Title:  I Said, “A Voice Crying in the Wilderness, Make Straight the Way of the Lord”.

The text is, “ἔφη ἐγὼ φωνὴ βοῶντος ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳεὐθύνατε τὴν ὁδὸν κυρίου καθὼς εἶπεν Ἠσαΐας ὁ προφήτης”.

ἔφη -> third person, singular, imperfect, active, indicative verb -> said

ἐγὼ -> first person, personal, singular, nominative pronoun -> I

φωνὴ -> singular, feminine, nominative noun -> a voice

βοῶντος -> present, active, participial, masculine, singular, genitive verb -> crying

ἐν -> preposition taking the dative for its object word and -> in

τῇ -> feminine, singular, dative article -> the

ἐρήμῳ -> feminine, singular, dative adjective -> wilderness

εὐθύνατε -> second person, plural, aorist, active, imperative verb -> make straight

τὴν -> feminine, singular, accusative article -> the

ὁδὸν -> feminine, singular, accusative noun -> way

κυρίου -> masculine, singular, genitive noun -> of the Lord

καθὼς -> comparative, subordinating conjunction -> just as

εἶπεν -> third person, singular, aorist, indicative verb -> said

Ἠσαΐας -> masculine, singular, nominative, proper noun -> Isaiah

ὁ -> masculine, singular, nominative article -> the

προφήτης -> masculine, singular, nominative noun -> prophet

The meaning of this verse is,

I said, “A voice crying in the wilderness, make straight the way of the Lord, just as Isaiah the prophet said.”

Title:  So They Said to Him, “Who Are You So That We Might Give an Answer to Those Having Sent Us?”

The text is, “εἶπαν οὖν αὐτῷ· τίς εἶ ἵνα ἀπόκρισιν δῶμεν τοῖς πέμψασιν ἡμᾶς τί λέγεις περὶ σεαυτοῦ”.

εἶπαν -> third person, plural, aorist, active, indicative verb -> they said

οὖν -> coordinating inferential conjunction conjunction of inference -> so

αὐτῷ -> third person, personal, masculine, singular, dative pronoun -> to him

τίς -> masculine, singular, nominative, interrogative pronoun -> who

εἶ -> second person, singular, present, indicative verb -> you are

ἵνα -> subordinating conjunction of purpose -> so that

ἀπόκρισιν -> feminine, singular, accusative noun -> answer

δῶμεν -> first person, plural, aorist, active, subjunctive verb -> we might give

τοῖς -> masculine, plural, dative article -> to those

πέμψασιν -> aorist, active, participial, masculine, plural, dative -> having sent

ἡμᾶς -> first person, personal, plural, accusative pronoun -> us

τί -> neuter, singular, accusative, interrogative pronoun -> what

λέγεις -> second person, singular, present, active, indicative verb -> do you say

περὶ -> preposition taking the genitive for its object word and -> about

σεαυτοῦ -> second person, reflexive, masculine, singular, genitive pronoun -> yourself

The meaning of this verse is,

So they said to him, “Who are you so that we might give an answer to those having sent us?  What do you say about yourself?”

Title:  And They Asked Him, “What then?  Are You Elijah?”

The text is, “καὶ ἠρώτησαν αὐτόν· τί οὖν; σὺ Ἠλίας εἶ; καὶ λέγει· οὐκ εἰμί. ὁ προφήτης εἶ σύ; καὶ ἀπεκρίθη· οὔ”.

καὶ -> coordinating conjunction -> and

ἠρώτησαν -> third person, plural, aorist, active, indicative verb -> asked

αὐτόν -> third person, personal, masculine, singular, accusative pronoun -> him

τί -> interrogative, singular, neuter, nominative pronoun -> what

οὖν -> coordinating conjunction of inference -> then

σὺ -> second person, singular, nominative pronoun -> you

Ἠλίας -> masculine, singular, nominative, proper noun -> Elijah

εἶ -> second person, present, singular verb -> are

καὶ -> coordinating conjunction -> and

λέγει -> third person, singular, present, active, indicative verb -> he says CER* he said

οὐκ -> negative particle -> not

εἰμί -> first person, singular, indicative verb -> I am

ὁ -> masculine, singular, nominative article -> the

προφήτης -> masculine, singular, nominative noun -> prophet

εἶ -> second person, singular, present, indicative verb -> are

σύ -> second person, personal, singular, nominative pronoun -> you

καὶ -> coordinating conjunction -> and

ἀπεκρίθη -> third person, singular, aorist, passive, indicative verb -> he answered

οὔ -> negative particle -> no

The meaning of this verse is,

And they asked him, “What then?  Are you Elijah?”  And he said, “I am not.”  “Are you the prophet?”  And he answered, “No.”

