the quality of the noun is what is being emphasized in the grammar of the Koine Greek. In that regard, the anarthrous construction involving the Koine Greek noun Θεὸς [theh-AHS] in John 1:1 calls attention to the Lord Jesus Christ having the same quality as God the Father. Regarding the foregoing, rather than the phrase the Word was God indicating that the Lord Jesus Christ is God the Father, that phrase indicates that the Lord Jesus Christ and God the Father have the same essence—that is, They have the same characteristics.
Members of the Watchtower Society—the organization consisting of people who claim that they are witnesses for Jehovah—adhere to a mistranslation of the anarthrous construction that is in John 1:1. That mistranslation involves putting the word a in front of the word God and changing the capital G of the word God to a lowercase g. The Watchtower Society uses the word God with a capital G in the translations of some other verses that have anarthrous constructions, including some other verses in John 1:1–18. In that regard, the Watchtower Societyʼs translation of the anarthrous construction that is in John 1:1 is inconsistent with the Watchtower Societyʼs translation of the anarthrous constructions in other verses. This information is shared to help people refrain from falling prey to the deceptions that are in the Watchtower Societyʼs mistranslations of the Bible. It is possible that some Watchtower Society members are too proud of themselves to admit that the Watchtower Societyʼs translation of the anarthrous construction that is in John 1:1 is inconsistent with the Watchtower Societyʼs translation of the anarthrous constructions in other verses.
Below is a list of verses in John 1:1–18 that contain one or more inflected forms of the root word θεός [theh-AHS]. Some of those instances of inflected forms of the root word θεός have a definite article associated with them. Some of those instances of inflected forms of the root word θεός do not have a definite article associated with them. For each of those instances that have a definite article associated with them, the definite article is shown in front of the inflected form of θεός. For each of those instances that do not have a definite article associated with them, the phrase an anarthrous construction is after the pronunciation guide that follows the inflected form of θεός.
Verse 1: τὸν Θεόν [TAHN theh-AHN]
Verse 1: Θεὸς [theh-AHS] [an anarthrous construction]
Verse 2: τὸν Θεόν [TAHN theh-AHN]
Verse 6: Θεοῦ [theh-OO] [an anarthrous construction]
Verse 12: Θεοῦ [theh-OO] [an anarthrous construction]
Verse 13: Θεοῦ [theh-OO] [an anarthrous construction]
Verse 18: Θεὸν [theh-AHN] [an anarthrous construction]
Verse 18: Θεὸς [theh-AHS] [an anarthrous construction]
Below is a list of the Watchtower Societyʼs translations of inflected forms of the root word Θεός [theh-AHS] and any associated definite articles in John 1:1–18.
Verse 1: God
Verse 1: a god
Verse 2: God
Verse 6: God
Verse 12: Godʼs
Verse 13: God
Verse 18: God
Verse 18: god
It can be seen that for inflected forms of θεός [theh-AHS] that do not have a definite article associated with them in verses 1 and 18, the Watchtower Societyʼs translations involve the word god with a lowercase g. In contrast, for inflected forms of θεός [theh-AHS] that do not have a definite article associated with them in verses 6, 12, 13, and 18, the Watchtower Societyʼs translations involve either the word God with a capital G or the word Godʼs with a capital G. That is inconsistent. In verse 18, there is even such inconsistency in the same verse.
