John 1

Prologue: Christ, the Eternal Word

1In the beginning the Word already existed The Word was with God, and the Word was God.G1722G746G2258G3056G2532G3056G2258G4314G2316G2532G3056G2258G23162He existed in the beginning with God.G3778G2258G1722G746G4314G23163God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him.G3956G1096G1223G846G2532G5565G846G1096G3761G1520G1096G3739G10964The Word gave life to everything that was created

, and his life brought light to everyone.G1722G846G2258G2222G2532G2222G2258G5457G4445The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it

.G2532G5457G5316G1722G4653G2532G4653G2638G846G37566God sent a man, John the Baptist

,G1096G444G649G3844G2316G846G3686G24917to tell about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony.G3778G2064G1519G3141G2443G3140G4012G5457G2443G3956G1223G846G41008John himself was not the light; he was simply a witness to tell about the light.G2258G3756G1565G5457G235G2443G3140G4012G54579The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.G2258G228G5457G3739G5461G3956G444G2064G1519G288910He came into the very world he created, but the world didn't recognize him.G2258G1722G2889G2532G2889G1096G1223G846G2532G2889G1097G846G375611He came to his own people, and even they rejected him.G2064G1519G2398G2532G2398G3880G846G375612But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.G1161G3745G2983G846G846G1325G1849G1096G5043G2316G4100G1519G846G368613They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.G3739G1080G3756G1537G129G3761G1537G2307G4561G3761G1537G2307G435G235G1537G231614So the Word became human

and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father's one and only Son.G2532G3056G1096G4561G2532G4637G1722G2254G2532G2300G846G1391G1391G5613G3439G3844G3962G4134G5485G2532G22515John testified about him when he shouted to the crowds, "This is the one I was talking about when I said, 'Someone is coming after me who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before me.'"G2491G3140G4012G846G2532G2896G3004G3778G2258G3739G2036G2064G3694G3450G1096G1715G3450G3754G2258G4413G345016From his abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another

.G2532G1537G846G4138G2983G3956G2249G2983G2532G5485G473G548517For the law was given through Moses, but God's unfailing love and faithfulness came through Jesus Christ.G3754G3551G1325G1223G3475G5485G2532G225G1096G1223G2424G554718No one has ever seen God. But the unique One, who is himself God

, is near to the Father's heart. He has revealed God to us.G3762G3708G2316G4455G3439G5207G3588G5607G1519G2859G3962G1565G1834

The Testimony of John the Baptist

19This was John's testimony when the Jewish leaders sent priests and Temple assistants

from Jerusalem to ask John, "Who are you?"G2532G3778G2076G3141G2491G3753G2453G649G2409G2532G3019G1537G2414G2443G2065G846G5101G1488G477120He came right out and said, "I am not the Messiah."G2532G3670G2532G720G3756G2532G3670G3754G1473G1510G3756G554721"Well then, who are you?" they asked. "Are you Elijah?" "No," he replied "Are you the Prophet we are expecting?"

"No."G2532G2065G846G5101G3767G1488G4771G2243G2532G3004G1510G3756G1488G4771G4396G2532G611G375622"Then who are you? We need an answer for those who sent us. What do you have to say about yourself?"G3767G2036G846G5101G1488G2443G1325G612G3992G2248G5101G3004G4012G457223John replied in the words of the prophet Isaiah: "I am a voice shouting in the wilderness, 'Clear the way for the LORD's coming!'"

G5346G1473G5456G994G1722G2048G2116G3598G2962G2531G2036G4396G226824Then the Pharisees who had been sentG2532G3588G649G2258G1537G533025asked him, "If you aren't the Messiah or Elijah or the Prophet, what right do you have to baptize?"G2532G2065G846G2532G2036G846G5101G907G3767G1487G4771G1488G3756G5547G3777G2243G3777G439626John told them, "I baptize with

water, but right here in the crowd is someone you do not recognize.G2491G611G846G3004G1473G907G1722G5204G1161G2476G3319G5216G3739G5210G1492G375627Though his ministry follows mine, I'm not even worthy to be his slave and untie the straps of his sandal."G846G2076G3739G2064G3694G3450G1096G1715G3450G3739G846G5266G2438G1473G1510G3756G514G2443G308928This encounter took place in Bethany, an area east of the Jordan River, where John was baptizing.G5023G1096G1722G962G4008G2446G3699G2491G2258G907

