Tag Archives: John 1:12

John 1:12

Ὅσοι δὲ ἔλαβον αὐτόν, ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς ἐξουσίαν τέκνα Θεοῦ γενέσθαι, τοῖς πιστεύουσιν εἰς τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ,

MOVEMENT OF THE SENTENCE The Verse Feels Like an Opening Door

ósi de élavon aftón, édoken aftís exusían tékna theoú genésthe, tís pistevousin is to ónoma aftú

This verse moves gently from one action into another.

First there is receiving.

Then comes giving.

Finally, there is becoming.

they received him

he gave them authority

to become children of God

The sentence therefore feels full of movement and transformation.

Greek carefully guides the reader from response toward identity.

Literal Translation

“But as many as received him, he gave to them authority to become children of God, to the ones believing in his name,”

The Greek sentence feels relational rather than abstract.… Learn Koine Greek