John 1

Jesus the Eternal Word of God

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

John the Baptist

6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 This man came for a testimony, so that he might testify concerning the Light, so that all through him might believe. 8 He was not that Light, but was sent so that he might testify concerning the Light. 9 That was the true Light which lightens every man coming into the world.

10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. 11 He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. 12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the authority to become children of God, even to those who believe in 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.

God Takes a Body

14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

15 John testified concerning Him and has cried out, saying, "This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because He was before me.’ "

16 And out of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has revealed Him.

The Witness of John the Baptist

19 And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem so that they might ask him, "Who are you?"

20 He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, "I am not the Messiah."

21 And they asked him, "What then? Are you Elijah?"

He said, "I am not."

"Are you the Prophet?"

And he answered, "No."

22 Then they said to him, "Who are you, that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?"

23 He said: "I am

‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness:

"Make straight the way of the Lord," ’

as Isaiah the prophet said."

24 Now those who had been sent were from the Pharisees. 25 And they asked him, saying, "Why then do you baptize if you are not the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?"

26 John answered them, saying, "I baptize with water, but there stands One among you whom you do not know. 27 He is the One who comes after me, who ranks before me, of whom I am not worthy that I should loose the strap of His sandal."

28 These things happened in Bethany, beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

The Lamb of God

29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is the One about whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who ranks before me, because He was before me.’ 31 I did not know Him; but that He should be made manifest to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water."

32 And John testified, saying, "I saw the Spirit coming down from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him. 33 I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘Upon whom you see the Spirit descending and abiding on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 And I have seen and have testified that this is the Son of God."

The First Disciples

35 Again, the next day, John stood with two of his disciples. 36 And looking at Jesus as He was walking, he said, "Behold the Lamb of God!"

37 The two disciples heard him speaking, and they followed Jesus. 38 Then Jesus turned and observed them following, and said to them, "What are you seeking?"

They said to Him, "Rabbi" (which is translated, Teacher), "where are You staying?"

39 He said to them, "Come and see." They came and saw where He was staying, and they stayed with Him that day. It was about the tenth hour.

40 One of the two who heard John speak, and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. 41 He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, "We have found the Messiah" (which is translated, the Christ). 42 And he led him to Jesus.

Now when Jesus looked at him, He said, "You are Simon the son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas" (which means Peter).

Philip and Nathanael

43 On the next day He wanted to go to Galilee, and He found Philip and said to him, "Follow Me." 44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, "We have found the One about whom Moses wrote in the Law and the Prophets—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph."

46 And Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?"

Philip said to him, "Come and see."

47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him, and said about him, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!"

48 Nathanael said to Him, "From where do You know me?"

Jesus answered and said to him, "Before Philip called you, while you were under the fig tree, I saw you."

49 Nathanael answered and said to Him, "Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!"

50 Jesus answered and said to him, "Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these." 51 And He said to him, "Most assuredly I say to you, from now on you shall see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man."