Lectionary Calendar
Friday, November 29th, 2024
the Week of Christ the King / Proper 29 / Ordinary 34
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Read the Bible

King James Version

John 1:18

No man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Confession;   God;   God Continued...;   Jesus, the Christ;   Jesus Continued;   Scofield Reference Index - Faith;   God;   Thompson Chain Reference - Invisibility of God;   Mysteries-Revelations;   Names;   Titles and Names;   Unseen God;   The Topic Concordance - Declaration;   Jesus Christ;   Seeing;   Word of God;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Christ Is God;   God;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Face;   Son of God;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Father;   Glory;   God;   Inspiration;   Jesus christ;   John, gospel of;   Love;   Revelation;   Son of god;   Trinity;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Anthropomorphism;   Beatitudes;   Heaven, Heavens, Heavenlies;   Jesus Christ;   Jesus Christ, Name and Titles of;   Know, Knowledge;   Miracle;   New Command;   Testimony;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Incorporeality of God;   Universalists;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Bosom;   Face;   Word, the;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Abraham's Bosom;   Angels;   Ark of the Covenant;   Bosom;   Form;   Idol;   Immanuel;   Jesus Christ;   Moses;   Philip the Apostle;   Prophet;   Son of God;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Adoption;   Children (Sons) of God;   Christ, Christology;   Immutability of God;   Incarnation;   Jesus Christ;   John, the Gospel of;   John, the Letters of;   Likeness;   Mission(s);   Only Begotten;   Truth;   Word;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Children (Sons) of God;   John the Baptist;   John, Gospel of;   Logos;   Love, Lover, Lovely, Beloved;   Sanctification, Sanctify;   Trinity;   Truth;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Apocrypha;   Atonement (2);   Attributes of Christ;   Begetting;   Bosom ;   Brotherhood (2);   Character of Christ;   Children of God;   Claims (of Christ);   Communion (2);   Complacency;   Creator (Christ as);   Education (2);   Example;   Father, Fatherhood;   God;   Gospel (2);   Heaven;   Heaven ;   Image;   Impotence;   Incarnation (2);   Insight;   Inspiration and Revelation;   Jealousy (2);   John the Baptist;   John, Gospel of (Ii. Contents);   Light;   Love (2);   Manuscripts;   Merit;   Metaphors;   Mission;   Omnipresence;   Only- Begotten ;   Philo;   Pre-Eminence ;   Pre-Existence;   Preaching Christ;   Quotations (2);   Session;   Son of God;   Text of the Gospels;   Trinity (2);   Truth (2);   Union with God;   Uniqueness;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Begotten;   Bosom;   Son, the;   ;   1910 New Catholic Dictionary - names of our lord;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Generation;   Peniel;   Pillar;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Genealogy;   Jesus christ;   Names titles and offices of christ;   Smith Bible Dictionary - John, Gospel of;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Bosom;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Bosom;   Children of God;   Christ, Offices of;   Comparative, Religion;   Father, God the;   Image;   John, Gospel of;   Only Begotten;   Person of Christ;   Prologue;   Rehearse;   Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia - Accubation;   Bosom;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Aristobulus of Paneas;  

Devotionals:

- Daily Light on the Daily Path - Devotion for November 27;   Every Day Light - Devotion for November 30;  