Just as the Watchtower Societyʼs translation of John 1 involves inconsistent translations in different verses, so also the Mormon Churchʼs translation of John 1 involves inconsistent translations in different verses. In that regard, the Mormon Churchʼs translation of John 1:1 contains English words that are translations of Koine Greek words that are absent from the Koine Greek content of John 1:1. The English words that are in the Mormon Churchʼs translation of John 1:1 and are translations of Koine Greek words that are absent from the Koine Greek content of John 1:1 result in the Mormon Churchʼs translation of John 1:1 indicating that the Lord Jesus Christ is not the Word, whereas the Mormon Churchʼs translation of John 1:14 refers to the Lord Jesus Christ as the Word. In that regard, the content of the Mormon Churchʼs translation of John 1:1 contradicts the content of the Mormon Churchʼs translation of John 1:14. It is important to be aware of those inconsistent translations in the Mormon Churchʼs translation of John 1 because the members of the Mormon Church have been taught that the translator of the Mormon Churchʼs translation of the Bible had a supernatural ability to translate. The fact that English words that are in the Mormon Churchʼs translation of John 1:1 and are translations of Koine Greek words that are absent from the Koine Greek content of John 1:1 is an indication that the translator of the Mormon Churchʼs translation of the Bible lacked a supernatural ability to translate. Likewise, the fact that the content of the Mormon Churchʼs translation of John 1:1 contradicts the content of the Mormon Churchʼs translation of John 1:14 is an indication that the translator of the Mormon Churchʼs translation of the Bible lacked a supernatural ability to translate.
Not only are the inconsistencies of the Watchtower Societyʼs translation of Koine Greek content in verses in John 1 and the inconsistencies of the Mormon Churchʼs translation of Koine Greek content in verses in John 1 indications that the Watchtower Societyʼs translation of John 1:1 and the Mormon Churchʼs translation of John 1:1 are mistranslations, but also the content of John 20:27–29 shows that the Watchtower Societyʼs translation of John 1:1 and the Mormon Churchʼs translation of John 1:1 are mistranslations. In that regard, the Watchtower Societyʼs translation of John 1:1 and the Mormon Churchʼs translation of John 1:1 convey the false notion that the Lord Jesus Christ is something other than a Member of the Trinity. In contrast, the content of John 20:28 involves the disciple Thomas referring to the Lord Jesus Christ as God, and the content of John 20:29 involves the Lord Jesus Christ refraining from correcting Thomas for referring to the Lord Jesus Christ as God. Below is content related to John 20:27–29. The words of the Lord Jesus Christ are in red.
Note: In the below content of John 20:27, the pronoun He refers to the Lord Jesus Christ.
John 20:27
Then He says* to Thomas, “Reach here with your finger and see My hands, and reach here your hand and put it into My side, and do not be unbelieving but believing.”
*Note: The word says is in the Greek historical present tense. In that regard, past action is being described in this verse. In this verse, the Lord Jesus Christ refers to the wounds that He received while He was on the cross.
John 20:28
Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”
John 20:29
Jesus says* to him, “Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see and believed.”
*Note: The word says is in the Greek historical present tense. Absent from the content of this verse is anything involving the Lord Jesus Christ correcting Thomas for referring to the Lord Jesus Christ as God.
Regarding Watchtower Society people claiming that they are witnesses for Jehovah, all believers in the Lord Jesus Christ witness for God the Father, and that witnessing is done by means of both word and deed. Regarding witnessing by means of word, a believer can witness by sharing the gospel—the good news that believing that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Savior Who was judged on the cross for the sins of humanity is the means by which a person is able to have eternal life. Regarding witnessing by means of deed, believers are examples for angels and mankind to see.
Regarding Watchtower Society people referring to God the Father as Jehovah [juh-HOH-vuh], the Bible contains various words that refer to God the Father. As mentioned further above in these notes for John 1:1, the two instances of Koine Greek nouns that are translated as “God” in John 1:1 are inflected forms of the root word θεός [pronounced theh-AHS and transliterated as theos]. The first instance of an inflected form of θεός in John 1:1 is Θεόν [pronounced theh-AHN and transliterated as Theon]. That first instance of an inflected form of θεός in John 1:1 is used by John to refer to God the Father. The second instance of an inflected form of θεός in John 1:1 is Θεὸς [pronounced theh-AHS and transliterated as Theos]. That second instance of an inflected form of θεός in John 1:1 is used by John to refer to God the Son.
