John 1
1 In the beginning the Word was; and the Word was with God; and the Word was God.
The one who expresses [MET] ([God’s character/what God is like]) has always existed (from the beginning [MTY] [of everything/before everything began]). He has always existed with God, and he has God’s nature.
2 He was in the beginning with God;
He always existed with God [before] he began [MTY] [to create anything].
3 through him all things came into being, and nothing came into being apart from him.
He is the one by whom [God] caused everything to exist. He is the one who created absolutely everything [LIT].
4 That which came into being in him was life; and the life was the light of humanity;
He is the one who [caused everything to] live. He, who caused us people to live, [revealed to us the truth about God as] a light [MET] [reveals what is in the darkness].
5 and the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness never overpowered it.
People do not want him to reveal [that what they do is evil] [MET], just [like] darkness [is evil]. But [just like] darkness cannot put out light [MET], [evil people have never prevented the one who was like a light from revealing God’s truth] (OR, [evil people have never] understood the [one who was like] a light.)
6 There appeared a man sent from God, whose name was John;
A man whose name was John was sent by God {God sent a man whose name was John}.
7 he came as a witness – to bear witness to the light so that through him everyone might believe.
He came to tell people [about the one who was like] [MET] a light. He came to show that everything that the [one who was like a light] [MET] said was true, in order that he could enable all people to believe [in the one who was like a light].
8 He was not the light, but he came to bear witness to the light.
John himself was not the [one who was like a] light [MET]. Instead, he came to tell others about that [one who was like a] light.
9 That was the true light which enlightens everyone coming into the world.
[While John was doing that], the one who was truly [like] a light was about to show himself to the world. He was the one who enables all people [to know about God, as] a light [MET] enables [people to know what is in the darkness].
10 He was in the world; and through him the world came into being – yet the world did not know him.
Although the one [who was like a light] was [here] on the earth, and although he was the one whom [God] caused to create everything, [most] people [MTY, HYP] did not realize who he [was]. (OR, although he was the one whom [God] caused to create everything, [most] people did not accept him.)
11 He came to his own – yet his own did not receive him.
Although he came to the land that belonged to him [because he created it, most of] his own people, [the Jews], rejected him (OR, did not accept him).
12 But to all who did receive him he gave power to become children of God – to those who believe in his name.
But those [of us who welcomed him, God] authorized [that we would have a relationship with] him [MET] [like] children [have a relationship with their father]. We were people who believed [that what he said] about himself [MTY] [was true].
13 For not to natural conception, nor to human instincts, nor to human will did they owe the new life, but to God.
We became [like God’s children], not because our ancestors [belonged to God], or because of someone’s sexual desires, nor because some man desired to have children like himself. Instead, we were caused by God {God caused us} to become [like] his children.
14 And the Word became human, and lived among us, (We saw his glory – the glory of the Only Son sent from the Father), full of love and truth.
The one who expresses [MET] ([God’s character/what God is like]) became a human being, and he lived among us [for a while]. As a result, we saw how wonderful he is. He came from [God] his father, and there was no other person as wonderful as he. He was wonderful because he always acted (kindly toward us/in ways we did not deserve), and he always [spoke] truthfully to us [about God].
15 (John bears witness to him; he cried aloud – for it was he who spoke – “He who is coming after me is now before me, for he was ever first”);
[One day] when John was telling people about him, [he saw Jesus]. Then he shouted to them, “I told you [previously] that someone will come later who is more important than I am, since he existed [long] before me. This [is the man I was talking about]!”
16 out of his fullness we have all received gift after gift of love;
We have all benefited very much from what he has done. Again and again, he has acted in kind way toward us in ways we did not deserve.
17 for the Law was given through Moses, love and truth came through Jesus Christ.
Moses proclaimed [God’s] laws [to our ancestors]. But what Jesus Christ did for us [was much better]. He acted in kindness toward us in ways we did not deserve and told us the truth [about God].
18 No one has ever yet seen God; God the only Son, who is ever with the Father – he has revealed him.
No one has ever seen God. But God’s only Son, [Jesus], who has always had a very close relationship with God, has told us about God.