Jesus, the Lamb of God

29The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!G1887G2491G991G2424G2064G4314G846G2532G3004G2396G286G2316G3588G142G266G288930He is the one I was talking about when I said, 'A man is coming after me who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before me.'G3778G2076G4012G3739G1473G2036G3694G3450G2064G435G3739G1096G1715G3450G3754G2258G4413G345031I did not recognize him as the Messiah, but I have been baptizing with water so that he might be revealed to Israel."G2504G1492G846G3756G235G2443G5319G2474G1223G5124G2064G1473G2064G907G1722G520432Then John testified, "I saw the Holy Spirit descending like a dove from heaven and resting upon him.G2532G2491G3140G3004G3754G2300G4151G2597G1537G3772G5616G4058G2532G3306G1909G84633I didn't know he was the one, but when God sent me to baptize with water, he told me, 'The one on whom you see the Spirit descend and rest is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.'G2504G1492G846G3756G235G3992G3165G907G1722G5204G1565G2036G3427G1909G3739G302G1492G4151G2597G2532G3306G1909G846G3778G2076G907G1722G40G415134I saw this happen to Jesus, so I testify that he is the Chosen One of God

."G2504G3708G2532G3140G3754G3778G2076G5207G2316

The First Disciples

35The following day John was again standing with two of his disciples.G3825G1887G2491G2476G2532G1417G1537G846G310136As Jesus walked by, John looked at him and declared, "Look! There is the Lamb of God!"G2532G1689G2424G4043G3004G2396G286G231637When John's two disciples heard this, they followed Jesus.G2532G1417G3101G191G846G2980G2532G190G242438Jesus looked around and saw them following. "What do you want?" he asked them They replied, "Rabbi" (which means "Teacher"), "where are you staying?"G1161G2424G4762G2532G2300G846G190G3004G846G5101G2212G1161G2036G846G4461G3739G3004G2059G1320G4226G330639"Come and see," he said. It was about four o'clock in the afternoon when they went with him to the place where he was staying, and they remained with him the rest of the day.G3004G846G2064G2532G1492G2064G2532G1492G4226G3306G2532G3306G3844G846G1565G2250G1161G2258G5613G1182G561040Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, was one of these men who heard what John said and then followed Jesus.G1520G1537G1417G3588G191G3844G2491G2532G190G846G2258G406G4613G4074G8041Andrew went to find his brother, Simon, and told him, "We have found the Messiah" (which means "Christ"

).G3778G4413G2147G2398G80G4613G2532G3004G846G2147G3323G3739G2076G3177G554742Then Andrew brought Simon to meet Jesus. Looking intently at Simon, Jesus said, "Your name is Simon, son of John—but you will be called Cephas"

(which means "Peter").G2532G71G846G4314G2424G1161G2424G1689G846G2036G4771G1488G4613G5207G2495G4771G2564G2786G3739G2059G407443The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, "Come, follow me."G1887G2424G2309G1831G1519G1056G2532G2147G5376G2532G3004G846G190G342744Philip was from Bethsaida, Andrew and Peter's hometown.G1161G5376G2258G575G966G4172G1537G406G2532G407445Philip went to look for Nathanael and told him, "We have found the very person Moses

and the prophets wrote about! His name is Jesus, the son of Joseph from Nazareth."G5376G2147G3482G2532G3004G846G2147G3739G3475G1722G3551G2532G4396G1125G2424G575G3478G5207G250146"Nazareth!" exclaimed Nathanael. "Can anything good come from Nazareth?" "Come and see for yourself," Philip replied.G2532G3482G2036G846G1410G5100G18G1511G1537G3478G5376G3004G846G2064G2532G149247As they approached, Jesus said, "Now here is a genuine son of Israel—a man of complete integrity."G2424G1492G3482G2064G4314G846G2532G3004G4012G846G2396G2475G230G1722G3739G2076G3756G138848"How do you know about me?" Nathanael asked Jesus replied, "I could see you under the fig tree before Philip found you."G3482G3004G846G4159G1097G3165G2424G611G2532G2036G846G4253G5376G5455G4571G5607G5259G4808G1492G457149Then Nathanael exclaimed, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God—the King of Israel!"G3482G611G2532G3004G846G4461G4771G1488G5207G2316G4771G1488G935G247450Jesus asked him, "Do you believe this just because I told you I had seen you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this."G2424G611G2532G2036G846G3754G2036G4671G1492G4571G5270G4808G4100G3700G3187G513051Then he said, "I tell you the truth, you will all see heaven open and the angels of God going up and down on the Son of Man, the one who is the stairway between heaven and earth

."G2532G3004G846G281G281G3004G5213G737G575G3700G3772G455G2532G32G2316G305G2532G2597G1909G5207G444