1:1 In the beginning 5 was the Word, and the Word was with God, 6 and the Word was fully God. 7 1:2 The Word 8 was with God in the beginning. 1:3 All things were created 9 by him, and apart from him not one thing was created 10 that has been created. 11 1:4 In him was life, 12 and the life was the light of mankind. 13 1:5 And the light shines on 14 in the darkness, 15 but 16 the darkness has not mastered it. 17
1:6 A man came, sent from God, whose name was John. 18 1:7 He came as a witness 19 to testify 20 about the light, so that everyone 21 might believe through him. 1:8 He himself was not the light, but he came to testify 22 about the light. 1:9 The true light, who gives light to everyone, 23 was coming into the world. 24 1:10 He was in the world, and the world was created 25 by him, but 26 the world did not recognize 27 him. 1:11 He came to what was his own, 28 but 29 his own people 30 did not receive him. 31 1:12 But to all who have received him – those who believe in his name 32 – he has given the right to become God’s children 1:13 – children not born 33 by human parents 34 or by human desire 35 or a husband’s 36 decision, 37 but by God.
1:14 Now 38 the Word became flesh 39 and took up residence 40 among us. We 41 saw his glory – the glory of the one and only, 42 full of grace and truth, who came from the Father. 1:15 John 43 testified 44 about him and shouted out, 45 “This one was the one about whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is greater than I am, 46 because he existed before me.’” 1:16 For we have all received from his fullness one gracious gift after another. 47 1:17 For the law was given through Moses, but 48 grace and truth came about through Jesus Christ. 1:18 No one has ever seen God. The only one, 49 himself God, who is in closest fellowship with 50 the Father, has made God 51 known. 52
1:19 Now 53 this was 54 John’s 55 testimony 56 when the Jewish leaders 57 sent 58 priests and Levites from Jerusalem 59 to ask him, “Who are you?” 60 1:20 He confessed – he did not deny but confessed – “I am not the Christ!” 61 1:21 So they asked him, “Then who are you? 62 Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not!” 63 “Are you the Prophet?” 64 He answered, “No!” 1:22 Then they said to him, “Who are you? Tell us 65 so that we can give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”
1:23 John 66 said, “I am the voice of one shouting in the wilderness, ‘Make straight 67 the way for the Lord,’ 68 as Isaiah the prophet said.” 1:24 (Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. 69 ) 70 1:25 So they asked John, 71 “Why then are you baptizing if you are not the Christ, 72 nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”
1:26 John answered them, 73 “I baptize with water. Among you stands one whom you do not recognize, 74 1:27 who is coming after me. I am not worthy 75 to untie the strap 76 of his sandal!” 1:28 These things happened in Bethany 77 across the Jordan River 78 where John was baptizing.
1:29 On the next day John 79 saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God 80 who takes away the sin of the world! 1:30 This is the one about whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who is greater than I am, 81 because he existed before me.’ 1:31 I did not recognize 82 him, but I came baptizing with water so that he could be revealed to Israel.” 83
1:32 Then 84 John testified, 85 “I saw the Spirit descending like a dove 86 from heaven, 87 and it remained on him. 88 1:33 And I did not recognize him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘The one on whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining – this is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ 1:34 I have both seen and testified that this man is the Chosen One of God.” 89
1:35 Again the next day John 90 was standing there 91 with two of his disciples. 1:36 Gazing at Jesus as he walked by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!” 92 1:37 When John’s 93 two disciples heard him say this, 94 they followed Jesus. 95 1:38 Jesus turned around and saw them following and said to them, “What do you want?” 96 So they said to him, “Rabbi” (which is translated Teacher), 97 “where are you staying?” 1:39 Jesus 98 answered, 99 “Come and you will see.” So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day. Now it was about four o’clock in the afternoon. 100
1:40 Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, was one of the two disciples who heard what John said 101 and followed Jesus. 102 1:41 He first 103 found his own brother Simon and told him, “We have found the Messiah!” 104 (which is translated Christ). 105 1:42 Andrew brought Simon 106 to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon, the son of John. 107 You will be called Cephas” (which is translated Peter). 108
1:43 On the next day Jesus 109 wanted to set out for Galilee. 110 He 111 found Philip and said 112 to him, “Follow me.” 1:44 (Now Philip was from Bethsaida, 113 the town of 114 Andrew and Peter.) 1:45 Philip found Nathanael 115 and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the law, and the prophets also 116 wrote about – Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” 1:46 Nathanael 117 replied, 118 “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” 119 Philip replied, 120 “Come and see.”
1:47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and exclaimed, 121 “Look, a true Israelite in whom there is no deceit!” 122 1:48 Nathanael asked him, “How do you know me?” Jesus replied, 123 “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, 124 I saw you.” 1:49 Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king 125 of Israel!” 126 1:50 Jesus said to him, 127 “Because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” 128 1:51 He continued, 129 “I tell all of you the solemn truth 130 – you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.” 131