John 1:4
| NET© | In him was life, 1 and the life was the light of mankind. 2 |
| XRef | Psa 49:6; Psa 60:1-3; Psa 84:11; Isa 35:4-5; Isa 42:6-7; Isa 42:16; Mal 4:2; Mat 4:16; Luk 1:78-79; Luk 2:32; Joh 1:8-9; Joh 5:21; Joh 5:26; Joh 8:12; Joh 9:5; Joh 11:25; Joh 12:35; Joh 12:46; Joh 14:6; Act 26:23; 1Co 15:45; Eph 5:14; Col 3:4; 1Jo 1:2; 1Jo 1:5-7; 1Jo 5:11; Rev 22:1; Rev 22:16 |
| NET© Notes | 1 tn John uses ζωή (zwh) 37 times: 17 times it occurs with αἰώνιος (aiwnios), and in the remaining occurrences outside the prologue it is clear from context that “eternal” life is meant. The two uses in 1:4, if they do not refer to “eternal” life, would be the only exceptions. (Also 1 John uses ζωή 13 times, always of “eternal” life.) sn An allusion to Ps 36:9, which gives significant OT background: “For with you is the fountain of life; In your light we see light.” In later Judaism, Bar 4:2 expresses a similar idea. Life, especially eternal life, will become one of the major themes of John’s Gospel. 2 tn Or “humanity”; Grk “of men” (but ἄνθρωπος [anqrwpo"] is used in a generic sense here, not restricted to males only, thus “mankind,” “humanity”). |
