Is 'begun' a better translation than 'made' in John 1:3?

Question

παντα δι αυτου εγενετο και χωρις αυτου εγενετο ουδε εν ο γεγονεν [TR] John1:3

All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. [KJV]

All things through him did happen, and without him happened not even one thing that hath happened. [YLT]

All things through him came into being, and without him came into being not even one [thing] which has come into being. [EGNT]

Since the context in these first few verses is 'in the beginning' (εν αρχη) in both verse one and verse two, I wondered if a better translation would be one which agrees with both the EGNT (The Englishman's Greek New Testament) and Young's Literal :

All things were begun through (δι) him and without him was not anything begun that was begun.

The KJV states 'made' three times but the verb is not ποιεο, 'do or make', but γινομαι, 'to become, to come to pass, to arise' [Thayer].

Is 'begun' a better expression of γινομαι than 'made' ?

Answer 1

Answer is not. The actual translation of "γεγονεν" is happened. So Everything happened through him and without him nothing would have happened from the ones that happened. Is a better translation. However, bare in mind that in greek, one word has at least 3 meanings, which are all valid! for the meaning the write wants to pass. For example, on your other section of the question,'in the beginning' (εν αρχη) , "εν αρχη" means, in the beggining, but at the same time, it also mean, "in power", the one who commands the leader. A passage that origins back to the students of Pythagoreas, using the exact same words bar the word god which was replaced with the work harmony. Sorry I can't site on that, as I would have to use an ancient greek passage claimed to be written by pythagorean students.

Answer 2

The Concise Greek Lexicon by Danker gives these senses:

γίνομαι [Ionic and Hell. form = γίγνομαι, cp. Lat. gigno; the central mng. ‘transfer from one state or condition to another’] this multivalent verb depends heavily on context for its signifi cation, which the rich resources of English can express in a variety of ways; some idea of the boundaries is here projected, but their fluidity is to be kept in mind:—1. ‘come into being by birth or natural process; be born, be produced Mt 21:19; J 8:58; Ro 1:3; 1 Cor 15:37; Gal 4:4.—2. ‘exist through application of will or effort by an entity’, be made, be performed, be done Mt 11:21f; Lk 14:22; J 1:3; Ac 19:26; 1 Cor 9:15; Eph 5:12.—3. ‘undergo a state of existence, change, or development’—a. come to be, become, take place, happen, occur, arise, be Mt 1:22 and oft . in the gospels; Ac 1:16, 18 and oft . in Ac; Lk 14:12 (befall).—ἐγένετο γνώμης made up his mind Ac 20:3.—belong (to), in sense of intimate connection Mt 18:12; Mk 16:10; Lk 20:14; Ro 7:3f.—In narrative progression, now or other appropriate circumlocution, but freq. omitted in transl. = older rendering it came to pass: ϰαὶ ἐγένετο (Hebraized) Mt 7:28; Mk 1:9; Lk 1:23; ἐγένετο 1:8; 2:1; J 10:22; ἐγίνετο δέ Ac 2:43.—In forceful negation μὴ γένοιτο by no means, certainly not, unthinkable! Lk 20:16; Ro 3:31 and oft . in Paul’s letters.—b. turn out to be, prove to be, be Mt 9:16; 10:25; 12:45; Mk 10:43; Lk 11:30; 16:11; Ro 2:25; 11:5; 12:16; 1 Cor 1:30; 2 Cor 1:19; 5:21; Gal 3:24; 4:12; Eph 4:32; Col 1:18; 1 Th 1:5; 2:14; 3:5; Phlm 6; Hb 1:4; 11:24; Js 1:12; 1 Pt 2:7; 5:3; 2 Pt 1:4; 2:20; 2 J 12; 3 J 8; Rv 2:10.—c. of presence be there, appear Mk 1:4; J 1:6.—d. of movement come, arrive Ac 27:7