In terms of grammar and word meanings, were there any changes? Explain.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and God was that Word.

It was in the beginning with God.

All things were made through him, and nothing was made without him.

That was life, which was created through him; and that life was the light of men.

And the light shone in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.

He came as a witness, to bear witness to the light, that all men through him might believe.

He was not the light, but he bore witness to the light.

That was the true light, which lightens every man who comes into the world.

Version 1

In the begynnyng was the worde, & the worde was with God: and that worde was God.

The fame was in the begynnyng with God.

All thynges were made by it: and without it, was made nothing that was made.

In it was lyfe, and the lyfe was the lyght of men.

And the lythe fyneth in darkneffe comprehended it not.

There was a man sent from God, whofe name was John.

The fame came from a witneffe, to bear witneffe of the light, that all men through hym might believe.

He was not that lyght: but was fent to beare witneffe of the lyght.

That lyght was the true lyght, which lyghteth euery man that commeth into the worlde.

Version 2

On frymðe wæs Word, and þæt Word wæs mid Gode, and God wæs þæt Word.

þæt wæs on fruman mid Gode.

Ealle þing wæron geworhte ðurh hyne; and nan þing næs geworth butan him.
þæt wæs lif þe on him geworht wæs; and þæt lif wæs manna leot.

And þæt leoht lyht on ðystrum; and þystro þæt ne genamon.

Mann wæs fram Gode asend, þæs nama wæs Iohannes.

Ðes com to gewitnesse, þæt he gewitnesse cyðde be ðam leohte, þæt ealle menn þurh hyne gelyfdon.

Næs he leoht, ac þæt he gewitnesse forð bære be þam leohte.

Soð leoht wæs þæt onlyht ælcne cumende man on þisne middaneard.

Version 3

In the bigynnyng was the word, and the word was at God, and God was the word.

This was in the bigynnyng at God.

Alle thingis weren maad bi hym, and withouten him was maad no thing, that thing that was maad.

In hym was lijf, and the lijf was the liyt of men.

and the liyt schyneth in derknessis, and derknessis comprehendiden not it.

A man was sent fro God, to whom the name was Joon.

This man cam into witnessyng, that he schulde bere witnessing of the liyt, that alle men schulden bileue
bi hym.

He was not the liyt, but that he schulde bere witnessing of the liyt.

There was a very liyt, which liytneth ech man that cometh in to this world.
 Translation Version 1 Version 2 Version 3
Line 1 In the beginning In the begynnyng On frymðe wæs In the bigynnyng
was the Word, and was the worde, & Word, and þæt was the word, and
the Word was with the worde was with Word wæs mid the word was at
God, and God was God: and that Gode, and God wæs God, and God was
that Word. worde was God. þæt Word. the word.
Line 2 It was in the The fame was in the þæt wæs on fruman This was in the
beginning with begynnyng with mid Gode. bigynnyng at God.
God. God.
Line 3 All things were All thynges were Ealle þing wæron Alle thingis weren
made through him, made by it: and geworhte ðurh maad bi hym, and
and nothing was without it, was hyne; and nan þing withouten him was
made without him. made nothing that næs geworth butan maad no thing, that
was made. him. thing that was
maad.
Line 4 That was life, which In it was lyfe, and þæt wæs lif þe on In hym was lijf, and
was created the lyfe was the him geworht wæs; the lijf was the liyt
through him; and lyght of men. and þæt lif wæs of men.
that life was the manna leot.
light of men.
Line 5 And the light shone And the lythe And þæt leoht lyht and the liyt
in the darkness, fyneth in darkneffe on ðystrum; and schyneth in
and the darkness comprehended it þystro þæt ne derknessis, and
did not overcome not. genamon. derknessis
it. comprehendiden
not it.
Line 6 There was a man There was a man Mann wæs fram A man was sent fro
sent from God, sent from God, Gode asend, þæs God, to whom the
whose name was whofe name was nama wæs name was Joon.
John. John. Iohannes.
Line 7 He came as a The fame came Ðes com to This man cam into
witness, to bear from a witneffe, to gewitnesse, þæt he witnessyng, that he
witness to the light, bear witneffe of the gewitnesse cyðde schulde bere
that all men light, that all men be ðam leohte, þæt witnessing of the
through him might through hym might ealle menn þurh liyt, that alle men
believe. believe. hyne gelyfdon. schulden bileue bi
hym.
Line 8 He was not the He was not that Næs he leoht, ac He was not the liyt,
light, but he bore lyght: but was fent þæt he gewitnesse but that he schulde
witness to the light. to beare witneffe of forð bære be þam bere witnessing of
the lyght. leohte. the liyt.
Line 9 That was the true That lyght was the Soð leoht wæs þæt There was a very
light, which true lyght, which onlyht ælcne liyt, which liytneth
lightens every man lyghteth euery man cumende man on ech man that
who comes into the that commeth into þisne middaneard. cometh in to this
world. the worlde. world.
Version 1 Version 2 Version 3
Begynnyng (beginning) Frymðe (beginning; Bigynnyng (beginning)
origin; creation)
Made (Made) Geworhte (Past Maad (Made)
participle of gewyrcan
which means to work)
Without (Without) Butan Withouten (Without)
(Without/Unless/Except
For/But)
Sent (To send) Asend (Asenden, Of Sent (To send)
God/To send for the
benefit of mankind)
Darkneffe (Darkness) Þystro (Darkness) Derknessis (Darkness)
Comprehended ( to Genamon Comprehendiden
grasp) (most likely a different
version of
Comprehended, to
grasp)
John (graced by God) Iohannes (graced by Joon ( came from the
Yahweh, God is baptismal name for
gracious) Joan, which was the
female version of the
personal name John)
Witneffe (Can be Gewitnesse (Witness) Witnessyng (Can be
deciphered as witness) deciphered as witness)
cyðde (Kithe, To make
known in words)
Commeth (Alternative Cumende Cometh (third-person
form of commeth) (Coming/Present singular simple present
participle of come) indicative form of
come)
True (True) Very (True, Real,
Actual)
Þisne (Masculine This (This)
singular of þis,
meaning this)
Worlde (the world) Middaneard (the world) World (the world)

þu eart blindra manna leoht (you are the light of the blind) from Vercelli Homily IV

The name Joon is of Anglo-Saxon origin and came from the baptismal name for Joan, which was the
female version of the personal name John.

Manna= man, human being

When it comes to the meanings of each version, all three versions only have little changes when it
comes to the essence of the sentences. Most changes can be seen in the independent words themselves
such as “Geworhte” in Version 2 which means to work, compared to its counterparts in Version 1 and 3,
namely “Made” and “Maad” both meaning made.