John 1
1 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.
A kipatcil in Thu om hi, tua thu sia Pathian taw omkhawm a, tua Thu in Pathian a hihi.
2 He always existed with God [before] he began [MTY] [to create anything].
Tua thu sia a kipatcil in Pathian taw omkhawm hi.
3 He is the one by whom [God] caused everything to exist. He is the one who created absolutely everything [LIT].
Na theampo Ama vawt a hihi; a kivawt theampo sung ah Ama kihel ngawl in a kivawt khatzong a om bua hi.
4 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].
Ama sung ah nuntakna om a; tua nuntakna sia mihing te i khuavak a hihi.
5 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.)
Taciang khuavak sia khuazing sung ah tang a; khuazing in Ama a he bua hi.
6 A man whose name was John was sent by God {God sent a man whose name was John}.
Pathian kungpan hong ki sawl mi khat om a, ama min sia John a hihi.
7 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].
John sia tetti tu in hongpai a, mi theampo in ama tungtawn in a up thei natu, khuavak tettipang tu in hongpai hi.
8 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.
Ama sia tua Khuavak hi ngawl hi, ahihang tua Khuavak tettipang tu in a ki sawl a hihi.
9 [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].
Tasia sia Khuavak tatak hi a, mi theampo taan tu in hi leitung ah hongpai hi.
10 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.)
Ama sia leitung ah om a, leitung sia Ama vawtsa a hihi, taciang leitung in Ama a he bua hi.
11 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).
Ama minam te kung ah hongpai napi, a minam te in Ama a sang bua hi.
12 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].
Ahihang a sang te theampo tung ah, Pathian tapa sua na vangletna pia hi, tua te sia Ama min a umte a hihi:
13 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.
Ama te sia thisan, ci le sa deina, le mihing deina tungtawn in a piang a hi bua uh hi, ahihang Pathian deina tungtawn in a piang a hihi.
14 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].
Tua thu sia ci le sa in hong ki vawt a, taciang thuthiamna le thutak taw kidim in eite sung ah hong om a, Pa i Tapa a neisun minthanna bang in a minthanna i mu hi.
15 [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]!”
John in Ama thu tettipang in a au na aw sia, ka nung pan hongpai pa sia kei sang in thupi zaw hi: banghangziam cile Ama sia kei pian ma in om zo hi: A thu ka sason sia Ama a hihi, ci hi.
16 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.
Ama kicinna pan in i vekpi in hesuakna khat zawkciang khat i sang tato hi.
17 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].
Banghangziam cile thukham sia Moses tungtawn in hong kipia hi, ahihang thuthiamna le thutak ahile Jesus Christ tungtawn in hongpai hi.
18 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.
Kuama in Pathian sia bangmahun in mu ngei ngawl hi; Pa kangsung ah a om khatbek a nei a Tapa in, Pa thu hong tangko zo hi.
19 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?”
Hi thu sia, nang sia a kua ni ziam? ci dong tu in Judah te in thiampi te le Levite te Jerusalem pan a sawl uh ciang in, John i a cepte thu a hihi.
20 So John told them the truth, and he told them clearly [DOU]. He said, “[I] am not (the Messiah/God’s chosen king)!”
John in nial peuma ngawl in, keima sia Christ hi ngawl khi hi; ci in pualak hi.
21 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.”
Amate in, tua a hile a kua ni ziam? Elijah ni ziam? ci in dong uh hi. Taciang John in, hi ngawl khi hi, ci hi. Amate in, kamsang tasia ni ziam? ci in a dok leleau uh ciang in, hi ngawl khi hi, ci in zo hi.
22 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?”
Amate in, nang a kua ni ziam? tua hile hong sawl te kung ah son thei tu khu hi. Nangma le nangma kua ka hi ci ni ziam? ci uh hi.
23 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].
John in, kamsang Isaiah sonkholsa bang in, Topa i lampi tangsak vun, ci in ngamsung pan a au Aw ka hihi, ci hi.
24 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}.
Amate sia Pharisee te in sawl in a paisak te a hi uh hi.
25 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]?”
Amate in, Christ na hi bua a, Elijah le hi ngawl, kamsang le hi tuan ngawl napi, banghang in tuiphumna pia ni ziam? ci in dong uh hi.
26 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.
John in, keima in tui taw tuiphumna kong pia hi: ahihang na heak ngawl uh mi khat note sung ah ding nginge hi;
27 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.”
Ama sia, ka nung pan hongpai a, kei sang in thupi zaw hi, kei sia a peangdap khau sutsak tu zong ka kilawm bua hi, ci hi.
28 Those things happened at [a place called] Bethany, on the [east] side of the Jordan [River], where John was baptizing people.
