John 1

₁In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ₂He was in the beginning with God. ₃All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. ₄In him was life, and the life was the light of men. ₅The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

₆There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. ₇He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. ₈He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.

₉The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. ₁₀He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. ₁₁He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. ₁₂But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, ₁₃who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

₁₄And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. ₁₅(John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”) ₁₆For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. ₁₇For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. ₁₈No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.

₁₉And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” ₂₀He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” ₂₁And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” ₂₂So they said to him, “Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” ₂₃He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.”

₂₄(Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.) ₂₅They asked him, “Then why are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” ₂₆John answered them, “I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know, ₂₇even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.” ₂₈These things took place in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

₂₉The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! ₃₀This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’ ₃₁I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.” ₃₂And John bore witness: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. ₃₃I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ ₃₄And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.”

₃₅The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, ₃₆and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” ₃₇The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. ₃₈Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, “What are you seeking?” And they said to him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?” ₃₉He said to them, “Come and you will see.” So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour. ₄₀One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. ₄₁He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ). ₄₂He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter).

₄₃The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” ₄₄Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. ₄₅Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” ₄₆Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” ₄₇Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!” ₄₈Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” ₄₉Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” ₅₀Jesus answered him, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” ₅₁And he said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you,you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”