John 1:2-18 This (or: This One) was continuing in existence, within a power of beginning and in union with Headship and Sovereign principle, facing directed, and moving toward (or: staying with) God.

JMNT⁽ⁱ⁾ ² This (or: This One) was continuing in existence, within a power of beginning and in union with Headship and Sovereign principle, facing [directed, and moving] toward (or: staying with) God. ³ All things (or: All humanity; [The] whole) come to be (or: was at some time birthed; occur; or: came to be; were birthed; or: suddenly happened) through and by means of It (i.e., the Word; or: Him), and apart from It (or: Him) not even one thing comes into being (occurs; was birthed; came into being; happens) which has come into being (which has occurred; which has happened). ⁴ Within It (or: Him), life was continuing and progressively existing (or: In It was life [as a source]; [Aleph, D and others witnesses read present tense: In union with it there continues being life; Life progressively exists within the midst of It]). And the life was continuing being, and began progressively existing as, the Light of mankind (or: Furthermore, the Light progressively came to be the life known as "humanity," and was for human beings; or: Then the life was existing being the light from the humans). ⁵ And the Light is constantly shining in the dim and shadowed places, and keeps on progressively giving light within the gloomy darkness where there is no light (or: within the midst the obscurity of The Darkness where there is no light of The Day; or: = in the ignorant condition or system). And yet the darkness does not grasp or receive it on the same level (or: Furthermore, the Darkness did not take it down, so as to overcome it or put it out; or: = the ignorant condition or system would have none of it, nor receive it down into itself [in order to perceive it]; But that darkness does not correspondingly accept It nor commensurately take It in hand so as to follow the pattern or be in line with Its bidding). ⁶ A man came to be (was birthed), being one having been sent forth with a mission, as a representative, from God’s side (or: having been commissioned as an emissary and sent forth from beside God; having been sent forth to the side, as an envoy, whose source was God); a name for him: John. ⁷ This one came into a testimony (or: went to witness; came for evidence), to the end that he may give testimony (be a witness; show evidence) about The Light, so that all humanity (or: everyone) would at some point come to believe and trust through him (or: by means of it). ⁸ That person (= He) was not The Light, but rather [he came] so that he could give testimony (would be a witness; should present evidence) about The Light. ⁹ It was (or: He was, and continued being) the True and Genuine Light which (or: Who) is continuously (repeatedly; progressively) enlightening (giving light to) every person (or: human) continuously (repeatedly; progressively; constantly; one after another) coming into the world (or: the ordered system of culture, religion, economics and government; or: the universe) (or: It was the real Light, progressively coming into the world {organized system}, which is progressively enlightening {or: shedding light on} every human). ¹⁰ It was (or: He was, and continued existing being) within the world (or: ordered system), and the world (ordered system) came to be (or: was birthed) through It (or: by means of Him), and the world (ordered system; or: cosmos) did not have intimate, experiential knowledge of It (or: did not recognize Him; had no insight into It). ¹¹ It (or: He) came into Its (or: His) own things (possessions, or people), and It’s own (or: His own) people did not receive It (or: Him) and take It (or: Him) to their side. ¹² Yet, as many as receive It (or: took Him) – to the ones habitually trusting and believing into Its Name (or: His Name) – It gives (or: He gave) to them (or: for them; in them) authority ([the] right; or: privilege from out of the midst of Being) to be birthed (or: to become) God’s children (born ones), ¹³ who are born (or: were given birth) not out of bloods (or: [flows] of blood), neither forth from the will of flesh (or: from the intent of a flesh [ceremony]), nor yet out of the will (purpose; intent) of an adult male, but to the contrary, from out of the midst of God! ¹⁴ And so The Word (the Idea; the Thought; the Reason; the Discourse; the Message; The Collected Expression of Rational Logic; The Logos; = the meaning, plan and rational purpose of the ordered universe) births Itself flesh (or: became flesh; came to be [in] flesh; came into existence being flesh; = God's thought, the ground of all real existence, became projected into creation as an immanent power within the world of mankind, inhabiting flesh), and lives in a tent, within us (or: set up a tent and tabernacled among us), and we view (attentively gaze at; looked at so as to contemplate) Its (or: His) glory (Its manifestation which calls forth praise; Its appearance which creates and effects opinions in regard to the whole of human experience; = His manifest presence): a glory (= prestige and importance; reputation and opinion-forming appearance) as of an only-begotten one at a father’s side (or: [the] glory from [the presence of the] Father, as a uniquely-born One), full of grace and truth (filled with favor as well as reality and genuineness). ¹⁵ John is continuing witnessing about It (or: Him) and has cried out, repeatedly saying, "This One was the One of Whom I said, 'The One progressively coming behind me has come to be in front of me (or: has taken precedence of me),' because He was existing first, before me (or: ‘that He was first [in place and station] in regard to me’)," ¹⁶ because we all at some point receive (take with our hands) from out of the result of His filling (or: the effect of Its full contents; that which fills Him up): even grace in the place of grace (or: favor corresponding to and facing favor; a [new fresh] gracious favor in the place of and replacing [the previous] gracious favor; [one] joyous favor after and exchanged for [another] joyous favor), ¹⁷ because the Law was given through Moses, yet grace and truth are birthed (or: joyous favor and reality came to be) through Jesus Christ. ¹⁸ No one at any time has seen God. The only-begotten (uniquely-born) God [other MSS: Son], the One continuously existing, [moving, directed and leading] into the Father’s place of safety and intimacy (bosom; breast; chest; folds of a garment; inlet or bay), that One interprets and explains by unfolding and bringing [Him] out.