Regarding the English word Jehovah that is used in reference to God the Father, that word is derived from a Hebrew noun that is in the Old Testament. That Hebrew noun is יְהֹוָה [which can be pronounced various ways, such as yeh-hoh-VAH, yah-WEH, and yhoh-WAH, and can be transliterated various ways, such as Yehovah, Jehovah, Yahweh, Yehowah, and YHWH]. (Hebrew is written and read from right to left.) Some commonly used English transliterations of יְהֹוָה include Jehovah [juh-HOH-vuh] and Yahweh [YAH-weh].
The word יְהֹוָה can be translated into English as “I am I am” or “the existing One.” Those translations call attention to the eternal existence of God the Father. In that regard, God the Father has always existed, and He will always exist.
Regarding Hebrew pronunciation, the ancient Hebrew words in the Old Testament manuscripts that have thus far been found have consonants and lack vowels. Because the ancient Hebrew words in the Old Testament manuscripts that have thus far been found lack vowels, there are various approximations of the pronunciation of the vowel sounds of those ancient Hebrew words. Regarding consonants in ancient Hebrew words, the consonant that is transliterated as J or Y makes the sound that the English letter Y makes when that English letter is used as a consonant. In that regard, if a Watchtower Society member or any other person claims that the proper way to refer to God the Father is by means of the pronunciation juh-HOH-vuh, the person making that claim is mistaken because the way that the first consonant of the word יְהֹוָה would be pronounced in ancient Hebrew is with the sound that the English letter Y makes when that English letter is used as a consonant. Also, if a Watchtower Society member or any other person claims that the proper way to spell the word יְהֹוָה in English is Jehovah, the person making that claim is mistaken because there is nothing in the Bible indicating how the word יְהֹוָה is supposed to be transliterated into English. If a believer ever encounters a person making false claims about how to pronounce the word יְהֹוָה or how to spell the word יְהֹוָה in English, that believer should refrain from arguing with the person making the false claim, and that believer should instead share the gospel with that person.
Regarding the transliteration YHWH of the word יְהֹוָה, that transliteration involves transliterating only consonants without any vowels. Also, that transliterated word is known as the Tetragrammaton [teht-ruh-GRAM-uh-tahn]. While there is an absence of anything in the Old Testament or the New Testament indicating that the word יְהֹוָה is too sacred to pronounce, some ancient Israelites considered it too sacred to pronounce. The ancient Israelites who considered יְהֹוָה as being too sacred to pronounce would substitute a different word for יְהֹוָה. The word that they substituted was אֲדֹנָי [pronounced add-oh-NIGH and can be transliterated as 'Adonay]. The word 'Adonay can be translated as “Lord.”
Some English translations of יְהֹוָה involve the word LORD with all capital letters. Also, in the Koine Greek of the New Testament, where there are references to Old Testament content containing the word יְהֹוָה, the Koine Greek noun that can be translated as “Lord” is used. That Koine Greek noun is Κύριος [pronounced KOO-ree-ahs and transliterated as Kyrios].
The Watchtower Societyʼs translation of the New Testament has the word Jehovah as the translation of Κύριος. That is an incorrect translation. In that regard, the Hebrew word from which the English word Jehovah is derived is יְהֹוָה. The Hebrew word יְהֹוָה can be translated into English as “I am I am” or “the existing One.” In contrast, the Koine Greek word Κύριος can be translated as “Lord” or “Sir.”
In addition to some people substituting אֲדֹנָי [add-oh-NIGH] for יְהֹוָה [yeh-hoh-VAH / yah-WEH / yhoh-WAH], some people substitute the word G-d for the word God. Absent from the Bible is anything indicating that the word G-d should be substituted for the word God. Doing such substitution is a tradition of men rather than being part of the Word of God.
Some of the people who claim that the proper way to refer to God the Father is by means of the pronunciation juh-HOH-vuh might behave in a sanctimonious manner—in other words, they might act as though they are morally superior. Such people exhibit a façade of righteousness. Such people also exhibit façades in other ways. In that regard, members of the Watchtower Society might seem happy, but such people are actually miserable. That organization involves a façade of friendliness exhibited by its members when in reality the Watchtower Society involves members of that organization emotionally abusing other members. Also, the Watchtower Society has a hierarchical structure involving members in that organization lording themselves over other members. It is worthwhile to be magnanimous towards such people.
