I am in a discussion with a Jehovah's Witness regarding the John 1:1–4 passage and the Deity of Christ. He says this:
John 1 did not work out well for you. With the punctuation as found in our critical editions such as NA28 and UBS4, in that passage "what came to be in him was [ην] life."
Here is the New Revised Standard Version:
NRS John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being 4 in him was life, and the life was the light of all people.
So, life came into being in him "in the beginning."
What was this life? BDAG says it was "2. transcendent life, life" And also in the entry for "life" - b. of Christ, who received life fr. God J 5:26b
Note that John 5:26 is tied to this by BDAG: NRS John 5:26 For just as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself; Therefore, in the beginning, the first action of the Father was to give life to the Son.
I would like some insight into the variances of this passage and also as to the correctness of choosing which texts are chosen as superior in quality.