*CER:  indicates a non-literal, but good translation.  In the example here, the verb “λέγει” is present tense, which in the indicative mood often can be rendered in the aorist tense, since it expresses linear action not in the present but at some point in the past.  The designation CER is equivalent to “Contextual English Rendering”.

Title:  And Confessed, and Did Not Deny, but Confessed, “Because I Am Not the Christ.”

The text is, “καὶ ὡμολόγησεν καὶ οὐκ ἠρνήσατο, καὶ ὡμολόγησεν ὅτι ἐγὼ οὐκ εἰμὶ ὁ χριστός”.

καὶ -> coordinating additive conjunction -> and

ὡμολόγησεν -> third person, singular, aorist, active, indicative verb -> confessed

καὶ -> coordinating additive conjunction -> and

οὐκ -> negative particle -> not

ἠρνήσατο -> third person, singular, aorist, middle, indicative verb -> did deny

καὶ -> coordinating conjunction -> but

ὡμολόγησεν -> third person, singular, aorist, active, indicative verb -> confessed

ὅτι -> subordinating causative conjunction of recitation ->because’

ἐγὼ -> first person, personal, singular, nominative pronoun -> I

οὐκ -> negative particle -> not

εἰμὶ -> first person, singular, present, indicative verb -> am

ὁ -> masculine, singular, nominative article -> the

χριστός -> masculine, singular, nominative noun -> Christ

The meaning of this verse is,

And confessed, and did not deny, but confessed because, “I am not the Christ.”

Title:  And This is the Testimony of John

The text is, “Καὶ αὕτη ἐστὶν ἡ μαρτυρία τοῦ Ἰωάννου ὅτε ἀπέστειλαν πρὸς αὐτὸν οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι ἐξ Ἱεροσολύμων ἱερεῖς καὶ Λευίτας ἵνα ἐρωτήσωσιν αὐτόν σὺ τίς εἶ”.

Καὶ -> coordinating conjunction -> And

αὕτη -> feminine, singular, nominative, demonstrative pronoun -> this

ἐστὶν -> third person, singular, present, indicative verb -> is

μαρτυρία -> feminine, singular, nominative noun -> testimony

τοῦ’ -> masculine, singular, genitive article -> the

Ἰωάννου -> masculine, singular, genitive noun -> of John

ὅτε -> subordinating temporal conjunction -> when

ἀπέστειλαν -> third person, plural, aorist, active, indicative verb -> sent

[πρὸς] -> preposition taking the accusative for its object word and -> to

[αὐτὸν] -> third person, personal, masculine, singular, accusative pronoun -> him

οἱ -> masculine, plural, nominative article -> the

Ἰουδαῖοι -> masculine, plural, nominative, proper adjective -> Jews

ἐξ -> preposition taking the genitive for its object word and -> from

Ἱεροσολύμων -> neuter, plural, genitive, proper noun -> Jerusalem

ἱερεῖς -> masculine, plural, accusative noun -> priests.

καὶ -> coordinating conjunction -> and

Λευίτας -> masculine, plural, accusative, proper noun -> Levites

ἵνα -> subordinating conjunction of purpose -> in order that

ἐρωτήσωσιν -> third person, plural, aorist, active, subjunctive verb -> they might ask

αὐτόν -> third person, personal, masculine, singular, accusative pronoun -> him

σὺ -> second person, personal, singular, nominative pronoun -> you

τίς -> masculine, singular, nominative, interrogative pronoun -> who

εἶ -> second person, singular, present, indicative verb -> are

The meaning of this verse is,

And this is the testimony of John when the Jews sent Levites and priests from Jerusalem to him in order to ask him, “Who are you?”