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
No one has ever seen God. The only Son is the one who has shown us what God is like. He is himself God and is very close to the Father.
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
No ma hath sene God at eny tyme. The only begotte sonne which is in ye bosome of ye father he hath declared him.
Hebrew Names Version
No one has seen God at any time. The one and only Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he has declared him.
International Standard Version
No one has ever seen God. The unique God,Son">[fn] who is close to the Father's side, has revealed him.Exodus 33:20; Deuteronomy 4:12; Matthew 11:27; Luke 10:22; John 3:16,18; 4:14; 6:46; 1 Timothy 1:17; 6:16; John 3:16,18, 1 John 4:9,12, 20;">[xr]
New American Standard Bible
No one has seen God at any time; God the only Son, who is in the arms of the Father, He has explained Him.
New Century Version
No one has ever seen God. But God the only Son is very close to the Father, and he has shown us what God is like.
Update Bible Version
No man has seen God at any time; the only begotten [of] God, who is in the bosom of the Father, he has declared [him].
Webster's Bible Translation
No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared [him].
English Standard Version
No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known.
World English Bible
No one has seen God at any time. The one and only Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he has declared him.
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
Weymouth's New Testament
No human eye has ever seen God: the only Son, who is in the Father's bosom--He has made Him known.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
No man sai euer God, no but the `oon bigetun sone, that is in the bosum of the fadir, he hath teld out.
English Revised Version
No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
Berean Standard Bible
No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is Himself God and is at the Father's side, has made Him known.
Contemporary English Version
No one has ever seen God. The only Son, who is truly God and is closest to the Father, has shown us what God is like.
Amplified Bible
No one has seen God [His essence, His divine nature] at any time; the [One and] only begotten God [that is, the unique Son] who is in the intimate presence of the Father, He has explained Him [and interpreted and revealed the awesome wonder of the Father].
American Standard Version
No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
Bible in Basic English
No man has seen God at any time; the only Son, who is on the breast of the Father, he has made clear what God is.
Complete Jewish Bible
No one has ever seen God; but the only and unique Son, who is identical with God and is at the Father's side — he has made him known.
Darby Translation
No one has seen God at any time; the only-begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, *he* hath declared [him].
Etheridge Translation
ALOHA no man hath ever seen: the one-begotten God, he who is in the bosom of his Father, he hath declared him.
Murdock Translation
18 No man hath ever seen God; the only begotten God, he who is in the bosom of his Father, he hath declared [fn] .
King James Version (1611)
No man hath seene God at any time: the onely begotten Sonne, which is in the bosome of the Father, he hath declared him.
New Living Translation
No one has ever seen God. But the unique One, who is himself God, is near to the Father's heart. He has revealed God to us.
New Life Bible
The much-loved Son is beside the Father. No man has ever seen God. But Christ has made God known to us.
New Revised Standard
No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father's heart, who has made him known.
Geneva Bible (1587)
No man hath seene God at any time: that onely begotten Sonne, which is in the bosome of the Father, he hath declared him.
George Lamsa Translation
No man has ever seen God; but the firstborn of God, who is in the bosom of his Father, he has declared him.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
No one, hath seen, God, at any time: An Only Begotten God, The One existing within the bosom of the Father, He, hath interpreted him .
Douay-Rheims Bible
No man hath seen God at any time: the only begotten Son who is in the Bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
Revised Standard Version
No one has ever seen God; the only Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he has made him known.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
No man hath seene God at any tyme: The onely begotten sonne which is in the bosome of the father, he hath declared hym.
Good News Translation
No one has ever seen God. The only Son, who is the same as God and is at the Father's side, he has made him known.
Christian Standard Bible®
No one has ever seen God. The one and only Son, who is himself God and is at the Father’s side— he has revealed him.
Lexham English Bible
No one has seen God at any time; the one and only, God, the one who is in the bosom of the Father—that one has made him known.
Literal Translation
No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, that One declares Him .
Young's Literal Translation
God no one hath ever seen; the only begotten Son, who is on the bosom of the Father -- he did declare.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
No man hath sene God at eny tyme. The onely begotte sonne which is in the bosome of the father, he hath declared the same vnto vs.
Mace New Testament (1729)
no man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten son, who is intimate with the father, hath made him known.
New English Translation
No one has ever seen God. The only one, himself God, who is in closest fellowship with the Father, has made God known.
New King James Version
No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, [fn] who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.
Simplified Cowboy Version
No one has ever laid eyes on God, but his Top Hand, who is God himself, has seen him and knows him. And it's Jesus who has shown us who God really is.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.
Legacy Standard Bible
No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.

