John 1

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and what God was the Word was.

This Word was in the beginning with God.

Everything came to be through it, and apart from it nothing came to be.

What came to be in it was life. And this life was the light of humankind.

And the light shines in the darkness, but the darkness did not overcome it.

There came a man sent from God, whose name was John.

This man came as a witness to testify about the light, so that through him all would believe.

That man was not the light, but he came to testify about the light.

The true light, who gives light to every person, was coming into the world.

He was in the world, and the world came to be through him, and yet the world did not know him.

He came to his own and his own did not receive him.

But to as many as received him—to those who believe in his name—he gave the right to become children of God,

who were not born by blood, nor by the will of the flesh, nor by the will of a man, but by God.

The Word became flesh and dwelled among us, and we have seen his glory—the glory as the only begotten Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John testified about him and called out, saying, “This was the one about whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was superior to me.’”

For from his fullness we have all received grace upon grace.

For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

No one has ever seen God; the only begotten Son, who is in a most intimate relationship with the Father, he has explained him.

And this is the witness of John when the Jews sent to him priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?”

And he confessed, and did not deny it, but he confessed, “I am not the Christ.”

And they asked him, “Who are you then? Are you Elijah?” And he said, “I am not.” “Are you the prophet?” And he answered, “No.”

Then they said to him, “Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”

He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the desert, make straight the way of the Lord,” as Isaiah the prophet said.

And they had been sent from the Pharisees.

And they asked him, and said to him, “Why then are you baptizing, if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?”

John answered them, saying, “I baptize in water, but among you stands one whom you do not know.

He is the one who is coming after me—I am not even worthy to untie the strap of his sandal!”

These things were done in Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

On the next day he saw Jesus coming to him, and said, “Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!

This is he about whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who has surpassed me, for he was my superior.’

And I did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing in water: so that he would be revealed to Israel.”

And John testified, saying, “I have seen the spirit descending as a dove out of heaven, and it remained on him.

And I did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize in water, he said to me, ‘The one on whom you see the spirit descending and remaining on him, this is the one who baptizes in holy spirit.’

And I myself have seen it, and have testified, that this is the Son of God.”

Again on the next day John was standing with two of his disciples,

and he looked at Jesus as he was walking by and said, “Look! The Lamb of God!”

And the two disciples heard him speak and they followed Jesus.

And Jesus turned, and saw them following, and said to them, “What are you seeking?” And they said to him, “Rabbi (which translated means, “Teacher”), where are you staying?”

He said to them, “Come, and you will see.” Therefore, they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day (it was about the tenth hour).

One of the two that heard what John had said, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother.

This one first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which translated means, “Christ”).

He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John, you will be called Cephas,” (which translated means, “Peter”).

On the next day he wanted to go into Galilee, and he found Philip, and Jesus said to him, “Follow me.”

Now Philip was from Bethsaida, from the city of Andrew and Peter.

Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found the one who Moses wrote about in the Law, and so did the prophets: Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”

And Nathanael said to him, “Is any good thing able to come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.”

Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and said about him, “Behold, truly an Israelite in whom is no deceit!”

Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.”

Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God, you are King of Israel.”

Jesus answered and said to him, “Because I said to you, I saw you underneath the fig tree, you believe? You will see greater things than these.”

And he said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you all, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”