Koine Greek texts from the Coptic era have either ho monogenhs theos (the only
[-begotten] god/God) -- Alexandrian text family; or ho monogenhs huios (the
only [-begotten] Son) -- Western text family. The Sahidic appears to be unique
in that it apparently combines (conflates) both readings. "The only God" could
be expected of a basically Alexandrian text like the Sahidic version. "The only
Son" must have had considerable support also among the Sahidic translators,
since they apparently included it.

Whereas some scholars theorize that monogenhs itself includes the meaning "only
Son," that would be redundant in places where monogenhs huios appears, since
that would give us "only Son Son." What is known for sure is that both "God"
and "Son" are represented in various ancient Koine Greek texts from the Sahidic
Coptic era.

The later Bohairic version settled for "the only -{begotten] God" reading,
according to George Horner's translation. According to Horner's footnote at
this verse, it could also be rendered as "the divine only-begotten."

Solomon

--- In Sahidica@yahoogroups.com, "Joseph" <j_w_wells_writer@...> wrote:
>
>
> I recently noticed that the comments on Christology were contextually
incomplete. I have added another short paragraph to complete the information. As
always, please keep in mind that my work must remain objective. I simply report
what the Coptic literally "says" without regard to what translators claim it
"means."
>
> New paragraph in double brackets.
>
>
> ADDENDUM 2 (2005): Note on Christology in the Coptic Versions of John.
> [Last updated 2009]
>
> It was already noted that Coptic was the first language the New Testament was
translated into that has the indefinite article; and the only language with the
indefinite article that was produced during the Koine Greek period.
>
> The is of interest because, in Coptic versions, John 1:1b is commonly
> translated "the word was with God and the word was a God" using the Coptic
indefinite article; with some variation in word order.
>
> [[However, it should also be noted that the Sahidic mss at John 1:18b use a
Sahidic phrase that litreally translates "The-God the-Son the-only" or "The God
the only Son."]]
>
> In the proto-Bohairic version (Papyrus Bodmer III, the text of which was
partially reconstructed by Rodolphe Kasser) the first occurrence of "God" in
John 1:1 is in the Nomina Sacra form, whereas the second occurrence is spelled
out.
>
> In John 1:18 the word "God" (which no one has seen) is in the Nomina Sacra
form, while the word "God" (only-begotten) is spelled out.
>