19 When the religious authorities in Jerusalem sent some Priests and Levites to ask John – “Who are you?”,
The Jewish [leaders] [SYN] in Jerusalem [city] sent some [Jewish] priests and (Levites/men who worked in the temple) to where John was, to ask him some questions. They said to him, “What do you [claim about] yourself?”
20 he told them clearly and simply, “I am not the Christ.”
So John told them the truth, and he told them clearly [DOU]. He said, “[I] am not (the Messiah/God’s chosen king)!”
21 “What then?” they asked. “Are you Elijah?” “No,” he said, “I am not.” “Are you ‘the prophet’?” He answered, “No.”
Then they asked him, “Then what [do you say about yourself]? Are you [the prophet] Elijah [that was prophesied to return] {([someone/another prophet]) [prophesied would return]} [before the Messiah]?” He replied, “No, [I] am not.” Then they asked him, “Are you the prophet [like Moses that] ([we are waiting for/God promised to send])?” He replied, “No.”
22 “Who then are you?” they continued. “Tell us so that we have an answer to give to those who have sent us. What do you say about yourself?”
So they asked him, “Then who do you [claim to be]? [Tell us] so that we can [go back and] report to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”
23 “I,” he answered, “am – ‘The voice of one crying aloud in the wilderness: make a straight road for the Lord’, as the prophet Isaiah said.”
John replied, “[I] am the one [the prophet Isaiah said] would proclaim [this new message] loudly [to the people who would pass by] in this desolate area: ‘Prepare [yourselves to receive] the Lord when he comes [MET], [just like people prepare] a road [for an important official].
24 These men had been sent from the Pharisees;
Some of those people [who were questioning] John were ones who had been sent by the Pharisee [religious group] {whom the Pharisee [religious group] had sent}.
25 and their next question was, “Why then do you baptize, if you are not the Christ or Elijah or ‘the prophet’?”
They asked John, “Since [you say] you are not the Messiah, nor [the prophet] Elijah, nor the prophet [like Moses], [what authority] do you have? [Furthermore], why are you baptizing [Jews, treating them as though they were non-Jews who wanted to become Jews]?”
26 John’s answer was – “I baptize with water, but among you stands one whom you do not know;
John replied, “I am [just] baptizing people with water [to prepare them to welcome the Messiah]. But [right now] someone is among you whom you people do not know.
27 he is coming after me, yet I am not worthy even to unfasten his sandal.”
He [will preach to you] after I [am gone]. [He is so important that] I am not worthy to [serve him as a slave] [MET] [by] untying his sandals.”
28 This happened at Bethany, across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
Those things happened at [a place called] Bethany, on the [east] side of the Jordan [River], where John was baptizing people.
29 The next day John saw Jesus coming towards him, and exclaimed, “Here is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him. He said to the people, “Look! Here is the [man whom] God [has appointed to be a sacrifice] [MET], [like] the lambs [that the people of Israel sacrificed! By sacrificing himself] he will [make it possible for everyone in] the world to be no longer [guilty for having] sinned.
30 I was talking about him when I said ‘After me there is coming a man who ranks ahead of me, because before I was born he already was.’
He is the one about whom I said [before], ‘Someone will come later who is more important than I am, since he existed [long] before me.’
31 I did not know who he was, but I have come baptizing with water to make him known to Israel.”
I myself did not [previously] recognize that he [was the Messiah]. But [now I know who he is], and I have baptized people with water to enable [you people of] Israel to recognize who he is.”
32 John also said: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven like a dove and rest on him.
John spoke clearly [what God had shown him about Jesus]. He said, “I saw [God’s] Spirit as he was descending from heaven in the form of a dove. The Spirit remained on Jesus.
33 I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water, he said to me ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him – he it is who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’
I myself did not know [previously] that he [was the Messiah]. However, [God] sent me to baptize people with water, [people who said they wanted to turn from their sinful ways. While I was doing that], God told me, ‘The man on whom you will see my Spirit descend and remain is the one who will put the Holy Spirit within you [(pl) to truly change your lives].’
34 This I have seen myself, and I have declared my belief that he is the Son of God.”
I saw [the Spirit descend on him], and I tell you that he is (the Son of God/the person who is both God and man).”
