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.
From the very beginning he was with God.
3 All things were made through him; and without him was nothing made that hath been made.
Everything came into being through him; nothing came into being without him.
4 In him is 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 hath been shining in the darkness; and the darkness received it not.
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 He came as a witness, to bear witness of the light, that through him all might believe.
He came as a witness to explain about the light so that everyone might believe through him.
8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness of the light.
He himself was not the light, but he came to witness to the light.
9 The true light, which enlighteneth every man, was coming into the 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 through 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 to 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, to them he gave power to become children of God, —to those who believed 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 were 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 became flesh, and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; and we beheld his glory, a glory as of an only begotten of a father.
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, saying, This was he of whom I said, He that cometh after me hath gone before me; for 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 For out of his fullness have we all received, and grace upon grace.
We have all been recipients of his generous nature, one gracious gift after another.
17 For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
18 No one hath ever seen God; the only begotten God, who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath made him known.
While no one has ever seen God, God the one and only, who is close beside the Father, has shown us what God is like.
19 And this is the witness of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem, 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 declared, and did not deny; and he declared, 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 Elijah? 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 to him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to those who 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 “a voice of one crying aloud in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord,” as said Isaiah the prophet.
“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 were sent from 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 art not the Christ, nor Elijah, 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 in water. There standeth one among you whom ye know not,
John replied, “I baptize with water, but standing among you is someone you don't know.
27 he who cometh after me, the latchet of whose sandal I am not worthy to loose.
He is coming after me, but I am not even worthy to untie his sandals.”
28 These things took place in Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
This all happened in Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
29 The next day he seeth Jesus coming to him, and saith, Behold, the Lamb of God, 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 cometh a man, who hath gone before me; for 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 might be made manifest to Israel, therefore I came baptizing in 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 bore witness, saying, I have seen the Spirit descending as a dove from heaven, and it abode 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 in water, the same said to me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending and abiding on him, he it is that baptizeth in the Holy Spirit.
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 have seen and have borne witness, that this is the Son of God.
I saw it happen and I declare that this is the Son of God.”
35 On the morrow John was again standing, and two of his disciples;
The next day John was standing there with two of his disciples.
36 and looking upon Jesus as he was walking, he saith, Behold, the Lamb of God!
He saw Jesus passing by, and said, “Look! This is the Lamb of God!”
37 The two disciples heard him speaking, and they followed Jesus.
When the two disciples heard what he said they went and followed Jesus.
38 Jesus turning and seeing them following, saith to them, What seek ye? And they said to him, Rabbi, (that is to say, when interpreted, Teacher, ) where dost thou dwell?
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 ye shall see. They came therefore and saw where he dwelt; and they abode with him that day. 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 One of the two who heard what John said, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother.
Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, was one of these two disciples who had heard what John said and followed Jesus.
41 He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith to him, We have found the Messiah; (which is, when interpreted, the Christ.)
He went at once to find his brother Simon and told him, “We've found the Messiah!” (which means “Christ”).
42 He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looking upon him said, Thou art Simon, the son of John; thou shalt be called Cephas; (which signifieth Peter, that is, Rock.)
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 morrow he determined to go forth into Galilee, and 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 wrote, Jesus, the son of Joseph, who is 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 good thing come out of 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 saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom 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 dost thou know me? Jesus answered and said to him, Before 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, 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 to thee, I saw thee under the fig-tree, dost thou believe? Thou shalt see greater things than these.
“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, Truly, truly do I say to you, Ye will see 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.”
