< John 1 >
1 IN the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 He was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made by him; and without him was not one thing made that was made.
4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness did not comprehend it.
6 A man was sent from God, whose name was John.
7 He came for a witness, that he might bear testimony concerning the Light, that all men through him might believe.
8 He was not the Light, but sent that he should bear testimony concerning the Light.
9 He was that true Light, which illumines every man by his coming into the world.
10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
11 He came unto his peculiar people, and his peculiar people did not receive him.
12 But as many as did receive him, on them he bestowed authority to become children of God, even on those who believe on his name:
13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
14 And the Word became incarnate, and tabernacled with us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, ) full of grace and truth.
15 John bore witness concerning him, and cried, saying, This is he of whom I said, He that is coming after me, is before me: because before me he was.
16 And from his plenitude we all have received, even grace corresponding with his grace.
17 For the law was given by Moses, but the grace and the reality came by 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 thoroughly described him.
19 And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent from Jerusalem priests and Levites, that they should question him, Who art thou?
20 And he confessed, and denied it not; but acknowledged, I am not the Messiah.
21 And they asked him, What then? art thou Elias? and he said, I am not. Art thou that prophet? and he answered, No.
22 Then said they to him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to those who sent us: What description givest thou of thyself?
23 He said, I am a voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way for the Lord, as said the prophet Isaiah.
24 And they who were sent, were of the Pharisees.
25 And they questioned him, and said to him, Why then dost thou baptise, if thou be not the Messiah, nor Elias, nor that prophet?
26 John answered them, saying, I baptise with water: but in the midst of you hath stood a person, whom ye have not known;
27 it is he, though coming after me, who was before me, the thong of whole sandal I am not worthy to untie.
28 These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptising.
29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming to him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sin of the world,
30 This is he of whom I spake, After me cometh a man who was before me: for before me he existed.
31 And I knew him not: though that he might be manifested to Israel, therefore am I come baptising with water.
32 And John bore witness, saying, I saw the Spirit descending as a dove from heaven, and it rested upon him.
33 And I did not know him: but he that sent me baptising with water, he said to me, Upon whomsoever thou shalt see the Spirit descending as a dove, and resting upon him, that is he who baptiseth with the Holy Ghost.
34 And I have seen it, and have borne testimony that this is the Son of God.
35 On the morrow John was again standing with two of his disciples;
36 and looking upon Jesus as he walked by, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!
37 And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.
38 Then Jesus turned about, and seeing them following, saith to them, What are ye seeking? They said unto him, Rabbi (which signifies, when translated, Master), where is thy abode?
39 He saith unto them, Come and see. They came and saw where he abode, and continued with him that day: and it was about the tenth hour.
40 One of the two, who had heard from John mention of Jesus, and had followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother.
41 He first finds his own brother Simon, and saith to him, We have found the Messiah (which is, being translated, the Christ).
42 And he brought him to Jesus. Then Jesus looking on him, said, Thou art Simon the son of Jonas: thou shalt be called Cephas, which, interpreted in Greek, is Petros, a Rock.
43 The next day Jesus resolved to go into Galilee, and he findeth Philip, and saith to him, Follow me.
44 Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.
45 Philip findeth Nathaniel, and saith to him, We have found him whom Moses in the law has described, and the prophets, Jesus the son of Joseph, who is of Nazareth.
46 And Nathaniel said to him, Can any thing good come out of Nazareth? Philip saith to him, Come and see.
47 Jesus saw Nathaniel coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite in reality, in whom there is no guile!
48 Nathaniel saith unto him, From whence canst thou know me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig-tree, I saw thee.
49 Nathaniel answered and said to him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the king of Israel.
50 Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said to thee, I saw thee under the fig-tree, dost thou believe? thou shalt see greater things than these.
51 And he saith to him, Verily, verily, I tell you, From henceforth ye shall see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.
