Begotten Meaning in the Bible: Definition & Verse Examples

You will mostly see this word in the King James Version (KJV). It shows up in family lists, in verses about Jesus, and in verses about believers being “born again.” Let’s look at what it means, where it appears, and why it matters.

What Does “Begotten” Mean in Simple Words?

Begotten simply means “brought into life by a parent.” If a father has a son, that son was begotten by the father.

The word comes from the old English verb “beget,” which means “to father a child.” Here is how the word forms work:

Word	What It Means	Example
Beget	To father a child (present tense)	“Thou shalt beget sons and daughters” (Deuteronomy 28:41)
Begat	Fathered (old past tense)	“Abraham begat Isaac” (Matthew 1:2)
Begot	Fathered (another past tense)	Used in older English writing
Begotten	Has been fathered (past participle)	“His only begotten Son” (John 3:16)

So “begot” and “begat” are what a father did. “Begotten” describes the child who came from him.

What Does “Begot” Mean in the Bible?

“Begot” means “fathered” or “became the father of.” The KJV more often uses the form “begat,” but both mean the same thing.

You will see this word again and again in the family lists of the Bible, which are called genealogies. For example:

• “Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren” (Matthew 1:2, KJV).
• “Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth” (Genesis 5:3, KJV).

Modern Bibles like the NIV usually say “was the father of” instead. The meaning does not change. Only the wording is newer.

What Does “Only Begotten Son” Mean in John 3:16?

This is the most famous use of the word. John 3:16 (KJV) says:

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

“Only begotten Son” means Jesus is God’s one and only, unique Son. No one else is God’s Son in the same way.

The Greek word behind this phrase is “monogenes.” It joins two parts:

• Mono = only or one
• Genes = kind or type

So the word means “one of a kind” or “the only one of its kind.” It points to Jesus being completely unique. It is less about a birth event and more about a special, one-of-a-kind relationship.

This is why many modern Bibles translate John 3:16 as “his one and only Son” (NIV) or “his only Son” (ESV). These versions are trying to bring out the “unique” meaning of the Greek word.

Where Does “Only Begotten” Appear in the Bible?

The phrase “only begotten” is used for Jesus five times in the KJV. All of them are in the writings of the apostle John:

1. John 1:14 – “the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.”
2. John 1:18 – “the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.”
3. John 3:16 – “he gave his only begotten Son.”
4. John 3:18 – “he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”
5. 1 John 4:9 – “God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.”

Each verse makes the same point. Jesus has a special place with the Father, and God sent Him out of love.

Does “Begotten” Mean Jesus Was Created?

No. Mainstream Christian teaching says that “begotten” does not mean Jesus was made or had a starting point.

The Bible says Jesus existed before the world began. John 1:1 says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” John 1:3 adds that all things were made by Him. So Jesus could not be one of the things that were made.

Think about it this way:

• When you make something, it is a different kind of thing than you. A builder makes a house, but the house is not a person.
• When a father begets a child, the child is the same kind as the father. A human begets a human.

So “begotten” points to Jesus sharing the same nature as God the Father. The early church put it this way in the Nicene Creed (AD 325). It calls Jesus “begotten, not made,” which means He is not created but shares the Father’s divine nature.

Is Isaac Called the “Only Begotten” Son?

Yes, and this verse helps explain the word. Hebrews 11:17 (KJV) says Abraham “offered up his only begotten son” when speaking of Isaac.

But Abraham had another son, Ishmael. So how could Isaac be his “only begotten” son?

The answer is that the word means unique or special, not “the only child ever born.” Isaac was the son of God’s promise. He was one of a kind in God’s plan. This supports the idea that “monogenes” focuses on uniqueness, not on being the only child.

What Does “This Day Have I Begotten Thee” Mean?

Psalm 2:7 (KJV) says:

“I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.”

This verse is about a king being set up on his throne. In the New Testament, it is applied to Jesus in a few places:

• Acts 13:33 connects it to the resurrection of Jesus.
• Hebrews 1:5 uses it to show Jesus is greater than the angels.
• Hebrews 5:5 uses it to show God made Jesus our high priest.

So in these verses, “begotten” points to Jesus being publicly shown as God’s Son and King, especially when He rose from the dead.

What Does “First Begotten” Mean?

The KJV also calls Jesus the “first begotten.” Revelation 1:5 calls Him “the first begotten of the dead,” and Hebrews 1:6 says, “when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world.”

“First begotten” means first in rank and honor. It also points to Jesus being the first to rise from the dead and never die again. His resurrection is the first of many, because those who trust in Him will also rise one day.

What Does It Mean for Believers to Be “Begotten” of God?

The Bible also uses this word for Christians. In this case, it means being born again or given new spiritual life by God.

• 1 Peter 1:3 (KJV): God “hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”
• 1 John 5:1 (KJV): “Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.”
• James 1:18 (KJV): “Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth.”

So believers are God’s children by new birth and adoption. Jesus is God’s Son by nature. That is the key difference, and it is why Jesus alone is called the “only begotten.”

What Is the Difference Between Begotten and Born?

These words are close, but they look at birth from different sides:

Begotten	Born
Focuses on the father	Focuses on the child coming into the world
“The father begat a son”	“The son was born”
Common in KJV genealogies	Common in all Bible versions

In everyday speech, both point to a child coming from a parent. The Bible simply uses “begotten” when it wants to highlight the father’s role.

Why Do Modern Bibles Remove “Begotten”?

Many readers notice that newer Bibles do not say “only begotten” in John 3:16. Here is why:

• Better word study. Scholars now understand “monogenes” mostly as “unique” or “one of a kind.”
• Clearer English. Few people use the word “begotten” today, so translators choose simpler words.
• Same truth. Both “only begotten” and “one and only” teach that Jesus is God’s unique Son.

The NKJV keeps “only begotten,” while the NIV, ESV, and NLT use other wording. No matter which version you read, the main message stays the same.

Why Does the Word “Begotten” Matter Today?

This one word carries some big truths for Christians:

• It shows who Jesus is. He is not just a good teacher or prophet. He is God’s unique Son who shares God’s nature.
• It shows how much God loves us. John 3:16 says God gave His only begotten Son. He gave what was most precious to Him.
• It shows our new identity. Through faith, believers are “begotten again” and become part of God’s family.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the simple meaning of begotten?

Begotten means “fathered” or “born of a parent.” In the Bible, it often describes Jesus as God’s one and only Son.

Is begotten the same as begot?

They come from the same word. “Begot” (or “begat”) means “fathered.” “Begotten” describes the child who was fathered.

How many times is “only begotten” used for Jesus?

Five times in the KJV: John 1:14, John 1:18, John 3:16, John 3:18, and 1 John 4:9.

What is the Greek word for begotten in John 3:16?

The word is “monogenes.” It means “one of a kind” or “unique.”

Does begotten mean Jesus had a beginning?

No. Christians believe Jesus has always existed. “Begotten” means He shares the same nature as the Father, not that He was created.

What does “begotten not made” mean?

This phrase from the Nicene Creed means Jesus was not created like the world. He is the Son who shares God’s own nature.

Conclusion

“Begotten” means “fathered” or “born of.” In family lists, it simply shows who was the father of whom. But when the Bible calls Jesus the “only begotten Son,” it tells us He is God’s unique, one-of-a-kind Son, sharing the very nature of God. And through faith in Him, believers are “begotten again” into God’s family. It is an old word, but the truth it carries is still at the center of the Christian faith.