Regarding being magnanimous towards Watchtower Society members and other such people, it is worthwhile to share the gospel with them without arguing with them. Below are verses that are worthwhile to share with such people. Below those verses is information related to the Genesis 3 narrative involving the fact that the fig-leaf garments made by Adam and Eve were inadequate teaches that good works are unable to provide eternal life for a person. Those verses and that Genesis 3 narrative are also worthwhile to share with members of the Mormon Church, members of the Roman Church, members of eastern churches (the ones that refer to themselves as Orthodox with a capital O), and other such people who try to use their good works to get to Heaven. Also, it is worthwhile to do that sharing without arguing.
John 3:14–16
As Moses lifted up the serpent [the serpent made of bronze described in Numbers 21:8–9] in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that whosoever believes in Him will have eternal life, for God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten [uniquely born] Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.
Ephesians 2:8–9
…for by grace you are saved through faith and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not as a result of works, lest any man should boast.
Isaiah 64:6
However, all of us are like an unclean thing, and all our righteous deeds are like filthy rags / menstrual rags. All of us wither like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.
Note: The Hebrew word translated as “filthy” or “menstrual” in Isaiah 64:6 is עִדִּים [pronounced eed-DEEM and can be transliterated as `iddiym], which is an inflected form of the root word עִדָּה [pronounced eed-DAH and can be transliterated as `iddah]. (Hebrew is written and read from right to left.) The Hebrew word `iddah refers to something filthy in the sense of being soiled by menstrual flux—in other words, soiled by menses, which is blood and other matter that is discharged from the uterus of a woman during menstruation. The Hebrew word translated as “rags” in Isaiah 64:6 is בֶגֶד [pronounced VEHG-ed and can be transliterated as veged], which is an inflected form of the root word בֶּגֶד [pronounced BEHG-ed and can be transliterated as beged]. Regarding the content of Isaiah 64:6 containing the phrase `iddiym veged, the content of that verse indicates that in comparison to the righteousness of the Trinity, the righteousness of mankind is yuck, yuck, yuck!
The content of Genesis 3 involves references to garments consisting of animal skin, and one or more animals had to be slain in order for there to be those garments consisting of animal skin. Regarding the content of Genesis 3, the contrast between the man-made garments consisting of fig leaves that are referenced in Genesis 3:7 and the garments consisting of animal skin that are referenced in Genesis 3:21 calls attention to the helplessness of people to provide eternal life for themselves. In that regard, the reference to garments of skin in Genesis 3:21 calls attention to the fact that the Savior would later be judged for the sake of the rest of humanity, which is analogous to an animal or animals dying so that the garments of skin could be provided. The fact that the man-made garments consisting of fig leaves were inadequate in contrast with the garments consisting of animal skin indicates that the means of obtaining eternal life has zero dependence on the works of the person being saved. Any notion involving works for getting to Heaven contradicts the message of Genesis 3. Therefore, any notion involving works for getting to Heaven is a false notion, and the fact that such a notion is false is shown very near the beginning of the Bible.
Satan is clever in his deceptions, using a playbook with different variations for different groups of people. In that regard, the Roman Church, the eastern churches, the Mormon Church, the Watchtower Society, and other organizations have variations of deceptions that involve rejecting the message found in Genesis 3. That chapter of the Bible has a clear message about works being unable to provide eternal life for people. The various organizations that reject the message found in Genesis 3 have various doctrines that are distractions from the message found in Genesis 3. In that regard, what the Roman Church is involved in is an elaborate fantasy. The same applies to the eastern churches, the Mormon Church, the Watchtower Society, and other such organizations.
The content of John 1:1 is repeated below for reference.
John 1:1
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John 1:2
This One was in the beginning with God.
Note: God the Son existed in eternity past with God the Father.
John 1:3
All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.
