The Greek word “Monogenes” sometimes translated as only begotten, had a different meaning when the Bible was written. So what did the original author mean by “Monogenes?”
The phrase “only begotten”of John 3:16 entered with the early Catholic Church Fathers and early English translations as a result of the influence of the Catholic Vulgate. A more accurate rendering would be “only, “unique,” or “one of a kind.”
Of course, the original author didn’t write in English; he wrote in Greek. Ancient writers often used this adjective to describe a child’s unique relationship with their parent. Moreover, the emphasis was on the specific relationship, not about physical begetting. In fact, monogenes is better understood to describe a relationship as “one-of-a-kind” or “unique.” This is exactly how the biblical writers would have understood the word.
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