John 3:16
 
John 3:16
(KJV) For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him Should not perish, but have everlasting life.
(1611 KJV) For God so loued ye world, that he gaue his only begotten Sonne: that whosoeuer beleeueth in him, should not perish, but haue euerlasting life.
(1587 Geneva Bible) For God so loued the worlde, that hee hath giuen his onely begotten Sonne, that whosoeuer beleeueth in him, should not perish, but haue euerlasting life.
(1568 Bishops Bible) For God so loued the worlde, that he gaue his only begotten sonne, that whosoeuer beleueth in hym, shoulde not perishe, but haue euerlastyng lyfe.
 
Counterfeit Versions
(CSB) For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.
(NIV) “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
(ESV) "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
(HCSB) "For God loved the world in this way: He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.
(CEV) God loved the people of this world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who has faith in him will have eternal life and never really die.
(NAB-Roman Catholic) For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.
(RSV) For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
(NRSV) ‘For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.
 
Textus Receptus - Traditional Text
ουτως γαρ ηγαπησεν ο θεος τον κοσμον ωστε τον υιον αυτου τον μονογενη εδωκεν ινα πας ο πιστευων εις αυτον μη αποληται αλλ εχη ζωην αιωνιον
 
Hort-Westcott - Critical Text
ουτως γαρ ηγαπησεν ο θεος τον κοσμον ωστε τον υιον τον μονογενη εδωκεν ινα πας ο πιστευων εις αυτον μη αποληται αλλ εχη ζωην αιωνιον
 
Corrupted Manuscripts
None
 
Affected Teaching
The Greek word behind “begotten” is “monogene” (monogene). It is contained in both the Textus Receptus and the Hort Westcott manuscripts. The word carries with it the meaning of “unique or one-of-a-kind.” The word is used to denote the difference between the Lord Jesus Christ who is in unique relationship with the Father and the born again Christian who are also called sons and daughters of God. In the modern versions, we read that Jesus was the “only” Son of God. This is a misnomer because when you change the word to “only” from “begotten,” you are attacking two major teachings in the Scripture. First, the unique relationship the Lord Jesus had with the Father by means of Him coming to Earth and dying for His Elect and paying the complete price for their sins. The second teaching is that when a person becomes truly born again, they become a son or daughter of God. The modern versions make it sound like there are no other sons or daughters and this is proven incorrect by the following Scriptures.
 
(2 Cor 6:18 KJV) And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
 
(Isa 43:6 KJV) I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth;
　
(1 John 3:1 KJV) Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
 
(Phil 2:15 KJV) That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;
 
The importance of the word “begotten” shows the difference between those who have become sons and daughters of God by adoption, (Gal 4:5 KJV) To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. and the Lord Jesus Christ who has always been with the Father throughout all eternity. In the Greek, there is a perfectly good word which God could have used if He wanted to convey Jesus as His “only” Son and that word is “monon” (mónon) which is used 67 times in the New Testament and is translated “only or alone.”
 
(John 17:20 KJV) Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;
 
(John 11:52 KJV) And not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad.
 
So in the book of John, there is a usage of the word “monon” and the word “monogene” which shows us that there is a difference in the meanings and their usage. It is also interesting to note that word “begotten” is included in the English text of the 1881 Hort-Westcott Revised Version, the 1901 American Revised Version which is a clone of the 1881 RV and the 1924 Centenary version. This means that the deletion of the word “begotten” is of recent origin. The translation of the Revised Standard Version was approved in 1937 by the National Council of Churches and the NT was completed in 1946. So the change of “begotten” to “only” probably was done around that time. It seems apparent that the modern theologians are no better than their second century Gnostic colleagues.

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