Jn 1:18 is an interesting verse.

[Robert Gwin]

Most versions of the Bible render theos as Son, rather than god. The original called the Word the only begotten god. It is interesting how versions render this verse which is literally written: (click on verse as it is a link).

John 1:18 Interlinear: God no one hath ever seen; the only begotten Son, who is on the bosom of the Father -- he did declare.

KJV
No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

NKJV

No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son,[fn] who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.

NLT

No one has ever seen God. But the unique One, who is himself God,[fn] is near to the Father’s heart. He has revealed God to us.

NIV

No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and[fn] is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.

ESV

No one has ever seen God; the only God,[fn] who is at the Father’s side,[fn] he has made him known.

CSB

No one has ever seen God. The one and only Son, who is himself God and[fn] is at the Father’s side —he has revealed him.

NASB20

No one has seen God at any time; God the only Son, who is in the [fn]arms of the Father, He has [fn]explained Him.

NASB95

No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.

LSB

No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.

NET

No one has ever seen God. The only one, himself God, who is in closest fellowship with the Father, has made God known.

RSV

No one has ever seen God; the only Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he has made him known.

ASV

No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

YLT

God no one hath ever seen; the only begotten Son, who is on the bosom of the Father -- he did declare.

DBY

No one has seen God at any time; the only-begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, *he* hath declared him.

WEB

No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

HNV

No one has seen God at any time. The one and only Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he has declared him.

 

[Lambano]

This is one of those cases in which the manuscripts disagree. If I may quote from NET Bible's translators' notes:

"The textual problem μονογενὴς θεός (monogenēs theos, “the only God”) versus ὁ μονογενὴς υἱός (ho monogenēs huios, “the only son”) is a notoriously difficult one. Only one letter would have differentiated the readings in the mss, since both words would have been contracted as nomina sacra: thus qMs or uMs. Externally, there are several variants, but they can be grouped essentially by whether they read θεός or υἱός. The majority of mss, especially the later ones (A C Θ Ψ ƒ M lat), read ὁ μονογενὴς υἱός. P א 33 have ὁ μονογενὴς θεός, while the anarthrous μονογενὴς θεός is found in P א* B C* L."

Which manuscript contains what John originally wrote? How do we determine that?

 

[FactsPlease]

I fergot!

It's either one of the later manuscripts or one the ones changed.