Contextual Overview

15 John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me. 16 And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace. 17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. 18 No man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

seen: John 6:46, Exodus 33:20, Deuteronomy 4:12, Matthew 11:27, Luke 10:22, Colossians 1:15, 1 Timothy 1:17, 1 Timothy 6:16, 1 John 4:12, 1 John 4:20

the only: John 1:14, John 3:16-18, 1 John 4:9

in the: John 13:23, Proverbs 8:30, Isaiah 40:11, Lamentations 2:12, Luke 16:22, Luke 16:23

he hath: John 12:41, John 14:9, John 17:6, John 17:26, Genesis 16:13, Genesis 18:33, Genesis 32:28-30, Genesis 48:15, Genesis 48:16, Exodus 3:4-6, Exodus 23:21, Exodus 33:18-23, Exodus 34:5-7, Numbers 12:8, Joshua 5:13-15, Joshua 6:1, Joshua 6:2, Judges 6:12-26, Judges 13:20-23, Isaiah 6:1-3, Ezekiel 1:26-28, Hosea 12:3-5, Matthew 11:27, Luke 10:22, 1 John 5:20

Reciprocal: Genesis 16:10 - the angel Genesis 17:22 - General Genesis 32:30 - I have Exodus 24:10 - saw Exodus 33:23 - thou shalt Numbers 14:14 - art seen Judges 6:22 - because Judges 13:22 - we have Job 42:5 - mine Psalms 2:7 - this Isaiah 60:2 - the Lord Ezekiel 10:1 - as the Daniel 8:13 - that certain saint Daniel 10:17 - talk Amos 9:1 - I saw Matthew 12:42 - behold Matthew 21:37 - last Mark 12:6 - one John 1:10 - was in John 1:34 - this John 1:49 - thou John 3:11 - We speak John 3:13 - no man John 5:20 - and showeth John 5:37 - Ye have John 7:29 - I John 8:19 - if John 8:55 - but John 9:35 - the Son John 10:15 - As John 13:3 - and that John 14:7 - ye John 17:5 - glorify John 17:25 - but Romans 1:20 - For the 1 Corinthians 1:30 - wisdom 2 Corinthians 4:4 - the image Philippians 2:6 - in Hebrews 1:2 - spoken Hebrews 1:6 - And again 1 John 1:2 - which was Revelation 21:23 - the Lamb

Cross-References

Psalms 19:6
His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.
Jeremiah 31:35
Thus saith the Lord , which giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, which divideth the sea when the waves thereof roar; The Lord of hosts is his name:

Gill's Notes on the Bible

No man hath seen God at any time,.... That is, God the Father, whose voice was never heard, nor his shape seen by angels or men; for though Jacob, Moses, the elders of Israel, Manoah, and his wife, are said to see God, and Job expected to see him with his bodily eyes, and the saints will see him as he is, in which will lie their great happiness; yet all seems to be understood of the second person, who frequently appeared to the Old Testament saints, in an human form, and will be seen by the saints in heaven, in his real human nature; or of God in and by him: for the essence of God is invisible, and not to be seen with the eyes of the body; nor indeed with the eyes of the understanding, so as to comprehend it; nor immediately, but through, and by certain means: God is seen in the works of creation and providence, in the promises, and in his ordinances; but above all, in Christ the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person: this may chiefly intend here, man's not knowing any thing of God in a spiritual and saving way, but in and by Christ; since it follows,

the only begotten Son; the word that was with God in the beginning. The Jerusalem Targum on Genesis 3:22 says almost the same of the word of the Lord, as here, where it introduces him saying,

"the word of the Lord God said, lo, the man whom I created, the only one in my world, even as I am, יחידי, "the only one", (or, as the word is sometimes rendered, "the only begotten",) in the highest heavens.''

