John 1
1
1In the beginning the Word already was.#1:1. In other words, the Word existed from eternity past. The concept of the Word means more than letters making up a word: it is the divine mind, the expression of God, the active aspect of divinity that speaks into existence as in Genesis 1:1. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2From the very beginning he was with God. 3Everything came into being through him; nothing came into being without him. 4In him was life, the life that was the light of everyone. 5The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not extinguished it.#1:5. The word in the original can also mean “overpowered” or “understood.”
6God sent a man named John. 7He came as a witness to explain about the light so that everyone might believe through him. 8He himself was not the light, but he came to witness to the light.
9The true light was coming into the world to give light to everyone. 10He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world didn't know who he was.#1:10. Or “didn't recognize him.” 11He came to his own people, but they didn't accept him.#1:11. Or “He came to his own home but his own people did not welcome him.” 12But to all those who accepted him and trusted in him, he gave the right to become God's children. 13These are the children born not in the usual way, not as the result of human desire or a father's decision, but born of God. 14The Word became human and lived among us, and we saw his glory, the glory of the Father's one and only#1:14. Literally, “only begotten.” This refers to position and uniqueness rather than birth. Son, full of grace and truth.
15John gave his testimony about him, shouting out to the people, “This is the one I was telling you about when I said, ‘The one who is coming after me is more important than me, for before I ever existed he already was.’” 16We have all been recipients of his generous nature, one gracious gift after another. 17For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18While no one has ever seen God, God the one and only, who is close beside the Father, has shown us what God is like.#1:18. Or “has made him known.”
19This is what John publicly stated when the Jewish leaders sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” 20John declared plainly and clearly without hesitation, “I am not the Messiah.”
21“So then, who are you?” they asked. “Elijah?”
“No, I'm not,” he answered.
“Are you the Prophet?”#1:21. In Jewish thought a special prophet was expected before the End.
“No,” he replied.
22“Well, who are you, then?” they asked. “We have to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”
23“I am a voice calling in the desert, ‘Make the Lord's way straight!’” he said, using the words of the prophet Isaiah.#1:23. Quoting Isaiah 40:3.
24The priests and Levites#1:24. “Priests and Levites”: implied from verse 19. sent by the Pharisees 25asked him, “Why then are you baptizing, if you're not the Messiah, or Elijah, or the Prophet?”
26John replied, “I baptize with water, but standing among you is someone you don't know. 27He is coming after me, but I am not even worthy to untie his sandals.” 28This all happened in Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
29The next day John saw Jesus approaching him, and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30This is the one I was talking about when I said, ‘A man who is coming after me is more important than me, for before I ever existed he already was.’ 31I didn't know myself who he was, but I came baptizing with water so that he could be revealed to Israel.”
32John gave his evidence about him, saying, “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove and rest upon him. 33I wouldn't have known him except he who sent me to baptize with water had told me, ‘The one you see the Spirit descend to and rest upon, he is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ 34I saw it happen and I declare that this is the Son of God.”
35The next day John was standing there with two of his disciples. 36He saw Jesus passing by, and said, “Look! This is the Lamb of God!” 37When the two disciples heard what he said they went and followed Jesus.
38Jesus turned round and saw them following him. “What are you looking for?” he asked them.
“Rabbi (which means ‘Teacher’), where are you staying?” they asked in reply.
39“Come and see,” he told them. So they went with him and saw where he was staying. It was about four p.m., and they spent the rest of the day with him.
40Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, was one of these two disciples who had heard what John said and followed Jesus. 41He went at once to find his brother Simon and told him, “We've found the Messiah!” (which means “Christ”).#1:41. Both Messiah and Christ mean “the Anointed One.” 42He took him to Jesus. Looking directly at Simon, Jesus said, “You are Simon, son of John. But now you will be called Cephas,” (which means “Peter”).#1:42. Cephas and Peter both mean “rock” or “stone.”
43The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. Jesus found Philip there, and told him, “Follow me.” 44Philip was from Bethsaida, the same town that Andrew and Peter came from.
45Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We've found the one that Moses wrote about in the law and that the prophets did too—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”
46“From Nazareth? Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael wondered.
“Just come and see,” Philip replied.
47As Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said about him, “Look, here's a true Israelite! There's nothing false about him.”
48“How do you know who I am?” Nathanael asked.
“I saw you there under the fig tree, before Philip called you,” Jesus replied.
49“Rabbi, you are the Son of God, the king of Israel!” Nathaniel exclaimed.
50“You believe this just because I told you I saw you under the fig tree?” Jesus replied. “You'll get to see much more than that!” 51Then Jesus 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.”#1:51. Referring to Jacob's experience in Genesis 28:12, with the term “Son of man” replacing the word “ladder.”
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John 1: FBV
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Dr. Jonathan Gallagher. Released under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 Unported License. Version 4.3. For corrections send email to jonathangallagherfbv@gmail.com
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 through him; and without him was not anything made that hath been made. 4In him was life; and the life was the light of men. 5And the light shineth in the darkness; and the darkness apprehended it not. 6There came a man, sent from God, whose name was John. 7The same came for witness, that he might bear witness of the light, that all might believe through him. 8He was not the light, but came that he might bear witness of the light. 9There was the true light, even the light which lighteth every man, coming into the world. 10He was in the world, and the world was made through him, and the world knew him not. 11He came unto his own, and they that were his own received him not. 12But as many as received him, to them gave he the right to become children of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 14And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father), full of grace and truth. 15John beareth witness of him, and crieth, saying, This was he of whom I said, He that cometh after me is become before me: for he was before me. 16For of his fulness we all received, and grace for grace. 17For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through 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 witness of John, when the Jews sent unto him from Jerusalem priests and Levites to ask him, Who art thou? 20And he confessed, and denied not; and he confessed, I am not the Christ. 21And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elijah? And he saith, 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 in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said Isaiah the prophet. 24And they had been sent from the Pharisees. 25And they asked him, and said unto him, Why then baptizest thou, if thou art not the Christ, neither Elijah, neither the prophet? 26John answered them, saying, I baptize in water: in the midst of you standeth one whom ye know not, 27even he that cometh after me, the latchet of whose shoe I am not worthy to unloose. 28These things were done in Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
29On the morrow he seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold, the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world! 30This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man who is become before me: for he was before me. 31And I knew him not; but that he should be made manifest to Israel, for this cause came I baptizing in water. 32And John bare witness, saying, I have beheld the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven; and it abode upon him. 33And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize in water, he said unto me, Upon whomsoever thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and abiding upon him, the same is he that baptizeth in the Holy Spirit. 34And I have seen, and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.
35Again on the morrow John was standing, and two of his disciples; 36and he looked upon Jesus as he walked, and saith, Behold, the Lamb of God! 37And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. 38And Jesus turned, and beheld them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? And they said unto him, Rabbi (which is to say, being interpreted, Teacher), where abidest thou? 39He saith unto them, Come, and ye shall see. They came therefore and saw where he abode; and they abode with him that day: it was about the tenth hour. 40One of the two that heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. 41He findeth first his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messiah (which is, being interpreted, Christ). 42He brought him unto Jesus. Jesus looked upon him, and said, Thou art Simon the son of John: thou shalt be called Cephas (which is by interpretation, Peter).
43On the morrow he was minded to go forth into Galilee, and he findeth Philip: and Jesus saith unto him, Follow me. 44Now Philip was from Bethsaida, of the city of Andrew and Peter. 45Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. 46And Nathanael said unto him, Can any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see. 47Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile! 48Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee. 49Nathanael answered him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art King of Israel. 50Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee underneath the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these. 51And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye shall see the heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.
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