Note: God the Son is the Member of the Trinity Who created the universe. In that regard, each Member of the Trinity performs a different role. Regarding the roles of the Members of the Trinity, God the Father does the planning, God the Son executes the plan, and God the Holy Spirit reveals the plan. The Lord Jesus Christ is God the Son.
Also, the word other is absent from this verse. In addition, the name Michael is absent from John 1. In that regard, members of the Watchtower Society believe that Michael the archangel is the Lord Jesus Christ. Regarding the Lord Jesus Christ and Michael the archangel, the fact that they are two different persons is revealed in the content of Matthew 4:10 and Jude 1:9. In that regard, the content of Matthew 4:10 indicates that the Lord Jesus Christ rebuked Satan, and the content of Jude 1:9 indicates that Michael the archangel did not even dare to rebuke Satan because it is the Lord who rebukes Satan. Below is content related to Matthew 4:10. The words of the Lord Jesus Christ are in red.
Matthew 4:10
Then Jesus says* to him, “Go, Satan, for it is written: ‘YOU SHALL WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD, AND SERVE HIM ONLY.’”
*Note: The word says is in the Greek historical present tense. In that regard, past action is being described in this verse. Also, the content of Matthew 4:10 references Deuteronomy 6:13. In that regard, below is content of Deuteronomy 6:13.
Deuteronomy 6:13
“You yare' [yah-RAY] / יָרֵא / fear / respect / revere / reverence Jehovah / Yahweh / I am I am / the existing One your 'Elohiym/Godhead, and you serve Him, and you make a solemn oath by His name.
Note: The uses of the present tense in Deuteronomy 6:13 are for the purpose of giving commands.
Below is content related to Jude 1:9 (also known as Jude 9 because there is a single chapter in the book Jude).
Jude 1:9
However, Michael the archangel, when he disputed with the devil and argued about the body of Moses, did not dare pronounce against him a railing judgment, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!”
While the Lord Jesus Christ and Michael the archangel are two different persons, God the Son has sometimes manifested Himself as an angel. An example of this is found in Zechariah 3:1–2. The content of those verses references God the Son rebuking Satan. In those verses, the Joshua is different from the Joshua who led the Israelites into the Promised Land. The Promised Land is the land promised to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the Israelites. The Joshua who is mentioned in Zechariah 3:1–2 is the high priest, the highest-ranking Levitical priest under the regulations of the Mosaic Law. The term Mosaic Law refers to the laws communicated by Moses to the ancient Israelites. Because Moses communicated those laws, they are known collectively as the Mosaic Law. Now that the Lord Jesus Christ has been judged for the sins of humanity, the Mosaic Law has been fulfilled. Also, the pronoun he in Zechariah 3:1 refers to an angel who was communicating to Zechariah. The pronoun me in that verse refers to Zechariah.
Zechariah 3:1
Then he shows me Joshua the high priest standing before the Angel of Jehovah / Yahweh / I am I am / the existing One, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him.
Note: The use of a present tense in the phrase shows me references what has occurred in the past. Such a use of a present tense has a rhetorical effect. In that regard, using a verb in a present tense to refer to the past can help a reader or hearer of the Word of God imagine past events as though the reader or hearer is watching those events as they occur.
Zechariah 3:2
Jehovah / Yahweh / I am I am / the existing One says to Satan, “Jehovah / Yahweh / I am I am / the existing One rebukes you, Satan! Indeed, Jehovah / Yahweh / I am I am / the existing One Who chooses Jerusalem rebukes you! Is this not a brand plucked from the fire?”
Note: The context of Zechariah 3:1 and Zechariah 3:2 is such that the phrase Angel of Jehovah / Yahweh / I am I am / the existing One in verse 1 and the phrase Jehovah / Yahweh / I am I am / the existing One says refer to the same Person. That Person is God the Son. Also, absent from the entire book of Zechariah is any reference to Michael the archangel. In that regard, the content of Jude 1:9 indicates that when Michael was in the presence of Satan, rather than Michael rebuking Satan, Michael called attention to the fact that the Lord rebukes Satan. In so doing, Michael exhibited respect for the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The content of John 1:3 is repeated below for reference.
