John 1

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.2 The same was in the beginning with God.3 All things were made through him; and without him was not anything made that hath been made.4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.5 And the light shineth in the darkness; and the darkness apprehended it not.6 There came a man, sent from God, whose name was John.7 The same came for witness, that he might bear witness of the light, that all might believe through him.8 He was not the light, but came that he might bear witness of the light.9 There was the true light, even the light which lighteth every man, coming into the world.10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, and the world knew him not.11 He came unto his own, and they that were his own received him not.12 But as many as received him, to them gave he the right to become children of God, even to them that believe on his name:13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.14 And 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.15 John 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.16 For of his fulness we all received, and grace for grace.17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.18 No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.19 And this is the witness of John, when the Jews sent unto him from Jerusalem priests and Levites to ask him, Who art thou?20 And he confessed, and denied not; and he confessed, I am not the Christ.21 And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elijah? And he saith, I am not. Art thou the prophet? And he answered, No.22 They said therefore unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself?23 He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said Isaiah the prophet.24 And they had been sent from the Pharisees.25 And they asked him, and said unto him, Why then baptizest thou, if thou art not the Christ, neither Elijah, neither the prophet?26 John answered them, saying, I baptize in water: in the midst of you standeth one whom ye know not,27 even he that cometh after me, the latchet of whose shoe I am not worthy to unloose.28 These things were done in Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.29 On the morrow he seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold, the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world!30 This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man who is become before me: for he was before me.31 And I knew him not; but that he should be made manifest to Israel, for this cause came I baptizing in water.32 And John bare witness, saying, I have beheld the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven; and it abode upon him.33 And 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.34 And I have seen, and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.35 Again on the morrow John was standing, and two of his disciples;36 and he looked upon Jesus as he walked, and saith, Behold, the Lamb of God!37 And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.38 And 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 abideth thou?39 He 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.40 One of the two that heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother.41 He findeth first his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messiah (which is, being interpreted, Christ).42 He 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).43 On the morrow he was minded to go forth into Galilee, and he findeth Philip: and Jesus saith unto him, Follow me.44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, of the city of Andrew and Peter.45 Philip 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.46 And Nathanael said unto him, Can any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!48 Nathanael 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.49 Nathanael answered him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art King of Israel.50 Jesus 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.51 And 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.

JOHN 1

The Word of Life

1 In the beginning was the one
who is called the Word.
The Word was with God
and was truly God.

2 From the very beginning
the Word was with God.

3 And with this Word,
God created all things.
Nothing was made
without the Word.
Everything that was created

4 received its life from him,
and his life gave light
to everyone.

5 The light keeps shining
in the dark,
and darkness has never
put it out.t

6  t God sent a man named John,

7 who came to tell
about the light
and to lead all people
to have faith.

8 John wasn't this light.
He came only to tell
about the light.

9 The true light that shines
on everyone
was coming into the world.

10 The Word was in the world,
but no one knew him,
though God had made the world
with his Word.

11 He came into his own world,
but his own nation
did not welcome him.

12 Yet some people accepted him
and put their faith in him.
So he gave them the right
to be the children of God.

13 They were not God's children
by nature or because
of any human desires.
God himself was the one
who made them his children.

14 The Word became
a human being
and lived here with us.
We saw his true glory,
the glory of the only Son
of the Father.
From him the complete gifts
of undeserved grace and truth
have come down to us.

15 John spoke about him and shouted, “This is the one I told you would come! He is greater than I am, because he was alive before I was born.”
16 Because of all that the Son is, we have been given one blessing after another.t 17 The Law was given by Moses, but Jesus Christ brought us undeserved kindness and truth.

18 No one has ever seen God. The only Son, who is truly God and is closest to the Father, has shown us what God is like.

John the Baptist Tells //about Jesus

(Matthew 3.1-12; Mark 1.1-8; Luke 3.15-17)

21 t Then when they asked him if he were Elijah, he said, “No, I am not!” And when they asked if he were the Prophet, t he also said “No!”

22 Finally, they said, “Who are you then? We have to give an answer to the ones who sent us. Tell us who you are!”

23  t John answered in the words of the prophet Isaiah, “I am only someone shouting in the desert, ‘Get the road ready for the Lord!’ ”
24 Some Pharisees had also been sent to John.

25 They asked him, “Why are you baptizing people, if you are not the Messiah or Elijah or the Prophet?”
26 John told them, “I use water to baptize people. But here with you is someone you don't know. 27 Even though I came first, I am not good enough to untie his sandals.”

28 John said this as he was baptizing east of the Jordan River in Bethany.t

The Lamb of God

29 The next day, John saw Jesus coming toward him and said:
Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! 30 He is the one I told you about when I said, “Someone else will come, who is greater than I am, because he was alive before I was born.”

31 I didn't know who he was. But I came to baptize you with water, so that everyone in Israel would see him.
32 I was there and saw the Spirit come down on him like a dove from heaven. And the Spirit stayed on him. 33 Before this I didn't know who he was. But the one who sent me to baptize with water had told me, “You will see the Spirit come down and stay on someone. Then you will know that he is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.”

34 I saw this happen, and I tell you that he is the Son of God.

The First Disciples of Jesus

37 John's two followers heard him, and they went with Jesus.

38 When Jesus turned and saw them, he asked, “What do you want?”
They answered, “Rabbi, where do you live?” The Hebrew word “Rabbi” means “Teacher.”

39 Jesus replied, “Come and see!” It was already about four o'clock in the afternoon when they went with him and saw where he lived. So they stayed on for the rest of the day.
40 One of the two men who had heard John and had gone with Jesus was Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter.

41 The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother and tell him, “We have found the Messiah!” The Hebrew word “Messiah” means the same as the Greek word “Christ.”

42 Andrew brought his brother to Jesus. And when Jesus saw him, he said, “Simon son of John, you will be called Cephas.” This name can be translated as “Peter.”t

Jesus Chooses Philip //and Nathanael

43-44 The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. There he met Philip, who was from Bethsaida, the hometown of Andrew and Peter. Jesus said to Philip, “Follow me.”

45 Philip then found Nathanael and said, “We have found the one that Moses and the Prophetst wrote about. He is Jesus, the son of Joseph from Nazareth.”

46 Nathanael asked, “Can anything good come from Nazareth?”
Philip answered, “Come and see.”

47 When Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him, he said, “Here is a true descendant of our ancestor Israel. And he isn't deceitful.”t

48 “How do you know me?” Nathanael asked.
Jesus answered, “Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree.”

49 Nathanael said, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God and the King of Israel!”
50 Jesus answered, “Did you believe me just because I said that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see something even greater. 51 t I tell you for certain you will see heaven open and God's angels going up and coming down on the Son of Man.”t