The Evangelical Universalist Forum

why does the young's literal translation use ing

so many times in john ?
but as many as did receive him to them he gave authority to become sons of God – to those believing in his name,

that every one who is believing in him may not perish, but may have life age-during,

or God did so love the world, that His Son – the only begotten – He gave, that every one who is believing in him may not perish, but may have life age-during.

he who is believing in him is not judged, but he who is not believing hath been judged already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

he who is believing in the Son, hath life age-during; and he who is not believing the Son, shall not see life, but the wrath of God doth remain upon him.’

Verily, verily, I say to you – He who is hearing my word, and is believing Him who sent me, hath life age-during, and to judgment he doth not come, but hath passed out of the death to the life.
What does it mean ? thank you for you help

Believe in Jn.1:12 is in the Present Tense, Active Voice, and in Mood is a Participle.

"The Greek Participle corresponds for the most part to the English participle, reflecting “-ing” or “-ed” being suffixed to the basic verb form. The participle can be used either like a verb or a noun, as in English, and thus is often termed a ‘verbal noun.’ " (Pierce, L. Tense Voice Mood. Woodside Bible Fellowship.: Ontario)

If it was in the Past Tense, “ed” would have been a better translation. "Those who have “believed”.

The combination of the Present Tense and it being a Participle is why Young translated it a “ing”. So it is not what you have once believed, but where is your faith now. To me it highlights that the kingdom of God is not about “someday” but about “today”, the very present reality of the kingdom of God. And I believe such an “ing” translation better conveys what John/Jesus was driving at.

John 1:12 “but as many as did receive him to them he gave authority to become sons of God – to those believing in his name,” - in interesting in that “recieve” is in 2nd Aorist in Tense, which highlights it being a punctiliar action and is usually translated as past tense as in “did receive” or “received”. Thus this verse notes both the initial reception of the Lord, of the Spirit and one’s ongoing faith in Him. To receive the Lord but not to maintain an ongoing faith in Him does not enable one to live as children of God, which I don’t think is speaking of someday making it to heaven, but of today living in right relationship with God and man, true relational wholeness and holiness.