35 The next day, when John was standing with two of his disciples,
The next day John was at the same place again (with two of us/with two of his disciples).
36 he looked at Jesus as he passed and exclaimed, “There is the Lamb of God!”
When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look! There is the man God [has appointed to be a sacrifice, like] the lambs [MET] [the people of Israel have sacrificed!]”
37 The two disciples heard him say this, and followed Jesus.
(When we/those two disciples) heard John say this, we/they went with Jesus.
38 But Jesus turned around, and saw them following. “What are you looking for?” he asked. “Rabbi,” they answered (or, as we should say, ‘Teacher’), “where are you staying?”
Jesus turned around and saw us/them coming behind him. So he asked us/them, “What do you want?” We/They replied, “Teacher, [tell us] where you are staying, [because we want to talk with you].”
39 “Come, and you will see,” he replied. So they went, and saw where he was staying, and spent that day with him. It was then about four in the afternoon.
He replied, “Come [with me], and you will see [where I am staying]!” So we/they went with him and saw where he was staying. We/They stayed with him until about 4 o’clock (OR, from about 4 PM until the next day).
40 One of the two, who heard what John said and followed Jesus, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother.
(One of us/One of the two men) who heard what John had said and who went with Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter’s [younger] brother.
41 He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, “We have found the Messiah!” (a word which means ‘Christ,’ or ‘Consecrated’.)
[After Andrew left Jesus], the first thing he did was to find his own [older] brother Simon and say to him, “We have found the Messiah!”
42 Then he brought him to Jesus. Looking straight at him, Jesus said, “You are Simon, the son of John; you will be called Cephas” (which means ‘Peter,’ or ‘Rock’).
Then he took Simon to Jesus. Jesus looked intently at him, and then said, “You are Simon. Your father’s name is John. You will be given {[I] will give you} the name Cephas.” [Cephas is an Aramaic name that means ‘solid rock’. It] means [the same in Greek as the name] Peter.
43 The following day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. He found Philip, and said to him, “Follow me.”
The next day [Jesus] decided to leave [the Jordan River valley]. He went to Galilee [district] and (OR, on the way there he) found a man named Philip. Jesus said to him, “Come with me!”
44 Philip was from Bethsaida, the same town as Andrew and Peter.
Philip and Andrew and Peter were all from Bethsaida [town].
45 He found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him of whom Moses wrote in the Law, and of whom the prophets also wrote – Jesus of Nazareth, Joseph’s son!”
Then Philip [searched for] Nathaniel and found him, and said to him, “We have met [the Messiah], the one Moses [wrote about]! The prophets also [prophesied that he would come]. He is Jesus, from Nazareth [town]. His father’s name is Joseph.”
46 “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” asked Nathanael. “Come and see,” replied Philip.
Nathaniel replied, “Nazareth? (Nothing good can come from [such an unimportant place]!/Can anything good come from [such an unimportant place]?) [RHQ]” Philip replied, “Come and see!”
47 When Jesus saw Nathanael coming towards him, he said, “Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is no deceit!”
When Jesus saw Nathaniel approaching, he said about Nathaniel, “Here is an example of a good Israelite! He never deceives anyone!”
48 “How do you know me?” asked Nathanael. “Even before Philip called you,” replied Jesus, “when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.”
Nathaniel asked him, “How do you know what I [am like]?” Jesus replied, “I saw you before Philip called you, when you were [by yourself] under the fig tree.”
49 “Rabbi,” Nathanael exclaimed, “you are the Son of God, you are king of Israel!”
Then Nathaniel declared, “Teacher, you [must be] (the Son of God/the person who is both God and man)! You are the King of Israel [we have been waiting for]!”
50 “Do you believe in me,” asked Jesus, “because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than those!
Jesus replied to him, “You [RHQ] believe [those things about me] because I told you I saw you when you were under the fig tree. [I was able to see you supernaturally even though I was far away from you]. But you will see [me do] things that are more surprising than that!”
51 In truth I tell you,” he added, “you will all see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”
Then Jesus said to him, “This is the absolute truth: [Just like what your ancestor Jacob saw long ago in a vision], some day you [(pl)] will see heaven opened up, and you will see God’s angels ascending from me and descending on me, the one who came from heaven.”
