Gen 1:1–3: "In the beginning" or "When God began"

Says Genesis opens בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים (bere'shit bara' elohim). בְּרֵאשִׁית is the preposition "in" with רֵאשִׁית, "beginning" (BDB), and has no article; the WLC gives it a disjunctive accent, and OSHB tags the noun absolute. בָּרָא is a Qal perfect with אֱלֹהִים as subject. The noun has the same form in construct and absolute, so the consonants and vowels of 1:1–3 allow two readings.

Uncertain Independent clause: "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth" (BSB). Verse 1 is a complete statement (a first act or a heading), 1:2 describes the earth, and 1:3 begins the speeches. Grounds: the disjunctive accent; the absolute tag; the LXX ΕΝ ΑΡΧΗ ἐποίησεν ὁ θεὸς (note.language.Gen.1.1-Gen.1.5.lxx-en-arche-aoratos); early Jewish renderings with a complete clause (note.historical.Gen.1.1-Gen.1.31.early-jewish-readings).

Uncertain Temporal clause: "When God began to create the heavens and the earth," with 1:2 describing the circumstances and the main clause at 1:3. Grounds: the missing article; in OSHB's tagging the noun is construct in 45 of its 51 occurrences; and a construct noun can govern a verbal clause, as בְּיוֹם עֲשׂוֹת does in Gen 2:4 ("in the day that the Lord God made them," BSB). No lean is taken between the two readings.

The approved note on John 1:1, note.language.John.1.1.bereshit-en-arche, prefers the independent reading for its own purpose; that preference is pointed to here, not adopted or contradicted.

Uncertain Whether 1:1 by itself teaches creation out of nothing is not settled by the syntax; see note.historical.Rom.4.1-Rom.4.25.creation-from-nothing.