During my bible study in 1992, I wrote a letter to department of the New Testament, at the George Washington University, Washington, D.C., USA.  My request was to elucidate the popular term from John's Gospel, the "only begotten son", in relation to the original Greek text written by the Apostle. 

Below is a copy of the scholarly response that I received, from the University by the then Assistant Professor of Religion, Paul B. Duff. He now enjoys the privileged position of Chair, Department of Religion at the George Washington University...  

   The above illumination is based upon the work of a scholar of international repute, Dr. Raymond Brown. It informs us that the innovated concept of Jesus being the "only begotten son" of the Father was developed in the fourth century. It was injected by Jerome into the Latin Bible to refute the claims made by Bishop Arius (d. 336) and his associates that Father alone was really God and Jesus was made (created) and not begotten. For further information it is suggested to read the detailed text written by Dr. Brown in the 'Anchor Bible' Volume 29, 'The Gospel according to John (i)', published by Doubleday Inc., Garden City, N.Y. (1966), p. 13-14. Apostle John had acknowledged Jesus to be an "unique son" of God but not the "only begotten son" of God. It is quite understandable that since Jesus was born to Virgin Mary he was indeed unlike others and therefore unique. However, in that respect Adam the son of God (Lk. 3: 38), was more unique being born without a father and a mother. 

Consequences of the 4th Century Heresy:

     The translators who use the Original Greek text written by Apostle John, as their source document to translate this controversial verse 3: 16, do mention that Jesus was a "unique son" or "one of a kind son" of God. Those who opt to translate that verse from the secondary document in Latin, known as The Vulgate, created by a scholar and apologist named Jerome (c. 347-420), do try to maintain that Jesus was the "only begotten son" of God. These strange inconsistencies within the translated texts for Jn. 3: 16 can be visualized from the reading of various translations reproduced below from the 'Gideon Bible'. 

     The famous 'Gideon Bible' is published by; The Gideons, the Christian Commercial Men's Association of America established in 1899. The organization has since then placed millions of copies of this Bible in hotels, hospitals, penal institutes schools and many other such public places. Below are the 25 translations of this often quoted verse John 3:16, in the world's important languages. Please try to read these translations and notice the dual translations that are published within a single bible that is circulated in millions.

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"My Father and your Father" said Jesus

      Apostle John, in his Gospel records that when Jesus appeared before Mary Magdalene, outside of the empty tomb, she tried to cling him. There upon Jesus told Mary not to hold him because he had yet to ascend to the Father. Jesus then instructed Mary to go and tell his disciples: "I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God." Mary Magdalene went and conveyed that Message to the disciples. (John 20: 16-18). This conclusively proves that the term "My Father" used by Jesus simply meant that the Almighty God was the Father of him as well as that of his disciples. In other words, this unequivocally recorded verbatim authenticates that the relationship of Jesus with "his Father" and "his God" were akin to the relationship his disciples had with the Heavenly Father and God.

What is the Whole Truth?

1. To be a BEGOTTEN son of God, there has to be an act of BEGETTING performed by the God.

2. Who was the other party to this act?
 

3. That party must have existed before the Begotten Son...
 

4. Where was Jesus, before this act?

5. If Jesus is regarded co-equal and co-eternal, as professed by the Trinitarians, and if the Begotten Son came after the act of BEGETTING, that Negates the Doctrine of Trinity.
 

6. If Jesus was co-eternal in time with the God, then that Negates Jesus being a "Begotten Son of God"...

WHAT IS THE WHOLE TRUTH AND NOTHING BUT TRUTH? God begets not nor was He begotten...