John 1:3
All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.
John 1:4
In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.
Note: God the Son has always had eternal life. Also, the content of this verse calls attention to a connection between life and the Light. Regarding the word Light being spelled with a capital L in this verse, the word Light in this verse refers to God the Son. In that regard, the Light (God the Son) is the Source of eternal life for mankind. The details of that life being eternal and the details of by what means God the Son is the Source of eternal life for mankind are provided in John 3. In that regard, when The Gospel According to John was written, it was not divided into chapter numbers and verse numbers. It is useful to keep that in mind because rather than the content of John 1 and the content of John 3 being completely disconnected, the content of John 1 leads to the content John 3.
John 1:5
The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.
Note: In the content of John 1:6 below, the John mentioned is John the Baptist.
John 1:6
There came into being a man sent from God whose name was John.
Note: In the content of John 1:7 below, John the Baptist is the referent of the pronoun him.
John 1:7
This one came as a witness to testify about the Light so that all might believe through him.
John 1:8
That one was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light.
John 1:9
There was the true Light which, coming into the world, gives light to every man [or which gives light to every man coming into the world].
Note: In this verse, the phrase every man refers to all of mankind—in other words, to all people. Unspecified in the Bible is whether this verse refers to the Lord Jesus Christ coming into the world or other people coming into the world. Also unspecified in the Bible is what the giving of light references. Because the light is given to every person, the giving of light must reference something other than salvation. It is possible that the giving of light refers to the opportunity to receive the free gift of eternal life being made available to every person. If that is indeed what is being referenced in John 1:9, then some people rejecting the Lord Jesus Christ as the Savior is akin to refusing the free gift of Light that is being given to them.
John 1:10
He was in the world, and the world was made through / by means of Him. Also, the world did not know Him.
Note: Because some people have believed in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Savior, the phrase the world did not know Him must refer either to the world in general rather than to every single human being or to every single human being before the Lord Jesus Christ was revealed as the Savior.
John 1:11
He came to His own [or own things, possessions, domain], and those who were His own did not receive Him.
Note: The content of John 1:11 refers to Jewish people. Because some Jewish people have believed in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Savior, this verse must be referring to Jewish people in general rather than to every single Jewish person.
John 1:12
However, as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name,
Note: Because a name represents a person, believing in the name of Jesus means believing in Him. In other words, it means believing that He is the Savior. Also, receiving is a non-meritorious act. The credit belongs to the One bestowing the gift rather than to the one receiving the gift.
John 1:13
who were born not of bloods nor of the will/desire of the flesh nor of the will/desire of man but of God.
Note: In this verse, the word bloods refers to heredity/ancestry. Some people have falsely believed that their heredity/ancestry causes them to have eternal life. A personʼs heredity/ancestry is unable to provide eternal life.
Unspecified in this verse and the surrounding verses is the distinction between the will/desire of the flesh and the will/desire of man. It is possible that the reference to flesh is a reference to the old sin nature (OSN). In that regard, every human except the Lord Jesus Christ has acquired an old sin nature, and each humanʼs old sin nature is in the body of that human. The old sin nature, which is referenced in Ephesians 4:22 with the term old man, can also be referred to as the sin nature. It is also referenced using the word flesh in Ephesians 2:3 and Galatians 5:16. The content of Romans 6:6 associates the sin nature with peopleʼs bodies, and the content of Romans 7:17–18 references the sin nature being in peopleʼs bodies. Adam and Ishshah [ish-SHAW] (the name of Eve before Adam renamed her Eve) were created without old sin natures, and they acquired old sin natures when they sinned. All other human beings have been conceived. Only the Lord Jesus Christ was conceived without an old sin nature. All the other humans that were conceived have been conceived with old sin natures. Likewise, all humans in the future will be conceived, and the conceiving of each of them will involve each of them receiving an old sin nature at the moment that each of them will be conceived.
