John 1:1-51
1 In [the] beginning+ the Word*+ was, and the Word was with God,*+ and the Word was a god.*+
2 This one was in [the] beginning+ with God.+
3 All things came into existence through him,+ and apart from him not even one thing came into existence.
What has come into existence
4 by means of him was life,+ and the life was the light+ of men.*
5 And the light is shining in the darkness,+ but the darkness has not overpowered it.
6 There arose a man that was sent forth as a representative of God:+ his name was John.*+
7 This [man] came for a witness,+ in order to bear witness about the light,+ that people of all sorts might believe through him.+
8 He was not that light,+ but he was meant to bear witness+ about that light.
9 The true light+ that gives light+ to every sort of man+ was about to come into the world.*
10 He was in the world,+ and the world came into existence through him,+ but the world did not know him.
11 He came to his own home, but his own people did not take him in.+
12 However, as many as did receive him,+ to them he gave authority to become God’s children,+ because they were exercising faith in his name;+
13 and they were born, not from blood* or from a fleshly will or from man’s will, but from God.+
14 So the Word became flesh+ and resided* among us, and we had a view of his glory, a glory such as belongs to an only-begotten son+ from a father; and he was full of undeserved kindness and truth.+
15 (John bore witness about him, yes, he actually cried out—this was the one who said [it]—saying: “The one coming behind me has advanced in front of me, because he existed before me.”)+
16 For we all received from out of his fullness,+ even undeserved kindness upon undeserved kindness.+
17 Because the Law was given through Moses,+ the undeserved kindness+ and the truth+ came to be through Jesus Christ.
18 No man has seen God at any time;+ the only-begotten god*+ who is in the bosom [position]+ with the Father is the one that has explained him.+
19 Now this is the witness* of John when the Jews sent forth priests and Levites from Jerusalem to him to ask him: “Who are you?”+
20 And he confessed and did not deny, but confessed: “I am not the Christ.”+
21 And they asked him: “What, then? Are you E·liʹjah?”*+ And he said: “I am not.” “Are you The Prophet?”+ And he answered: “No!”
22 Therefore 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 a voice of someone crying out in the wilderness, ‘MAKE the way of Jehovah* straight,’ just as Isaiah the prophet said.”+
24 Now those sent forth were from the Pharisees.
25 So they questioned him and said to him: “Why, then, do you baptize+ if you yourself are not the Christ or E·liʹjah or The Prophet?”
26 John answered them, saying: “I baptize* in water. In the midst+ of YOU one is standing whom YOU do not know,+
27 the one coming behind me, but the lace of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.”+
28 These things took place in Bethʹa·ny* across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.+
29 The next day he beheld Jesus coming toward him, and he said: “See, the Lamb+ of God that takes away the sin+ of the world!*+
30 This is the one about whom I said, Behind me there comes a man who has advanced in front of me, because he existed before me.+
31 Even I did not know him, but the reason why I came baptizing in water was that he might be made manifest to Israel.”+
32 John also bore witness, saying: “I viewed the spirit coming down as a dove out of heaven, and it remained upon him.+
33 Even I did not know him, but the very One who sent me+ to baptize in water said to me, ‘Whoever it is upon whom you see the spirit coming down and remaining, this is the one that baptizes in holy spirit.’+
34 And I have seen [it], and I have borne witness that this one is the Son of God.”+
35 Again the next day John was standing with two of his disciples,
36 and as he looked at Jesus walking he said: “See, the Lamb+ of God!”
37 And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.
38 Then Jesus turned and, getting a view of them following, he said to them: “What are YOU looking for?” They said to him: “Rabbi, (which means, when translated, Teacher,) where are you staying?”
39 He said to them: “Come, and YOU will see.”+ Accordingly they went and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day; it was about the tenth hour.*
40 Andrew+ the brother of Simon Peter was one of the two that heard what John said and followed [Jesus].*
41 First* this one found his own brother, Simon, and said to him: “We have found the Mes·siʹah”*+ (which means, when translated, Christ).+
42 He led him to Jesus. When Jesus looked+ upon him he said: “You are Simon+ the son of John;*+ you will be called Ceʹphas”* (which is translated Peter).*+
43 The next day he desired to depart for Galʹi·lee. So Jesus found Philip+ and said to him: “Be my follower.”+
44 Now Philip was from Beth·saʹi·da,+ from the city of Andrew and Peter.
45 Philip found Na·thanʹa·el+ and said to him: “We have found the one of whom Moses, in the Law,+ and the Prophets+ wrote, Jesus, the son of Joseph,+ from Nazʹa·reth.”
46 But Na·thanʹa·el said to him: “Can anything good come out of Nazʹa·reth?”+ Philip said to him: “Come and see.”
47 Jesus saw Na·thanʹa·el coming toward him and said about him: “See, an Israelite for a certainty, in whom there is no deceit.”+
48 Na·thanʹa·el said to him: “How does it come that you know me?” Jesus in answer said to him: “Before Philip called you, while you were under the fig tree, I saw you.”
49 Na·thanʹa·el answered him: “Rabbi, you are the Son of God,+ you are King+ of Israel.”
50 Jesus in answer said to him: “Because I told you I saw you underneath the fig tree do you believe? You will see things greater than these.”
51 He further said to him: “Most truly* I say to YOU men, YOU will see heaven opened up and the angels*+ of God ascending and descending to* the Son of man.”+
Footnotes
^ Or, “the Logos.” Gr., ho loʹgos; Lat., Verʹbum; J17,18,22(Heb.), had·Da·varʹ.
^ Lit., “was toward the God.” Gr., en pros ton The·onʹ; J17,18(Heb.), ha·yahʹ ʼeth ha·ʼElo·himʹ.
^ “A god.” Gr., the·osʹ, in contrast with ton The·onʹ, “the God,” in the same sentence; J17,18(Heb.), weʼ·lo·himʹ, “and god.” For a discussion of “a god,” see App 6A.
^ The punctuation of vss 3 and 4 is according to WH, Vgww and The Greek New Testament by the United Bible Societies.
^ Lit., “bloods.”
^ “The only-begotten god,” P75אc; P66א*BC*, “only-begotten god”; ACcItVgSyc,h, “the only-begotten Son.”
^ “Witness.” Gr., mar·ty·riʹa; Lat., te·sti·moʹni·um.
^ “Elijah” (meaning “My God Is Jehovah”), J17,18,22; Gr., E·leiʹas.
^ See App 1D.
^ Or, “I immerse; I dip.” Gr., ba·ptiʹzo.
^ Not the Bethany near Jerusalem.
^ That is, about 4 p.m., counting from sunrise.
^ Lit., “him.”
^ “Early next morning,” ItmssSys.
^ Or, “the Anointed One.” Gr., ton Mes·siʹan; Lat., Mes·siʹam; J17,18,22(Heb.), ham·Ma·shiʹach.
^ “John,” P66,75אB*It; ABcVgcSyp,s, “Jona.”
^ “Cephas.” Gr., Ke·phasʹ. An Aram. name (Keh·phaʼ), here in the masc. gender, as in Mt 16:18 in Syr. mss. See Mt 16:18 ftn, “Rock-mass.”
^ Meaning “A Piece of Rock.” Gr., Peʹtros.
^ Lit., “Truly, truly.” Gr., A·menʹ, a·menʹ.
^ Or, “messengers.” Gr., ag·geʹlous; Lat., anʹge·los. Compare Job 33:23; Ps 91:11.
^ Or, “in the service of.”