Title:  No One Has Ever Seen God

The text is, Θεὸν οὐδεὶς ἑώρακεν πώποτε μονογενὴς θεὸς ὁ ὢν εἰς τὸν κόλπον τοῦ πατρὸς ἐκεῖνος ἐξηγήσατο

Θεὸν is a masculine, singular, accusative noun -> God

οὐδεὶς is a masculine, singular, nominative, indefinite adjective -> no one

ἑώρακεν is a third person, singular, perfect, active, indicative verb -> has seen

πώποτε is an adverb of time -> ever

μονογενὴς is a masculine, singular, nominative adjective -> only

θεὸς is a masculine, singular, nominative noun -> God

ὁ is a masculine, singular, nominative article -> the NRIEH*

ὢν is a present participial, masculine, singular, nominative verb -> being

εἰς is a preposition taking the accusative for its object word -> at

τὸν is a masculine, singular, accusative article -> the

κόλπον  is a masculine, singular, accusative noun -> side

τοῦ is a masculine, singular, genitive article -> the NRIEH*

πατρὸς is a masculine, singular, genitive noun -> of the father

ἐκεῖνος is a masculine, singular, nominative pronoun -> he

ἐξηγήσατο is a third person, singular, middle, aorist, indicative verb -> has known

The -> of this verse is,

No one has ever seen God.  Only God has known, being at the side of the Father.

<span style=”font-family: book antiqua, serif;”>*NRIEH: For the sake of clarity the word is translated into English, but to avoid such odd constructions as applying a definite article (“the”) to a substantive sufficiently determined by its being a proper noun, or by the use of a qualifier other than the definite article. An example would be the basic translation “Peter said to the Jesus”; the word “the” is completely unnecessary. There are many examples of this in the New Testament. The designation NRIEH is equivalent to “Not Rendered Into English Here”.</span>

Title:  For the Law Was Given Through Moses, Grace and Truth Came to Be Through Jesus Christ

The text is, “ὅτι ὁ νόμος διὰ Μωϋσέως ἐδόθη, ἡ χάρις καὶ ἡ ἀλήθεια διὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐγένετο”

ὅτι -> subordinating conjunction of causation -> for

ὁ -> masculine, singular, nominative article -> the

νόμος -> masculine, singular, nominative noun -> law

διὰ -> preposition taking the genitive for its object word-> through

Μωϋσέως -> masculine, singular, genitive, proper noun -> Moses

ἐδόθη -> third person, singular, aorist, passive, indicative verb -> was given

ἡ -> feminine, singular, nominative article -> the NRIEH*

χάρις -> feminine, singular, nominative noun -> grace

καὶ -> coordinating conjunction -> and

ἡ -> feminine, singular, nominative article -> the NRIEH

ἀλήθεια -> feminine, singular, nominative noun -> truth

διὰ -> preposition taking the genitive for its object word and -> through

Ἰησοῦ -> masculine, singular, genitive, proper noun -> Jesus

Χριστοῦ -> masculine, singular, genitive noun -> Christ

ἐγένετο -> third person, singular, aorist, middle, indicative verb -> came to be

The meaning of this verse is,

For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came to be through Jesus Christ.

*NRIEH: For the sake of clarity the word is translated into English, but to avoid such odd constructions as applying a definite article (“the”) to a substantive sufficiently determined by its being a proper noun, or by the use of a qualifier other than the definite article. An example would be the basic translation “Peter said to the Jesus”; the word “the” is completely unnecessary. There are many examples of this in the New Testament. The designation NRIEH is equivalent to “Not Rendered Into English Here”.

Title:  And the Word Because Flesh and Dwelt Among us

The text is, “Καὶ ὁ λόγος σὰρξ ἐγένετο καὶ ἐσκήνωσεν ἐν ἡμῖν καὶ ἐθεασάμεθα τὴν δόξαν αὐτοῦ δόξαν ὡς μονογενοῦς παρὰ πατρός, πλήρης χάριτος καὶ ἀληθείας”.

Καὶ -> coordinating additive conjunction -> and

ὁ -> masculine, singular, nominative article -> the

λόγος -> masculine, singular, nominative noun -> word

σὰρξ -> feminine, singular, nominative noun -> flesh | body

ἐγένετο -> third person singular, aorist, middle, indicative verb -> became | made himself

καὶ -> coordinating additive conjunction -> and

ἐσκήνωσεν third person singular, aorist, active, indicative verb -> dwelt | had h-> bode

ἐν -> preposition taking the dative, or indirect object, for its object word, -> among | with

