John 1
1
Prologue: Christ, the Eternal Word
1In the beginning the Word already existed.
The Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
2He existed in the beginning with God.
3God created everything through him,
and nothing was created except through him.
4The Word gave life to everything that was created,#1:3-4 Or and nothing that was created was created except through him. The Word gave life to everything.
and his life brought light to everyone.
5The light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness can never extinguish it.#1:5 Or and the darkness has not understood it.
6God sent a man, John the Baptist,#1:6 Greek a man named John. 7to tell about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony. 8John himself was not the light; he was simply a witness to tell about the light. 9The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.
10He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. 11He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. 12But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. 13They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.
14So the Word became human#1:14a Greek became flesh. and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness.#1:14b Or grace and truth; also in 1:17. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.
15John testified about him when he shouted to the crowds, “This is the one I was talking about when I said, ‘Someone is coming after me who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before me.’”
16From his abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another.#1:16 Or received the grace of Christ rather than the grace of the law; Greek reads received grace upon grace. 17For the law was given through Moses, but God’s unfailing love and faithfulness came through Jesus Christ. 18No one has ever seen God. But the unique One, who is himself God,#1:18 Some manuscripts read But the one and only Son. is near to the Father’s heart. He has revealed God to us.
The Testimony of John the Baptist
19This was John’s testimony when the Jewish leaders sent priests and Temple assistants#1:19 Greek and Levites. from Jerusalem to ask John, “Who are you?” 20He came right out and said, “I am not the Messiah.”
21“Well then, who are you?” they asked. “Are you Elijah?”
“No,” he replied.
“Are you the Prophet we are expecting?”#1:21 Greek Are you the Prophet? See Deut 18:15, 18; Mal 4:5-6.
“No.”
22“Then who are you? We need an answer for those who sent us. What do you have to say about yourself?”
23John replied in the words of the prophet Isaiah:
“I am a voice shouting in the wilderness,
‘Clear the way for the Lord’s coming!’”#1:23 Isa 40:3.
24Then the Pharisees who had been sent 25asked him, “If you aren’t the Messiah or Elijah or the Prophet, what right do you have to baptize?”
26John told them, “I baptize with#1:26 Or in; also in 1:31, 33. water, but right here in the crowd is someone you do not recognize. 27Though his ministry follows mine, I’m not even worthy to be his slave and untie the straps of his sandal.”
28This encounter took place in Bethany, an area east of the Jordan River, where John was baptizing.
Jesus, the Lamb of God
29The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! 30He is the one I was talking about when I said, ‘A man is coming after me who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before me.’ 31I did not recognize him as the Messiah, but I have been baptizing with water so that he might be revealed to Israel.”
32Then John testified, “I saw the Holy Spirit descending like a dove from heaven and resting upon him. 33I didn’t know he was the one, but when God sent me to baptize with water, he told me, ‘The one on whom you see the Spirit descend and rest is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ 34I saw this happen to Jesus, so I testify that he is the Chosen One of God.#1:34 Some manuscripts read the Son of God.”
The First Disciples
35The following day John was again standing with two of his disciples. 36As Jesus walked by, John looked at him and declared, “Look! There is the Lamb of God!” 37When John’s two disciples heard this, they followed Jesus.
38Jesus looked around and saw them following. “What do you want?” he asked them.
They replied, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?”
39 “Come and see,” he said. It was about four o’clock in the afternoon when they went with him to the place where he was staying, and they remained with him the rest of the day.
40Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of these men who heard what John said and then followed Jesus. 41Andrew went to find his brother, Simon, and told him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means “Christ”#1:41 Messiah (a Hebrew term) and Christ (a Greek term) both mean “anointed one.”).
42Then Andrew brought Simon to meet Jesus. Looking intently at Simon, Jesus said, “Your name is Simon, son of John—but you will be called Cephas” (which means “Peter”#1:42 The names Cephas (from Aramaic) and Peter (from Greek) both mean “rock.”).
43The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Come, follow me.” 44Philip was from Bethsaida, Andrew and Peter’s hometown.
45Philip went to look for Nathanael and told him, “We have found the very person Moses#1:45 Greek Moses in the law. and the prophets wrote about! His name is Jesus, the son of Joseph from Nazareth.”
