1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God , and God was the Word. John 1:1 (translated from the NA28 Greek text)
Carefully examine the four Greek examples I placed at the top of this post. The first one is from the Textus Receptus, which is the Greek behind the KJV. The next two are from the middle of the 19th century with Tichendorf’s New Testament predating Wescott and Hort’s by about 9 years or so. The last example is of the Nestle-Aland 28th Edition, which is what I use here. I pray that you noticed that there is no differences in the text other than the NA28 used a capital eplison at the beginning of the verse and the rest did not.
Here is the Greek text from the NA28. Let’s look at this closely, “Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ λόγος, καὶ ὁ λόγος ἦν πρὸς τὸν θεόν, καὶ θεὸς ἦν ὁ λόγος.”
The first two words are Ἐν ἀρχῇ (en archē), which we translate as “In the beginning.” The noun ἀρχῇ means both “beginning” and “ruler.” This double meaning in Greek is derived from the idea that something long ago put the world into motion and established the rules by which the world itself is obligated to obey. This philosophy explains why ἀρχῇ is used in the New Testament to denote both the beginning of something and the person or thing that exercises authority over others. In this context (John 1:1) as well as in John 1:2; 1 John 1:1; 2:7, 13, 14, 24) John is talking about the beginning. What is he telling us? This “in the beginning” is referring to the beginning of the time-space-material universe.