John 1
1 In the beginning the Word already was. The Word was with God, and the Word was God.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 In the beginning he was with God.
He was in the beginning with God.
3 Everything came into being through him; nothing came into being without him.
Everything was made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.
4 In him was life, the life that was the light of everyone.
In Him was life, and that life was the light of mankind.
5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not extinguished it.
The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness hasn’t overcome it.
6 God sent a man named John.
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
7 He came as a witness to explain about the light so that everyone might believe through him.
This man came as a witness, to testify about the light, that all through him might believe.
8 He himself was not the light, but he came to witness to the light.
He wasn’t that light, but was sent as a witness of that light.
9 The true light was coming into the world to give light to everyone.
The true light that enlightens everyone was coming into the world.
10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world didn't know who he was.
The Word was in the world, and though the world was made through Him, the world didn’t recognize Him.
11 He came to his own people, but they didn't accept him.
He came to His own, and those who were His own didn’t receive Him.
12 But to all those who accepted him and trusted in him, he gave the right to become God's children.
But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become God’s children, to those who believe in His name:
13 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.
who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
14 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.
The Word became flesh and lived among us, and we saw His glory, the glory as of the only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth.
15 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.’”
John testified about Him. He cried out, saying, “This was He who I told you about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because He was before me.’”
16 We have all been recipients of his generous nature, one gracious gift after another.
From His fullness we have all received grace upon grace.
17 The law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
The Law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
18 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.
No one has ever seen God, but God’s only born Son, who is near to the heart of His Father, has made Him known.
19 This is what John publicly stated when the Jewish leaders sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?”
Now this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?”
20 John declared plainly and clearly without hesitation, “I am not the Messiah.”
He confessed, and didn’t deny, but confessed, “I’m not the Christ.”
21 “So then, who are you?” they asked. “Elijah?” “No, I'm not,” he answered. “Are you the Prophet?” “No,” he replied.
They asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” He answered, “No.”
22 “Well, who are you, then?” they asked. “We have to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”
Then they asked him, “Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”
23 “I am a voice calling in the desert, ‘Make the Lord's way straight!’” he said, using the words of the prophet Isaiah.
John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, “I am the voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’”
24 The priests and Levites sent by the Pharisees
Now those who were sent were Pharisees.
25 asked him, “Why then are you baptizing, if you're not the Messiah, or Elijah, or the Prophet?”
They asked him, saying, “Why then do you baptize if you aren’t the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”
26 John replied, “I baptize with water, but standing among you is someone you don't know.
John answered them, saying, “I baptize with water, but One stands among you that you don’t know.
27 He is coming after me, but I am not even worthy to untie his sandals.”
It is He who, coming after me, is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I’m not worthy to untie.”
28 This all happened in Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
29 The next day John saw Jesus approaching him, and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
The next day, John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Look! God’s Lamb who takes away the sin of the world!
30 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.’
This is the One I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me is preferred before me because He existed before me.’
31 I didn't know myself who he was, but I came baptizing with water so that he could be revealed to Israel.”
I didn’t know Him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that He might be revealed to Israel.”
32 John gave his evidence about him, saying, “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove and rest upon him.
John testified, saying, “I saw the Spirit descending from Heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him.
33 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.’
I wouldn’t have known Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘Whoever you see the Spirit descending upon, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’
34 I saw it happen and I declare that this is the Son of God.”
I have seen and I testify that this is God’s Son.”
35 The next day John was standing there with two of his disciples.
The next day, John again stood with two of His disciples.
36 He saw Jesus passing by, and said, “Look! This is the Lamb of God!”
When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, God’s Lamb!”
37 When the two disciples heard what he said they went and followed Jesus.
The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus.
38 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.
Jesus turned, and seeing them following, asked them, “What are you looking for?” They said to Him, “Rabbi” (which, when translated, means Teacher), “Where are You staying?”
39 “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.
He told them, “Come and see.” They came and saw where He was staying, and spent that day with Him. It was about the tenth hour.
40 Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, was one of these two disciples who had heard what John said and followed Jesus.
Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus.
41 He went at once to find his brother Simon and told him, “We've found the Messiah!” (which means “Christ”).
The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother, Simon, and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, translated, the Christ).
42 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”).
Andrew brought Simon to Jesus. Jesus looked at him, and said, “You are Simon the son of Jonah. You will be called Cephas” (which is translated Peter).
43 The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. Jesus found Philip there, and told him, “Follow me.”
The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he told him, “Follow me.”
44 Philip was from Bethsaida, the same town that Andrew and Peter came from.
Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.
45 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.”
Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found Him who Moses in the Law, and also the prophets, wrote about — Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”
46 “From Nazareth? Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael wondered. “Just come and see,” Philip replied.
Nathanael asked Philip, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip told Nathanael, “Come and see.”
47 As Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said about him, “Look, here's a true Israelite! There's nothing false about him.”
Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him, and said of Nathanael, “Look! An Israelite indeed, who has no deceit in him!”
48 “How do you know who I am?” Nathanael asked. “I saw you there under the fig tree, before Philip called you,” Jesus replied.
Nathanael asked Him, “How do You know me?” Jesus answered, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.”
49 “Rabbi, you are the Son of God, the king of Israel!” Nathaniel exclaimed.
Nathanael answered, “Rabbi, You are God’s Son. You are the King of Israel.”
50 “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!”
Jesus said to him, “Because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe? You will see greater things than these.”
51 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.”
And He told him, “Most assuredly, I tell you, you will see Heaven opened, and God’s angels ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”
