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John 1:4

In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

KJV

ἐν αὐτῷ ζωὴ ἐστιν, καὶ ἡ ζωὴ ἦν τὸ φῶς τῶν ἀνθρώπων.

Greek NT

In ipso vita erat, et vita erat lux hominum :

Vulgate

In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

ASV

In him was life: and the life was the light of men.

Douay-Rheims

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In the original Greek

8 distinct Greek words appear in this verse.

αὐτός
autos
pronoun · 5564×
εἰμί
eimi
verb · 2461×
ζωή
zoe
noun · 135×
καί
kai
conjunction · 8973×
φῶς
phos
noun · 72×
ἄνθρωπος
anthropos
noun · 549×
ἐν
en
preposition · 2743×
o
article · 19778×

Themes

Historic Christian voices

11 passages from patristic writers, Reformers, and church catechisms citing this verse.

§612The cup of the New Covenant, which Jesus anticipated when he offered himself at the Last Supper, is afterwards accepted by him from his Father's hands in his agony in the garden at Gethsemani,434 making himself "obedient unto death". Jesus prays: "My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me. . ."435 Thus he expresses the horror that death represented for his human n…
§878Finally, it belongs to the sacramental nature of ecclesial ministry that it have a personal character. Although Chnst's ministers act in communion with one another, they also always act in a personal way. Each one is called personally: "You, follow me"397 in order to be a personal witness within the common mission, to bear personal responsibility before him who gives the missio…
§1108In every liturgical action the Holy Spirit is sent in order to bring us into communion with Christ and so to form his Body. the Holy Spirit is like the sap of the Father's vine which bears fruit on its branches.26 The most intimate cooperation of the Holy Spirit and the Church is achieved in the liturgy. the Spirit who is the Spirit of communion, abides indefectibly in the Chur…
1. Moses in the beginning of the history and writings of the Old Testament speaks to us of the objects of sense, and enumerates them to us at length. For, In the beginning, he says, God made the heaven and the earth, and then he adds, that light was created, and a second heaven and the stars, the various kinds of living creatures, and, that we may not delay by going through par…
1. Everywhere indeed a reverential mind is requisite, but especially when we say or hear anything of God: Since neither can tongue speak nor thought hear anything suitable to our God. And why speak I of tongue or thought? For not even the understanding which far excels these, will be able to comprehend anything accurately, when we desire to utter anything concerning God. For if…
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Calvin expounds the eternal divinity of the Word with great care. The Word was not created in time but existed from all eternity with the Father. "The Word was God" — here is a clear declaration of the deity of Christ. The Word was made flesh — this is the mystery of the incarnation, the union of th…
Chapter 1. On God. 1. I know that some will attempt to say that, even according to the declarations of our own Scriptures, God is a body, because in the writings of Moses they find it said, that our God is a consuming fire; and in the Gospel according to John, that God is a Spirit, and they who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth. Fire and spirit, according to t…
1. How Christians are the Spiritual Israel. That people which was called of old the people of God was divided into twelve tribes, and over and above the other tribes it had the levitical order, which itself again carried on the service of God in various priestly and levitical suborders. In the same manner, it appears to me that the whole people of Christ, when we regard it in t…

Cross-references

  • 1Cor 15:45 — And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.
  • 1Cor 15:45 — And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.
  • 1John 1:2 — (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)
  • 1John 1:2 — (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)
  • 1John 1:5 — This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
  • 1John 1:5 — This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
  • 1John 2:8 — Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth.
  • 1John 5:11 — And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
  • 1John 5:11 — And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
  • Acts 3:15 — And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses.
  • Acts 26:18 — To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith t
  • Acts 26:23 — That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles.
  • Col 3:4 — When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
  • Eph 5:8 — For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:
  • Eph 5:14 — Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.
  • Ezek 21:27 — I will overturn, overturn, overturn, it: and it shall be no more, until he come whose right it is; and I will give it him.
  • Heb 1:3 — Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the
  • Isa 35:4 — Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you.
  • Isa 42:6 — I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles;
  • Isa 42:16 — And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do
  • Isa 49:6 — And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou
  • Job 25:3 — Is there any number of his armies? and upon whom doth not his light arise?
  • John 1:8 — He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.
  • John 1:9 — That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
  • John 3:19 — And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
  • John 5:21 — For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will.
  • John 5:26 — For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;
  • John 5:26 — For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;
  • John 8:12 — Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
  • John 8:12 — Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
  • John 9:5 — As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.
  • John 9:5 — As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.
  • John 11:25 — Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
  • John 11:25 — Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
  • John 12:35 — Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.
  • John 12:46 — I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.
  • John 12:46 — I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.
  • John 14:6 — Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
  • John 14:6 — Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
  • Lev 24:2 — Command the children of Israel, that they bring unto thee pure oil olive beaten for the light, to cause the lamps to burn continually.