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.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 He always existed with God [before] he began [MTY] [to create anything].
He was in the beginning with God.
3 He is the one by whom [God] caused everything to exist. He is the one who created absolutely everything [LIT].
Everything was made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.
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].
In Him was life, and that life was the light of mankind.
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.)
The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness hasn’t overcome it.
6 A man whose name was John was sent by God {God sent a man whose name was John}.
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
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].
This man came as a witness, to testify about the light, that all through him might believe.
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.
He wasn’t that light, but was sent as a witness of that light.
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].
The true light that enlightens everyone was coming into the world.
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.)
The Word was in the world, and though the world was made through Him, the world didn’t recognize Him.
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).
He came to His own, and those who were His own didn’t receive Him.
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].
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 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.
who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
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].
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 [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 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 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.
From His fullness we have all received grace upon grace.
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].
The Law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
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.
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 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?”
Now this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?”
20 So John told them the truth, and he told them clearly [DOU]. He said, “[I] am not (the Messiah/God’s chosen king)!”
He confessed, and didn’t deny, but confessed, “I’m not the Christ.”
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.”
They asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” He answered, “No.”
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?”
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 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 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 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}.
Now those who were sent were Pharisees.
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]?”
They asked him, saying, “Why then do you baptize if you aren’t the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”
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 answered them, saying, “I baptize with water, but One stands among you that you don’t know.
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.”
It is He who, coming after me, is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I’m not worthy to untie.”
28 Those things happened at [a place called] Bethany, on the [east] side of the Jordan [River], where John was baptizing people.
This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
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.
The next day, John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Look! God’s Lamb who takes away the sin of the world!
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.’
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 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.”
I didn’t know Him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that He might be revealed to Israel.”
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.
John testified, saying, “I saw the Spirit descending from Heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him.
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].’
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 [the Spirit descend on him], and I tell you that he is (the Son of God/the person who is both God and man).”
I have seen and I testify that this is God’s Son.”
35 The next day John was at the same place again (with two of us/with two of his disciples).
The next day, John again stood with two of His disciples.
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!]”
When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, God’s Lamb!”
37 (When we/those two disciples) heard John say this, we/they went with Jesus.
The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus.
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].”
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 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).
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 (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.
Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus.
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!”
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 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.
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 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!”
The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he told him, “Follow me.”
44 Philip and Andrew and Peter were all from Bethsaida [town].
Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.
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 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 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!”
Nathanael asked Philip, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip told Nathanael, “Come and see.”
47 When Jesus saw Nathaniel approaching, he said about Nathaniel, “Here is an example of a good Israelite! He never deceives anyone!”
Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him, and said of Nathanael, “Look! An Israelite indeed, who has no deceit in him!”
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 asked Him, “How do You know me?” Jesus answered, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.”
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 answered, “Rabbi, You are God’s Son. You are the King of Israel.”
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 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 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.”
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.”