If the old sin nature is indeed what is being referenced by the word flesh in John 1:13, then the phrase the will/desire of the flesh might refer to the fact that no matter how much a sinner desires salvation, that desire itself will be unable to provide the salvation. Because all human beings except the Lord Jesus Christ are sinners, the will/desire of man involves the old sin nature. With that in mind, it is possible that the two references to will/desire in John 1:13 are for emphasis. Regardless of what the will/desire of the flesh and the will/desire of man reference, the fact remains that human efforts are unable to provide salvation. Instead, as mentioned in the first part of the sentence—which is in John 1:12—salvation is a gift that is received.
Note: Inside the square brackets below, the letters i.e. are used to represent the phrase that is. The two letters are an abbreviation for the Latin words id est, which mean “that is.” When one reads those two letters, one can either say, “eye ee” or “that is.” If one is reading out loud, and if any hearers of that reading are unaware of what the letters i.e. represent, it is best to say “that is.” Also, the letters i.e. need to be followed by a comma.
John 1:14
Also, the Word became flesh and dwelt / tabernacled [i.e., lived temporarily] among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten [uniquely born] from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Note: In the below content of John 1:15, the John mentioned is John the Baptist.
John 1:15
John testifies* about Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of Whom I said, ‘He Who comes after me has a higher rank than I / has become before me, for He existed before me.’”
*Note: The word testifies is in the Greek historical present tense.
John 1:16
Because of His fullness, we all received and grace for / instead of / in place of grace,
Note: In John 1:16, the Koine Greek preposition translated as “for,” “instead of,” or “in place of” is ἀντὶ [pronounced ahn-TEE and transliterated as anti]. That preposition is an inflected form of the root word ἀντί [pronounced ahn-TEE and transliterated as anti]. In that regard, rather than the content of this verse indicating accumulation of grace, the content of this verse indicates that some manifestation of grace replaces another manifestation of grace.
Regarding what manifestations of grace are being referenced in verse 16, the content of verse 17 provides context for the content of verse 16. In that regard, the content of verse 17 references the Mosaic Law. The regulations and rituals specified in the Mosaic Law part of the Old Testament taught that the Savior would be judged for the sins of humanity. While specific details about the Lord were absent from the regulations and rituals specified in the Mosaic Law part of the Old Testament, there were bits and pieces of information that provided hints about Him. Those hints are like a shadow that precedes someone approaching—such as from around a corner, for example—that provides some information about the approaching person without providing full details about that person. That is known as shadow Christology.
When the Lord Jesus Christ was judged for the sins of humanity, the Lord Jesus Christ thereby replaced the Mosaic Law. The providing of the Mosaic Law was a manifestation of grace. The Lord Jesus Christ being judged for the sins of humanity was also a manifestation of grace. The manifestation of grace involving the Lord being judged for the sins of humanity replaced the manifestation of grace involving the Mosaic Law.
John 1:17
for the Law was given through Moses. Grace and truth came to be through Jesus Christ.
Note: Moses was a messenger in that he delivered the Mosaic Law to the Israelites. The Mosaic Law taught about the sinfulness of mankind and sinnersʼ need for the Savior to be judged for the sins of humanity. The Lord Jesus Christ fulfilled the Mosaic Law by being judged for the sins of humanity.
John 1:18
No one has seen God at any time; the unique One, Himself God, Who is in the bosom of the Father: He declared / told / drew out in narrative / unfolded a teaching.
Note: In this verse, the first instance of the word God refers to God the Father, and the second instance of the word God refers to God the Son. Also, the phrase in the bosom of the Father is a metaphorical reference to God the Son being in fellowship with God the Father. The phrase No one has seen God at any time refers to the fact that God the Father had not appeared in the presence of people on earth. The ending part of this verse refers to God the Son revealing information about God the Father. In that regard, the Lord Jesus Christ spoke about God the Father, and the Lord Jesus Christʼs actions revealed information about God the Father.
Sincerely,
John