And to the same purpose the Targum of Jonathan, and also Jarchi, on the same place. The Syriac version here renders it, "the only begotten, God which is in the bosom of the Father"; clearly showing, that he is the only begotten, as he is God: the phrase,

which is in the bosom of the Father, denotes unity of nature, and essence, in the Father and Son; their distinct personality; strong love, and affection between them; the Son's acquaintance with his Father's secrets; his being at that time, as the Son of God, in the bosom of his Father, when here on earth, as the son of man; and which qualified him to make the declaration of him:

he hath declared him. The Persic and Ethiopic versions further add, "to us"; he has clearly and fully declared his nature, perfections, purposes, promises, counsels, covenant, word, and works; his thoughts and schemes of grace; his love and favour to the sons of men; his mind and will concerning the salvation of his people: he has made, and delivered a fuller revelation of these things, than ever was yet; and to which no other revelation in the present state of things will be added. Somewhat like this the Jews n say of the Messiah;

"there is none that can declare the name of his Father, and that knows him; but this is hid from the eyes of the multitude, until he comes, ויגידהו, "and he shall declare him".''

He is come, and has declared him: so Philo speaks of the "Logos", or word, as the interpreter of the mind of God, and a teacher of men o.

n R. Moses Haddarsan in Psal. 85. 11. apud Galatin. de Arcan, Cathol. ver. l. 8. c. 2. o De nominum mutat. p. 1047.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

No man hath seen God at any time - This declaration is probably made to show the superiority of the revelation of Jesus above that of any previous dispensation. It is said, therefore, that Jesus “had an intimate knowledge of God,” which neither Moses nor any of the ancient prophets had possessed. God is invisible: no human eyes have seen him; but Christ had a knowledge of God which might be expressed to our apprehension by saying that he saw him. He knew him intimately and completely, and was therefore fitted to make a fuller manifestation of him. See John 5:37; John 6:46; 1 John 4:12; Exodus 33:20; John 14:9. This passage is not meant to deny that men had witnessed “manifestations” of God, as when he appeared to Moses and the prophets (compare Numbers 12:8; Isaiah 6:1-13); but it is meant that no one has seen the essence of God, or has “fully known God.” The prophets delivered what they “heard” God speak; Jesus what he knew of God as his equal, and as understanding fully nature.

The only-begotten Son - See the notes at John 1:14. This verse shows John’s sense of the meaning of that phrase, as denoting an intimate and full knowledge of God.

In the bosom of the Father - This expression is taken from the custom among the Orientals of reclining at their meals. See the notes at Matthew 23:6. It denotes intimacy, friendship, affection. Here it means that Jesus had a knowledge of God such as one friend has of another - knowledge of his character, designs, and nature which no other one possesses, and which renders him, therefore, qualified above all others to make him known.

Hath declared him - Hath fully revealed him or made him known. Compare Hebrews 1:1, Hebrews 1:4. This verse proves that Jesus had a knowledge of God above that which any of the ancient prophets had, and that the fullest revelations of his character are to be expected in the gospel. By his Word and Spirit he can enlighten and guide us, and lead us to the true knowledge of God; and there is no true and full knowledge of God which is not obtained through his Son. Compare John 14:6; 1 John 2:22-23.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse John 1:18. No man hath seen God at any time — Moses and others heard his voice, and saw the cloud and the fire, which were the symbols of his presence; but such a manifestation of God as had now taken place, in the person of Jesus Christ, had never before been exhibited to the world. It is likely that the word seen, here, is put for known, as in John 3:32; 1 John 3:2, 1 John 3:6, and 3 John 1:11; and this sense the latter clause of the verse seems to require:- No man, how highly soever favoured, hath fully known God, at any time, in any nation or age; the only begotten Son, (John 1:14; John 1:14,) who is in the bosom of the Father, who was intimately acquainted with all the counsels of the Most High, he hath declared him, εξηγησατο, hath announced the Divine oracles unto men; for in this sense the word is used by the best Greek writers. See Kypke in loco. 1095

Lying in the bosom, is spoken of in reference to the Asiatic custom of reclining while at meals; the person who was next the other was said to lie in his bosom; and he who had this place in reference to the master of the feast was supposed to share his peculiar regards, and so be in a state of the utmost favour and intimacy with him.


 
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