John 1
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
In the beginning the Word already was. The Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 The same was in the beginning with God.
In the beginning he was with God.
3 All things were made by him: and without him was made nothing that was made.
Everything came into being through him; nothing came into being without him.
4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men.
In him was life, the life that was the light of everyone.
5 And the light shineth in darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not extinguished it.
6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
God sent a man named John.
7 This man came for a witness, to give testimony of the light, that all men might believe through him.
He came as a witness to explain about the light so that everyone might believe through him.
8 He was not the light, but was to give testimony of the light.
He himself was not the light, but he came to witness to the light.
9 That was the true light, which enlighteneth every man that cometh into this world.
The true light was coming into the world to give light to everyone.
10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world didn't know who he was.
11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
He came to his own people, but they didn't accept him.
12 But as many as received him, he gave them power to be made the sons of God, to them that believe in his name.
But to all those who accepted him and trusted in him, he gave the right to become God's children.
13 Who are born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
These are the children born not in the usual way, not as the result of human desire or a father's decision, but born of God.
14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we saw his glory, the glory as it were of the only begotten of the Father, ) full of grace and truth.
The Word became human and lived among us, and we saw his glory, the glory of the Father's one and only Son, full of grace and truth.
15 John beareth witness of him, and crieth out, saying: This was he of whom I spoke: He that shall come after me, is preferred before me: because he was before me.
John gave his testimony about him, shouting out to the people, “This is the one I was telling you about when I said, ‘The one who is coming after me is more important than me, for before I ever existed he already was.’”
16 And of his fulness we all have received, and grace for grace.
We have all been recipients of his generous nature, one gracious gift after another.
17 For the law was given by Moses; grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
The law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
18 No man hath seen God at any time: the only begotten Son who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
While no one has ever seen God, God the one and only, who is close to the Father, has shown us what God is like.
19 And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent from Jerusalem priests and Levites to him, to ask him: Who art thou?
This is what John publicly stated when the Jewish leaders sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?”
20 And he confessed, and did not deny: and he confessed: I am not the Christ.
John declared plainly and clearly without hesitation, “I am not the Messiah.”
21 And they asked him: What then? Art thou Elias? And he said: I am not. Art thou the prophet? And he answered: No.
“So then, who are you?” they asked. “Elijah?” “No, I'm not,” he answered. “Are you the Prophet?” “No,” he replied.
22 They said therefore unto him: Who art thou, that we may give an answer to them that sent us? What sayest thou of thyself?
“Well, who are you, then?” they asked. “We have to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”
23 He said: I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Isaias.
“I am a voice calling in the desert, ‘Make the Lord's way straight!’” he said, using the words of the prophet Isaiah.
24 And they that were sent, were of the Pharisees.
The priests and Levites sent by the Pharisees
25 And they asked him, and said to him: Why then dost thou baptize, if thou be not Christ, nor Elias, nor the prophet?
asked him, “Why then are you baptizing, if you're not the Messiah, or Elijah, or the Prophet?”
26 John answered them, saying: I baptize with water; but there hath stood one in the midst of you, whom you know not.
John replied, “I baptize with water, but standing among you is someone you don't know.
27 The same is he that shall come after me, who is preferred before me: the latchet of whose shoe I am not worthy to loose.
He is coming after me, but I am not even worthy to untie his sandals.”
28 These things were done in Bethania, beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
This all happened in Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
29 The next day, John saw Jesus coming to him, and he saith: Behold the Lamb of God, behold him who taketh away the sin of the world.
The next day John saw Jesus approaching him, and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
30 This is he, of whom I said: After me there cometh a man, who is preferred before me: because he was before me.
This is the one I was talking about when I said, ‘A man who is coming after me is more important than me, for before I ever existed he already was.’
31 And I knew him not, but that he may be made manifest in Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.
I didn't know myself who he was, but I came baptizing with water so that he could be revealed to Israel.”
32 And John gave testimony, saying: I saw the Spirit coming down, as a dove from heaven, and he remained upon him.
John gave his evidence about him, saying, “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove and rest upon him.
33 And I knew him not; but he who sent me to baptize with water, said to me: He upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining upon him, he it is that baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.
I wouldn't have known him except he who sent me to baptize with water had told me, ‘The one you see the Spirit descend to and rest upon, he is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’
34 And I saw, and I gave testimony, that this is the Son of God.
I saw it happen and I declare that this is the Son of God.”
35 The next day again John stood, and two of his disciples.
The next day John was standing there with two of his disciples.
36 And beholding Jesus walking, he saith: Behold the Lamb of God.
He saw Jesus passing by, and said, “Look! This is the Lamb of God!”
37 And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.
When the two disciples heard what he said they went and followed Jesus.
38 And Jesus turning, and seeing them following him, saith to them: What seek you? Who said to him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master, ) where dwellest thou?
Jesus turned round and saw them following him. “What are you looking for?” he asked them. “Rabbi (which means ‘Teacher’), where are you staying?” they asked in reply.
39 He saith to them: Come and see. They came, and saw where he abode, and they stayed with him that day: now it was about the tenth hour.
“Come and see,” he told them. So they went with him and saw where he was staying. It was about four p.m., and they spent the rest of the day with him.
40 And Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, was one of the two who had heard of John, and followed him.
Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, was one of these two disciples who had heard what John said and followed Jesus.
41 He findeth first his brother Simon, and saith to him: We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.
He went at once to find his brother Simon and told him, “We've found the Messiah!” (which means “Christ”).
42 And he brought him to Jesus. And Jesus looking upon him, said: Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is interpreted Peter.
He took him to Jesus. Looking directly at Simon, Jesus said, “You are Simon, son of John. But now you will be called Cephas,” (which means “Peter”).
43 On the following day, he would go forth into Galilee, and he findeth Philip. And Jesus saith to him: Follow me.
The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. Jesus found Philip there, and told him, “Follow me.”
44 Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.
Philip was from Bethsaida, the same town that Andrew and Peter came from.
45 Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith to him: We have found him of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets did write, Jesus the son of Joseph of Nazareth.
Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We've found the one that Moses wrote about in the law and that the prophets did too—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”
46 And Nathanael said to him: Can any thing of good come from Nazareth? Philip saith to him: Come and see.
“From Nazareth? Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael wondered. “Just come and see,” Philip replied.
47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him: and he saith of him: Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no guile.
As Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said about him, “Look, here's a true Israelite! There's nothing false about him.”
48 Nathanael saith to him: Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered, and said to him: Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.
“How do you know who I am?” Nathanael asked. “I saw you there under the fig tree, before Philip called you,” Jesus replied.
49 Nathanael answered him, and said: Rabbi, thou art the Son of God, thou art the King of Israel.
“Rabbi, you are the Son of God, the king of Israel!” Nathaniel exclaimed.
50 Jesus answered, and said to him: Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, thou believest: greater things than these shalt thou see.
“You believe this just because I told you I saw you under the fig tree?” Jesus replied. “You'll get to see much more than that!”
51 And he saith to him: Amen, amen I say to you, you shall see the heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.
Then Jesus 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.”
