Only Begotten

Translation Notes · New Testament

Only Begotten

μονογενής monogenēs · Strong's G3439

The Greek joins “only” to “born”: the Son is not merely unique, but the one begotten of the Father.

Modern versions: “one and only” (NIV), “only” (ESV, RSV)

Monogenēs is made of monos, “only,” and the root of ginomai, “to be born” (Strong’s: “only born”). The KJV gives both halves of the word wherever it speaks of the Son: John 1:14, 1:18, 3:16, 3:18, and 1 John 4:9, and of Isaac, the son of promise, in Hebrews 11:17. Where it is said of an only child (Luke 7:12, 8:42, 9:38), the KJV says “only.”

This is how the word was read from the beginning. The Latin Bible renders it unigenitus, “one-begotten,” and Wycliffe’s English “oon bigetun sone.” Justin Martyr, writing about AD 155, calls Christ “the only-begotten of the Father of all things, being begotten in a peculiar manner.” The creed of the Council of Nicaea (325) confesses Him “the only-begotten of the Father … begotten, not made,” and the creed of Constantinople (381), still said in churches today, “the only begotten Son of God, begotten of his Father before all worlds.”

John himself speaks this way. Believers are “born, not of blood … but of God” (John 1:13) and “begotten of God” (1 John 5:1, 18), but the Son alone is the only begotten. Renderings like “one and only” keep the “only” and lose the “begotten,” the very word the creeds set against the teaching that the Son was made.

Where the King James Bible Has It

John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

John 1:18 No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

John 3:16 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.

John 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Hebrews 11:17 By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,

1 John 4:9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.

Sources

Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho 105 (c. AD 155)

For I have already proved that He was the only-begotten of the Father of all things, being begotten in a peculiar manner Word and Power by Him, and having afterwards become man through the Virgin.

Checked against: Ante-Nicene Fathers vol. 1, New Advent, 2026-10-16
The Creed of Nicaea (325), in Socrates, Church History 1.8

And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the only-begotten of the Father, that is of the substance of the Father; God of God and Light of light; true God of true God; begotten, not made.

Checked against: Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers II vol. 2, New Advent, 2026-10-16
The Creed of Constantinople (381)

And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, begotten of his Father before all worlds, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten not made.

Checked against: Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers II vol. 14, New Advent, 2026-10-16
The Latin Vulgate, John 3:16

Sic enim dilexit Deus mundum ut Filium suum unigenitum daret.

Checked against: The Latin Library, 2026-10-16
Wycliffe’s Bible, John 3:16 (c. 1390)

For God louede so the world, that he yaf his oon bigetun sone.

Checked against: Wikisource, 2026-10-16
The Geneva Bible, John 3:16 (1560)

For God so loued the worlde, that hee hath giuen his onely begotten Sonne.

Checked against: Wikisource, 2026-10-16