# John 1.9

<!-- type: passage | created: 2026-06-01 | updated: 2026-06-01 -->

**Book:** [John](/codex/john-the-apostle/) · NASB95

## Immediate context (±2 verses)

**ASV** ([ASV](/codex/asv/))
> 7. The same came for witness, that he might bear witness of the light, that all might believe through him. 8. He was not the light, but came that he might bear witness of the light.
>
> **9. There was the true light, even the light which lighteth every man, coming into the world.**
>
> 10. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, and the world knew him not. 11. He came unto his own, and they that were his own received him not. (John 1:7-11, ASV)

**WEB** ([WEB](/codex/web/))
> 7. The same came as a witness, that he might testify about the light, that all might believe through him. 8. He was not the light, but was sent that he might testify about the light.
>
> **9. The true light that enlightens everyone was coming into the world.**
>
> 10. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, and the world didn’t recognize him. 11. He came to his own, and those who were his own didn’t receive him. (John 1:7-11, WEB)

**KJV** ([KJV](/codex/kjv/))
> 7. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. 8. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.
>
> **9. That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.**
>
> 10. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. 11. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. (John 1:7-11, KJV)

**YLT** ([YLT](/codex/ylt/))
> 7. this one came for testimony, that he might testify about the Light, that all might believe through him; 8. that one was not the Light, but, that he might testify about the Light.
>
> **9. He was the true Light, which doth enlighten every man, coming to the world;**
>
> 10. in the world he was, and the world through him was made, and the world did not know him: 11. to his own things he came, and his own people did not receive him; (John 1:7-11, YLT)

## Setting

- **Speaker:** _TBD_
- **Audience:** _TBD_
- **Location:** _TBD_
- **Time period:** _TBD_

## Theological reading

_Patristic / early-church-father exegesis, to be added._

## Key words

_Theologically-loaded Greek or Hebrew words in this verse may have entries in the lexicon. Curated to roughly 100 contested terms across the corpus, not every word; see Lexicon Roadmap._

- _TBD_
- _TBD_
- _TBD_
- _TBD_

<!-- BACKLINKS:START -->
## Quoted in

**Arguments and defeaters:**

- [Anointing Implies Subordination Objection Defeater](/codex/anointing-implies-subordination-objection-defeater/)
- [Anthropology vs Epistemology Priority Objection Defeater](/codex/anthropology-vs-epistemology-priority-objection-defeater/)
- [Argument from Consciousness](/codex/argument-from-consciousness/)
- [Argument from Reason](/codex/argument-from-reason/)
- [Argument from the Confession-Catharsis Convergence](/codex/argument-from-the-confession-catharsis-convergence/)
- [Argument from the Continuance of Being](/codex/argument-from-the-continuance-of-being/), via [John 1.1-18](/codex/john-1-1-18/)
- [Argument from the Costly-Signal Convergence](/codex/argument-from-the-costly-signal-convergence/), via [John 1.1-18](/codex/john-1-1-18/)
- [Argument from the Observer-Demand Convergence](/codex/argument-from-the-observer-demand-convergence/), via [John 1.1-18](/codex/john-1-1-18/)
- [Argument from the Pre-Given Logos](/codex/argument-from-the-pre-given-logos/), via [John 1.1-18](/codex/john-1-1-18/)
- [Argument from the Reliability of Reason](/codex/argument-from-the-reliability-of-reason/)
- [Argument from the Universal Storytelling Convergence](/codex/argument-from-the-universal-storytelling-convergence/), via [John 1.1-14](/codex/john-1-1-14/)
- [Epistemology Defeats Christianity Objection Defeater](/codex/epistemology-defeats-christianity-objection-defeater/)
- [Hand of God Argument](/codex/hand-of-god-argument/)
- [Jesus Has a God Therefore Not God Objection Defeater](/codex/jesus-has-a-god-therefore-not-god-objection-defeater/), via [John 1.1-18](/codex/john-1-1-18/)
- [Stealing from God Argument](/codex/stealing-from-god-argument/)
- [Transcendental Argument for God](/codex/transcendental-argument-for-god/)
- [Trinity Coherence Defense (Latin-Thomist)](/codex/trinity-coherence-defense-latin-thomist/), via [John 1.1-18](/codex/john-1-1-18/)
- [Why Didnt Jesus Write Anything Himself Objection Defeater](/codex/why-didnt-jesus-write-anything-himself-objection-defeater/), via [John 1.1-14](/codex/john-1-1-14/)

