John 1

The Word Becomes Human

1 In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God.

2 He was already with God in the beginning.
3 Everything came into existence through him. Not one thing that exists was made without him.4 He was the source of life, and that life was the light for humanity.5 The light shines in the dark, and the dark has never extinguished it.t6 God sent a man named John to be his messenger.7 John came to declare the truth about the light so that everyone would become believers through his message.

8 John was not the light, but he came to declare the truth about the light.
9 The real light, which shines on everyone, was coming into the world.10 He was in the world, and the world came into existence through him. Yet, the world didn’t recognize him.11 He went to his own people, and his own people didn’t accept him.12 However, he gave the right to become God’s children to everyone who believed in him.

13 These are people who haven’t been born in a physical way—from a human impulse or from a husband’s desire to have a child. Their birth was from God.
14 The Word became human and lived among us. We saw his glory. It was the glory that the Father shares with his only Son, a glory full of kindnesst and truth.15 (John declared the truth about him when he said loudly, “This is the person about whom I said, ‘The one who comes after me was before me because he existed before I did.’ ”)16 Each of us has received one gift after another because of all that the Word is.17 The Teachings were given through Moses, but kindness and truth came into existence through Jesus Christ.

18 No one has ever seen God. God’s only Son, the one who is closest to the Father’s heart, has made him known.

John Prepares the Way—Matthew 3:1–12; Mark 1:1–8; Luke 3:1–18

19 This was John’s answer when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?”

20 John didn’t refuse to answer. He told them clearly, “I’m not the Messiah.”
21 They asked him, “Well, are you Elijah?”John answered, “No, I’m not.”Then they asked, “Are you the prophet?”John replied, “No.”22 So they asked him, “Who are you? Tell us so that we can take an answer back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”23 John said, “I’m a voice crying out in the desert, ‘Make the way for the Lord straight,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.”24 Some of those who had been sent were Pharisees.

25 They asked John, “Why do you baptize if you’re not the Messiah or Elijah or the prophet?”
26 John answered them, “I baptize with water. Someone you don’t know is standing among you.

27 He’s the one who comes after me. I am not worthy to untie his sandal strap.”
28 This happened in Bethany on the east side of the Jordan River, where John was baptizing.

John Identifies Jesus as the Lamb of God

29 John saw Jesus coming toward him the next day and said, “Look! This is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.30 He is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘A man who comes after me was before me because he existed before I did.’

31 I didn’t know who he was. However, I came to baptize with water to show him to the people of Israel.”
32 John said, “I saw the Spirit come down as a dove from heaven and stay on him.33 I didn’t know who he was. But God, who sent me to baptize with water, had told me, ‘When you see the Spirit come down and stay on someone, you’ll know that person is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’

34 I have seen this and have declared that this is the Son of God.”

Calling of the First Disciples

35 The next day John was standing with two of his disciples.36 John saw Jesus walk by. John said, “Look! This is the Lamb of God.”

37 When the two disciples heard John say this, they followed Jesus.
38 Jesus turned around and saw them following him. He asked them, “What are you looking for?”They said to him, “Rabbi” (which means “teacher”), “where are you staying?”39 Jesus told them, “Come, and you will see.” So they went to see where he was staying and spent the rest of that day with him. It was about ten o’clock in the morning.40 Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two disciples who heard John and followed Jesus.41 Andrew at once found his brother Simon and told him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means “Christ”).

42 Andrew brought Simon to Jesus.
Jesus looked at Simon and said, “You are Simon, son of John. Your name will be Cephas” (which means “Peter”).43 The next day Jesus wanted to go to Galilee. He found Philip and told him, “Follow me!”

44 (Philip was from Bethsaida, the hometown of Andrew and Peter.)
45 Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the man whom Moses wrote about in his teachings and whom the prophets wrote about. He is Jesus, son of Joseph, from the city of Nazareth.”46 Nathanael said to Philip, “Can anything good come from Nazareth?”Philip told him, “Come and see!”47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and remarked, “Here is a true Israelite who is sincere.”48 Nathanael asked Jesus, “How do you know anything about me?”Jesus answered him, “I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you.”49 Nathanael said to Jesus, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the king of Israel!”50 Jesus replied, “You believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that.”

51 Jesus said to Nathanael, “I can guarantee this truth: You will see the sky open and God’s angels going up and coming down to the Son of Man.”

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.