Hi thu te sia John in tuiphumna a piak na mun, Jordan ngun ngal Bethabara ah a sep thu a hihi.
29 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.
A zingciang in John in Jesus a kung ah hongpai mu a, en vun, leitung mawna a pua Pathian Tuuno.
30 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.’
Hi sia pa sia, ka nung pan hongpai a, kei sang in thupi zaw hi: banghangziam cile kei pian ma in om zo hi, ci ka son sia Ama a hihi.
31 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.”
Ama ka he bua hi: ahihang Ama sia Israel te tung ah kilangsak tu hi, tua ahikom keima hongpai in tui taw tuiphumna pia khi hi.
32 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.
Taciang John in ceptena tettipang a, Thaa sia vantung pan vakhu bang in tuaksuk a, Ama tung ah a tu ka mu hi.
33 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].’
Ama ka he bua hi: ahihang tui taw tuiphumna pia tu in, hong sawl sia in, Ama tung ah Thaa hong tuaksuk tu a, tua na mu uh sia sia, Tha Thiangtho taw tuiphumna pia tu pa hi, ci in hong son hi.
34 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).”
Ama ka mu zo a, hisia pa sia Pathian Tapa a hihi, ci in ceptena tettipang khi hi, ci hi.
35 The next day John was at the same place again (with two of us/with two of his disciples).
A zingciang in John le a nungzui ni te hong dingkik uh a;
36 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!]”
Jesus hongpai a mu ciang in, en vun Pathian Tuuno! ci hi.
37 (When we/those two disciples) heard John say this, we/they went with Jesus.
Taciang nungzui nite in tua thu a zak uh ciang, Jesus nung zui uh hi.
38 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].”
Tua zawkciang in Jesus in a nungsang le-et a, amate i zui a mu ciang, amate tung ah, Bang zong nu ziam? ci hi. Amate in, Rabbi awng koisung ah om ni ziam? ci uh hi. Rabbi a khiakna sia syapa awng, a cinopna a hihi.
39 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).
Jesus in amate tung ah, Hongpai tavun a hong en tavun, ci hi. Amate hongpai uh a, a omna mun mu uh hi, taciang tua ni sia Ama taw omkhawm uh hi: banghangziam cile a hun sia nitak sang nai li pawl a hihi.
40 (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.
John i son thu a za mihing ni te sung ah khat sia Simon Peter suapui pa, Andrew a hihi.
41 [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!”
A masaphit in a u Simon taw ki si uh a, ko Messiah taw ki mu zo khu hi, ci son hi. Messiah a khiakna sia Christ a ci nopna hi.
42 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.
Ama in Jesus kung ah paipui hi. Jesus in ama a et ciang in, Nangma sia Jonah i tapa Simon na hihi: nang sia Cephas hong kici tu hi, ci hi, Cephas a khiakna sia suangpi a cinopna a hihi.
43 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!”
A zingciang in Jesus sia Galilee ah pai nuam hi, taciang Philip taw ki si a, ama kung ah, Hong zui tan, ci hi.
44 Philip and Andrew and Peter were all from Bethsaida [town].
Philip sia Bethsaida khua mi hi a, Andrew le Peter te i khua a hihi.
45 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.”
Philip sia Nathanael taw ki mu a, ama kung ah, Moses i thukham sung le kamsang te in a atkholsa, Joseph tapa Nazareth mi Jesus sia mu zo khu hi, ci hi.
46 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!”
Taciang Nathanael in, Nazareth khua pan na pha piang thei na ziam? ci hi. Philip in, hongpai tan a, en in, ci hi.
47 When Jesus saw Nathaniel approaching, he said about Nathaniel, “Here is an example of a good Israelite! He never deceives anyone!”
Jesus in Nathanael hongpai a mu ciang in, En vun, Israel mi tatak a hihi, a sung ah theamna om ngawl hi! ci hi.
48 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.”
Nathanael in, bangbang in hong he thei ni ziam? ci hi. Jesus in, Philip in nang hong sap ma theikung nuai ah na to laitak in, kong mu zo hi, ci hi.
49 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]!”
Nathanael in, Rabbi, nangma sia Pathian Tapa na hihi; nangma sia Israel Kumpi na hihi, ci hi.
50 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!”
Jesus in, Theikung nuai ah na to laitak kong mu hi, ka ci hang in hong um ni ziam? Hi te sang in a lianzaw nate na mu lai tu hi, ci in zo kik hi.
51 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.”
Jesus in ama kung ah, Amantak in kong ci hi, a ngei ngawl in van a ki hong na mu tu a, mihing Tapa tung ah Pathian i vantungmi te a tuaksuk le a kato na mu tu hi, ci hi.