**Concepts:**

- [Christianity](/codex/christianity/), via [John 1.1-14](/codex/john-1-1-14/), [John 1.1-18](/codex/john-1-1-18/)
- [Christology](/codex/christology/), via [John 1.1-14](/codex/john-1-1-14/), [John 1.1-18](/codex/john-1-1-18/)
- [Doctrine](/codex/doctrine/), via [John 1.1-18](/codex/john-1-1-18/)
- [General Revelation](/codex/romans-1-19-20/)
- [Incarnation](/codex/incarnation/), via [John 1.1-18](/codex/john-1-1-18/)
- [Islamic Dilemma](/codex/islamic-dilemma/), via [John 1.1-18](/codex/john-1-1-18/)
- [Jesus Said](/codex/jesus-said/), via [John 1.1-14](/codex/john-1-1-14/)
- [Kalimatullah](/codex/kalimatullah/), via [John 1.1-18](/codex/john-1-1-18/)
- [Lesson 2.4, Christology in One Lesson](/codex/lesson-2-4-christology-in-one-lesson/), via [John 1.1-18](/codex/john-1-1-18/)
- [Logos Christology](/codex/logos-christology/), via [John 1.1-18](/codex/john-1-1-18/)
- [Mathematical Intelligibility of Nature](/codex/mathematical-intelligibility-of-nature/), via [John 1.1-18](/codex/john-1-1-18/)
- [Old Testament Christology](/codex/old-testament-witness-to-the-deity-of-christ/), via [John 1.1-18](/codex/john-1-1-18/)
- [Old Testament Witness to the Deity of Christ](/codex/old-testament-witness-to-the-deity-of-christ/), via [John 1.1-18](/codex/john-1-1-18/)
- [Salvation of the Unevangelized](/codex/salvation-of-the-unevangelized/)
- [Sensus Divinitatis](/codex/sensus-divinitatis/)
- [Tahrif](/codex/tahrif/), via [John 1.1-18](/codex/john-1-1-18/)
- [Two Powers in Heaven](/codex/two-powers-in-heaven/), via [John 1.1-18](/codex/john-1-1-18/)

**People:**

- [Bart Ehrman](/codex/bart-ehrman/), via [John 1.1-18](/codex/john-1-1-18/)
- [Jesus](/codex/jesus/), via [John 1.1-14](/codex/john-1-1-14/)
- [John the Apostle](/codex/john-the-apostle/), via [John 1.1-18](/codex/john-1-1-18/)
- [Philo of Alexandria](/codex/philo-of-alexandria/), via [John 1.1-18](/codex/john-1-1-18/)

**Lexicon:**

- [G1096 - ginomai](/codex/g1096-ginomai/), via [John 1.1-18](/codex/john-1-1-18/)
- [G2889 - kosmos](/codex/g2889-kosmos/)
- [G3004 - lego](/codex/g3004-lego/), via [John 1.1-14](/codex/john-1-1-14/)
- [H0001 - ab](/codex/h0001-ab/), via [John 1.1-18](/codex/john-1-1-18/)

**Guides:**

- [Ris3n Arguments](/codex/ris3n-arguments/), via [John 1.1-18](/codex/john-1-1-18/)

<!-- BACKLINKS:END -->
---

_Scripture quotations taken from the **New American Standard Bible®** (NASB), Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by **The Lockman Foundation**. Used by permission. All rights reserved. [www.lockman.org](https://www.lockman.org)_

## Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the **most literal English translations available** (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the **public domain in the United States**, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

- **[ASV](/codex/asv/)** (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
- **[WEB](/codex/web/)** (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
- **[KJV](/codex/kjv/)** (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
- **[YLT](/codex/ylt/)** (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See [Bibles](/codex/bibles/) for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.
