John 1:2 kjv

The same was in the beginning with God.

John 1:2 nkjv

He was in the beginning with God.

John 1:2 niv

He was with God in the beginning.

John 1:2 esv

He was in the beginning with God.

John 1:2 nlt

He existed in the beginning with God.

John 1 verses

John 1 2 Meaning

John 1:2 concisely declares that the Word (who is God, as stated in Jn 1:1b) existed eternally and continuously in an intimate, personal relationship with God the Father from the absolute beginning, before anything was created. This verse reinforces the pre-existence, distinct personality, and inherent divinity of the Son, emphasizing an unbreakable communion within the Godhead from eternity past.

John 1 2 Context

John 1:2 forms the core of John's prologue (Jn 1:1-18), a profound theological overture to his Gospel. Coming immediately after the initial declaration in John 1:1 that "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God," verse 2 functions as an emphatic restatement and reinforcement of the Word's pre-existence and relationship. It links the eternal "was" (ἦν) of the Word directly to the "beginning" (ἀρχῇ) first mentioned, positioning the Word outside of created time and establishing an eternal fellowship. The verse clarifies that the unique nature of the Word – His distinct personhood yet unity with God – was not a temporary arrangement but His constant state from eternity. Historically, this prologue implicitly counters nascent Gnostic tendencies that denied the Word's full divinity or real humanity, as well as Hellenistic philosophies that conceived of the Logos as an impersonal principle, by asserting a personal, pre-existent, divine being in intimate relationship with the Creator God.

John 1 2 Word analysis

• The same (οὗτος - houtos): This specific demonstrative pronoun explicitly refers back to "the Word" (ὁ Λόγος - ho Logos) of John 1:1. It emphasizes continuity and singular identity, ensuring the reader understands that the subject remains the same: the divine Word who was and is God. This prevents any misconception that a new subject is introduced or that "the Word" refers to a general concept rather than a distinct person.

• was (ἦν - ēn): This is the imperfect tense of the verb "to be." It signifies continuous, prior, and sustained existence. Unlike "became" (ἐγένετο - egeneto), which indicates coming into being, "was" describes a state that already existed and continued. It firmly establishes the Word's eternal, uncreated being, pre-dating all creation, and denotes an inherent quality of continuous divinity rather than a temporal state.

• in the beginning (ἐν ἀρχῇ - en archē): This phrase, identical to John 1:1, points to an absolute, unmeasured eternity prior to all created order. It directly echoes Genesis 1:1, setting the Word's existence in the primordial time before the heavens and the earth were formed. It means not "at a beginning," but "at the beginning," implying ultimate timelessness and pre-creation reality.

• with God (πρὸς τὸν Θεόν - pros ton Theon):

  • with (πρός - pros): This preposition indicates more than mere accompaniment (e.g., meta or para). It signifies an active, dynamic, face-to-face relationship, an intimate fellowship where two distinct persons are oriented toward each other in communion. It conveys both distinct personality and the profound unity of being.
  • God (τὸν Θεόν - ton Theon): With the definite article "ton," it refers to God the Father, distinct from the Word (who is also God), but sharing the same divine essence. This establishes the relational distinction within the Godhead from eternity.

• The same was: This phrase solidifies the identity of the eternal, pre-existent Word. It underscores that the specific divine being introduced in John 1:1 is consistently the subject, reinforcing His unchanging nature and existence. It means this particular divine Word always was.

• in the beginning with God: This entire phrase strongly affirms the Word's pre-creation existence in intimate fellowship with God the Father. It sets the stage for His role as Creator and Redeemer, demonstrating that He is not a created being, but an uncreated, eternal, distinct Person within the one Godhead, whose existence and relationship are prior to all things. It emphasizes not only pre-existence but co-existence in divine communion.

John 1 2 Bonus section

This verse subtly introduces the dynamic aspect of the Trinity by emphasizing a distinct yet co-eternal relationship within the Godhead. The Word's "being with God" (πρὸς τὸν Θεόν) from eternity past signifies not mere parallel existence but an active orientation towards the Father, implying a depth of interaction, purpose, and shared glory that precedes creation. This deep personal interaction provides the context for understanding God's nature as relational love (1 Jn 4:8) even before the world existed. John intentionally places this repeated emphasis on the "beginning" and "with God" to fortify the reader's understanding against any worldview that might suggest the Son's status or existence came into being at a later point, solidifying His full co-eternality and co-equality with God the Father.

John 1 2 Commentary

John 1:2 is a profound restatement that deepens the initial revelation of John 1:1. While John 1:1 established the Word's eternal pre-existence ("In the beginning was the Word") and His divine nature ("the Word was God"), verse 2 specifically highlights His eternal, intimate relationship with God the Father ("The same was in the beginning with God"). It means that the unique, divine person identified as "the Word" continuously and eternally existed in a face-to-face communion with the Father. This verse provides foundational Trinitarian theology by emphasizing distinct persons (Father and Word) within the one Godhead, yet eternally in relationship, ensuring that the Word's divinity and personality are clear from eternity. This timeless fellowship is essential for understanding the Son's role in creation, redemption, and revelation, as His divine essence and intimate union with the Father are rooted in eternity past. For practical understanding, it means Christ is not just "like God" or a "powerful being," but is from eternity intrinsically and personally connected to and identified with the ultimate divine reality, enabling Him to fully reveal the Father to humanity.