The Word of Life and Fellowship
1 John 1:1-4
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Revelation
1John.1.1 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- ην: VERB,impf,act,ind,3,sg
- απ᾽αρχης: PREP
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- ακηκοαμεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,1,pl
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- εωρακαμεν: VERB,perf,act,ind,1,pl
- τοις: ART,dat,pl,n
- οφθαλμοις: NOUN,dat,pl,m
- ημων: PRON,gen,pl,1
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- εθεασαμεθα: VERB,aor,mid,ind,1,pl
- και: CONJ
- αι: ART,nom,pl,f
- χειρες: NOUN,nom,pl,f
- ημων: PRON,gen,pl,1
- εψηλαφησαν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,pl
- περι: PREP
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- λογου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- της: ART,gen,sg,f
- ζωης: NOUN,gen,sg,f
Parallels
- John 1:1-4 (verbal): Prologue language—'the Word' (Logos), 'from the beginning,' and the association of the Word with life closely mirror 1 John’s opening formula 'that which was from the beginning' and 'the word of life.'
- John 1:14 (thematic): Affirms the incarnation ('the Word became flesh') and the testimony of seeing his glory ('we have seen his glory'), echoing 1 John’s emphasis on eyewitness encounter with the incarnate 'Word of life.'
- Luke 1:1-4 (structural): Luke’s prologue frames his work as grounded in eyewitness testimony delivered to the author—parallels 1 John’s proematic insistence on firsthand hearing and seeing as the basis for proclamation.
- John 21:24 (verbal): Identifies a named disciple as a witness who 'testifies to these things and wrote them,' supporting the kind of apostolic/eyewitness authority 1 John claims with its repeated 'we heard, we saw, we touched' language.
- 1 John 1:3 (verbal): Immediate internal parallel—continues the same witness motif: 'what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you,' restating the eyewitness basis and the purpose of fellowship and proclamation.
Alternative generated candidates
- That which was from the beginning — what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked upon and our hands have handled — concerning the Word of life,
- That which was from the beginning—what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked upon and our hands have handled—concerning the Word of life.
1John.1.2 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- η: ART,nom,sg,f
- ζωη: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- εφανερωθη: VERB,aor,pass,ind,3,sg
- και: CONJ
- εωρακαμεν: VERB,perf,act,ind,1,pl
- και: CONJ
- μαρτυρουμεν: VERB,pres,act,ind,1,pl
- και: CONJ
- απαγγελλομεν: VERB,pres,act,ind,1,pl
- υμιν: PRON,dat,pl,2
- την: ART,acc,sg,f
- ζωην: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- την: ART,acc,sg,f
- αιωνιον: ADJ,acc,sg,f
- ητις: PRON,rel,nom,sg,f
- ην: VERB,impf,act,ind,3,sg
- προς: PREP
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- πατερα: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- εφανερωθη: VERB,aor,pass,ind,3,sg
- ημιν: PRON,dat,pl,1
Parallels
- 1 John 1:1 (structural): Immediate literary parallel: the opening verse declares the apostolic testimony ('what we have heard, seen, looked upon, touched') and introduces 'the life' that is here further described and proclaimed.
- John 1:14 (verbal): Both verses speak of a manifestation of the Word/Christ ('was manifested'/'we have seen his glory'), linking the incarnation with the visible revelation of the eternal life.
- John 1:4 (thematic): Identifies Jesus as 'life'—the same motif of life at the center of Johannine theology that 1 John 1:2 names as 'the eternal life.'
- 1 John 5:20 (thematic): Echoes the identification of Jesus as the Son who is both true God and 'eternal life,' reinforcing the claim that the Son, who was with the Father, is the source of life.
- John 3:16 (thematic): Summarizes the Johannine promise of 'eternal life' through the giving of the Son—paralleling 1 John’s proclamation of the eternal life manifested in Christ.
Alternative generated candidates
- for the life was manifested, and we have seen it and testify and proclaim to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was manifested to us.
- And the life was revealed, and we have seen it and testify and proclaim to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was revealed to us.
1John.1.3 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- εωρακαμεν: VERB,perf,act,ind,1,pl
- και: CONJ
- ακηκοαμεν: VERB,perf,act,ind,1,pl
- απαγγελλομεν: VERB,pres,act,ind,1,pl
- και: CONJ
- υμιν: PRON,dat,pl,2
- ινα: CONJ
- και: CONJ
- υμεις: PRON,nom,pl,2
- κοινωνιαν: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- εχητε: VERB,pres,act,subj,2,pl
- μεθ᾽ημων·και: PREP,gen,pl
- η: ART,nom,sg,f
- κοινωνια: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- δε: CONJ
- η: ART,nom,sg,f
- ημετερα: ADJ,nom,sg,f
- μετα: PREP
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- πατρος: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- μετα: PREP
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- υιου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- αυτου: PRON,gen,sg,m
- Ιησου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- Χριστου·: NOUN,gen,sg,m
Parallels
- 1 John 1:1 (verbal): Immediate verbal parallel—the same eyewitness prologue ('what we have seen and heard') underpinning the apostolic proclamation.
- 1 John 1:2 (verbal): Closely connected continuation—'the life was manifested' and the proclamation to the recipients, linking the eyewitness testimony to the purpose of fellowship.
- 1 John 1:7 (verbal): Develops the same theme of koinonia: walking in the light results in fellowship with the Father and the Son, with Jesus' blood cleansing sins—explicates the content and conditions of fellowship.
- 1 Corinthians 1:9 (verbal): Uses near-identical language about being called into 'fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ,' a clear verbal/theological parallel concerning believers' relationship to Father and Son.
- John 17:21-23 (thematic): Jesus' high-priestly prayer that believers 'may be one' and share in the unity of Father and Son echoes the theme of believers' fellowship with the Father and the Son as normative and witness-bearing.
Alternative generated candidates
- What we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.
- What we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you may have fellowship with us; and our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.
1John.1.4 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- ταυτα: PRON,acc,pl,n
- γραφομεν: VERB,pres,act,ind,1,pl
- ημεις: PRON,nom,pl,1
- ινα: CONJ
- η: ART,nom,sg,f
- χαρα: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- ημων: PRON,gen,pl,1
- η: ART,nom,sg,f
- πεπληρωμενη: PART,perf,pass,nom,sg,f
Parallels
- John 15:11 (verbal): Uses the same wording and purpose: Jesus says he spoke so that 'your joy may be full' (Greek: ἵνα ἡ χαρὰ ὑμῶν ᾖ πεπληρωμένη), a near-verbatim verbal parallel.
- John 16:24 (verbal): Again the identical phrase and aim—ask and you will receive 'that your joy may be full'—showing the Johannine theme of fulfilled joy expressed with the same Greek formulation.
- 1 John 1:3 (structural): Immediate literary context: 'these things we write' echoes 1 John 1:3's purpose-statement about fellowship; verse 1:4 completes that purpose by stating the desired result—full joy.
- Romans 15:13 (thematic): Paul's prayer that God 'fill you with all joy and peace' parallels the same theological goal of believers' being filled with joy, linking 1 John’s aim to broader New Testament motifs of joy as a divine gift.
Alternative generated candidates
- And these things we write so that our joy may be complete.
- And these things we write so that your joy may be complete.
What was from the beginning—what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we looked upon and our hands touched—concerning the Word of life. And the life was revealed; we have seen it, and we bear witness and proclaim to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was revealed to us.
What we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you may have fellowship with us; and our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. And we write these things so that our joy may be complete.