46“Nazareth!” exclaimed Nathanael. “Can anything good come from Nazareth?”
“Come and see for yourself,” Philip replied.
47As they approached, Jesus said, “Now here is a genuine son of Israel—a man of complete integrity.”
48“How do you know about me?” Nathanael asked.
Jesus replied, “I could see you under the fig tree before Philip found you.”
49Then Nathanael exclaimed, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God—the King of Israel!”
50Jesus asked him, “Do you believe this just because I told you I had seen you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this.” 51Then he said, “I tell you the truth, you will all see heaven open and the angels of God going up and down on the Son of Man, the one who is the stairway between heaven and earth.#1:51 Greek going up and down on the Son of Man; see Gen 28:10-17. “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself.”
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John 1: NLT
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Holy Bible, New Living Translation copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation.
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St John 1
1
1IN the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2The same was in the beginning with God.
3All things were made by him: and without him was made nothing that was made.
4In him was life, and the life was the light of men.
5And the light shineth in darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
6There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
7This man came for a witness, to give testimony of the light, that all men might believe through him.
8He was not the light, but was to give testimony of the light.
9That was the true light, which enlighteneth every man that cometh into this world.
10He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
11He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
12But as many as received him, he gave them power to be made the sons of God, to them that believe in his name.
13Who are born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
14And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we saw his glory, the glory as it were of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
15John beareth witness of him, and crieth out, saying: This was he of whom I spoke: He that shall come after me, is preferred before me: because he was before me.
16And of his fulness we all have received, and grace for grace.
17For the law was given by Moses; grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
18No man hath seen God at any time: the only begotten Son who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
19And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent from Jerusalem priests and Levites to him, to ask him: Who art thou?
20And he confessed, and did not deny: and he confessed: I am not the Christ.
21And they asked him: What then? Art thou Elias? And he said: I am not. Art thou the prophet? And he answered: No.
22They said therefore unto him: Who art thou, that we may give an answer to them that sent us? What sayest thou of thyself?
23He said: I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Isaias.
24And they that were sent, were of the Pharisees.
25And they asked him, and said to him: Why then dost thou baptize, if thou be not Christ, nor Elias, nor the prophet?
26John answered them, saying: I baptize with water; but there hath stood one in the midst of you, whom you know not.
27The same is he that shall come after me, who is preferred before me: the latchet of whose shoe I am not worthy to loose.
28These things were done in Bethania, beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
29The next day, John saw Jesus coming to him, and he saith: Behold the Lamb of God, behold him who taketh away the sin of the world.
30This is he, of whom I said: After me there cometh a man, who is preferred before me: because he was before me.
31And I knew him not, but that he may be made manifest in Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.
32And John gave testimony, saying: I saw the Spirit coming down, as a dove from heaven, and he remained upon him.
33And I knew him not; but he who sent me to baptize with water, said to me: He upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining upon him, he it is that baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.
34And I saw, and I gave testimony, that this is the Son of God.
35The next day again John stood, and two of his disciples.
36And beholding Jesus walking, he saith: Behold the Lamb of God.
37And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.
38And Jesus turning, and seeing them following him, saith to them: What seek you? Who said to him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master,) where dwellest thou?
39He saith to them: Come and see. They came, and saw where he abode, and they stayed with him that day: now it was about the tenth hour.
40And Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, was one of the two who had heard of John, and followed him.
41He findeth first his brother Simon, and saith to him: We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.
42And he brought him to Jesus. And Jesus looking upon him, said: Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is interpreted Peter.
43On the following day, he would go forth into Galilee, and he findeth Philip. And Jesus saith to him: Follow me.
44Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.
45Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith to him: We have found him of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets did write, Jesus the son of Joseph of Nazareth.
46And Nathanael said to him: Can any thing of good come from Nazareth? Philip saith to him: Come and see.
47Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him: and he saith of him: Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no guile.
48Nathanael saith to him: Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered, and said to him: Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.
49Nathanael answered him, and said: Rabbi, thou art the Son of God, thou art the King of Israel.
50Jesus answered, and said to him: Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, thou believest: greater things than these shalt thou see.
51And he saith to him: Amen, amen I say to you, you shall see the heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.
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An historical text maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.