The word itself may make some of us a little uncomfortable. The greater context of John 1 attests to this, “ In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” – John 1:1 (KJV) Understanding and truth are foundational tenets of the light of the Trinity. So the original King James translation that the darkness “comprehendeth” it not also bears weight. And obscuring God’s truth and evil are also the same. In other words, understanding God’s truth and goodness are one and the same. The New International Version of “ overcoming” conveys the Greek implication of conflict.īut throughout the Bible, light has a dual association with both truth and goodness, just as darkness is linked to lies and evil. One implies a passive, even sedentary appraisal, and the other, a fierce struggle for victory.īut Crosswalk author Rick Renner explained the intent of the original Greek wording in his article “ Darkness Cannot Overcome the Light.” According to Renner, “comprehended” is built from a combination of “kata,” the Greek word for dominating or defeating, and “lambano” which means “seizing.” Put together, you get the sense of that fierce struggle for victory more than an academic analysis. In our modern English word-sense “comprehending” and “overcoming” are not exactly synonymous. Why would the same verse use such very different words in the English translations? Jesus is our “Light that shines in the darkness.” Did you notice the major difference in the two versions of John 1:5? Darkness not “comprehending” the light versus darkness not “overcoming” it? It seems a little off. “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” – John 1:5, NIV What Does the ‘Light in the Darkness’ in John 1:5 Mean? “And the light shineth in darkness and the darkness comprehendeth it not.” – John 1:5, KJV
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