ἡμῖν -> first person, personal, plural, dative pronoun -> us

καὶ -> coordinating additive conjunction -> and

ἐθεασάμεθα -> first person plural, aorist, middle, indicative verb -> we saw

τὴν -> feminine, singular, accusative (direct object) article -> whose

δόξαν -> feminine, singular, accusative noun -> glory

αὐτοῦ -> third person, personal, masculine, singular, genitive pronoun -> his

δόξαν -> feminine, singular, accusative noun -> glory

ὡς -> particle -> as | like

μονογενοῦς -> masculine, singular, genitive adjective -> of the only begotten

παρὰ -> preposition taking the genitive case for its object word, -> from

πατρός -> singular, masculine, genitive noun -> the Father

πλήρης -> feminine, singular, nominative adjective -> full

χάριτος -> feminine, singular, genitive noun -> of grace

καὶ -> coordinating additive conjunction -> and

ἀληθείας -> feminine, singular, genitive noun -> truth

The meaning of this verse is,

And the word became flesh and dwelt among us, whose glory we saw, his glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Title:  For Out of the Fullness of His Grace, We All Received Grace Even Upon Grace

The text is, “ὅτι ἐκ τοῦ πληρώματος αὐτοῦ ἡμεῖς πάντες ἐλάβομεν καὶ χάριν ἀντὶ χάριτος”.

ὅτι -> subordinating conjunction of causation -> for

ἐκ -> preposition taking the genitive to its object word -> out of

τοῦ -> neuter, singular, genitive article -> the NRIEH*

πληρώματος -> neuter, singular, genitive noun -> fullness

αὐτοῦ -> third person, personal, masculine, singular, genitive pronoun -> of his

πάντες -> masculine, plural, nominative adjective -> all

ἐλάβομεν -> first person, plural, aorist, active, indicative verb -> we received

καὶ -> coordinating additive conjunction -> even

χάριν -> feminine, singular, accusative noun -> grace|

ἀντὶ -> preposition taking the genitive for its object word → upon

χάριτος -> feminine, singular, genitive noun -> grace,

The meaning of this verse is,

For out of the fullness of his grace, we all received grace even upon grace.

*NRIEH: For the sake of clarity the word is translated into English, but to avoid such odd constructions as applying a definite article (“the”) to a substantive sufficiently determined by its being a proper noun, or by the use of a qualifier other than the definite article. An example would be the basic translation “Peter said to the Jesus”; the word “the” is completely unnecessary. There are many examples of this in the New Testament. The designation NRIEH is equivalent to “Not Rendered Into English Here”.

Title:  John Witnessed About Him and Cried Out

The text is, “Ἰωάννης μαρτυρεῖ περὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ κέκραγεν λέγων· οὗτος ἦν ὃν εἶπον· ὁ ὀπίσω μου ἐρχόμενος ἔμπροσθέν μου γέγονεν, ὅτι πρῶτός μου ἦν”.

Ἰωάννης -> third person, masculine, singular, nominative, proper noun -> John

μαρτυρεῖ -> third person, present, active, indicative verb -> witnesses CER* witnessed

περὶ -> preposition taking the genitive for its object word, -> about | respecting, | concerning

αὐτοῦ -> third person, personal, singular, masculine, genitive pronoun -> him

καὶ -> coordinating conjunction -> and

κέκραγεν -> third person singular, perfect, active, indicative verb -> cries out CER cried out

λέγων -> present active participial, masculine, singular, nominative verb -> saying

οὗτος -> masculine, singular, nominative, demonstrative pronoun -> this

ἦν -> third person, singular, perfect, indicative verb -> was

ὃν -> definite, relative, masculine, singular, accusative pronoun -> whom

εἶπον -> first person, singular, aorist, active, indicative verb -> I said

ὁ -> masculine, singular, nominative article -> who

ὀπίσω is an improper preposition taking the genitive in its object, -> after

μου -> first person, personal, singular, genitive pronoun -> me

ἐρχόμενος -> present, middle, participial, masculine, singular, nominative verb -> comes

ἔμπροσθέν is an improper preposition taking the genitive to its object word -> before

μου -> first person, personal, singular, genitive pronoun -> me

γέγονεν-> third person singular, perfect, active, indicative verb -> arose

ὅτι -> subordinating conjunction of causation -> because

πρῶτός -> masculine, singular, nominative, ordinal adjective -> first | before

μου -> first person, personal, singular, genitive pronoun -> me

ἦν -> third person, singular, perfect, indicative verb -> he was

The meaning of this verse is,

John witnessed about him and cried out, “This was whom I said, ‘He who comes after me arose before me.’, because he was before me.”

*CER:  indicates a non-literal, but good translation.  In the first example here, the verb “μαρτυρεῖ” is present tense, which in the indicative mood often can be rendered in the aorist tense, since it expresses linear action not in the present but at some point in the past.  The designation CER is equivalent to “Contextual English Rendering”.