1 In the beginning was that Word, and that Word was with God, and that Word was God. 2 This same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by it, and without it was made nothing that was made. 4 In it was life, and that life was the light of men. 5 And that light shineth in the darkenesse, and the darkenesse comprehended it not. 6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was Iohn. 7 This same came for a witnesse, to beare witnesse of that light, that all men through him might beleeue. 8 He was not that light, but was sent to beare witnesse of that light. 9 This was that true light, which lighteth euery man that commeth into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the worlde was made by him: and the worlde knewe him not. 11 He came vnto his owne, and his owne receiued him not. 12 But as many as receiued him, to them he gaue prerogatiue to be the sonnes of God, euen to them that beleeue in his Name. 13 Which are borne not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of ye wil of man, but of God. 14 And that Word was made flesh, and dwelt among vs, (and we sawe the glorie thereof, as the glorie of the onely begotten Sonne of the Father) full of grace and trueth. 15 Iohn bare witnesse of him, and cryed, saying, This was he of whom I said, He that commeth after me, was before me: for he was better then I. 16 And of his fulnesse haue all we receiued, and grace for grace. 17 For the Lawe was giuen by Moses, but grace, and trueth came by Iesus Christ. 18 No man hath seene God at any time: that onely begotten Sonne, which is in the bosome of the Father, he hath declared him. 19 Then this is the record of Iohn, when the Iewes sent Priestes and Leuites from Hierusalem, to aske him, Who art thou? 20 And he confessed and denied not, and said plainely, I am not that Christ. 21 And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he said, I am not. Art thou that Prophet? And he answered, No. 22 Then said they vnto him, Who art thou, that we may giue an answere to them that sent vs? What sayest thou of thy selfe? 23 He said, I am the voyce of him that cryeth in the wildernesse, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the Prophet Esaias. 24 Nowe they which were sent, were of the Pharises. 25 And they asked him, and saide vnto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, neither Elias, nor that Prophet? 26 Iohn answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there is one among you, whom ye knowe not. 27 He it is that commeth after me, which was before me, whose shoe latchet I am not worthie to vnloose. 28 These things were done in Bethabara beyond Iordan, where Iohn did baptize. 29 The next day Iohn, seeth Iesus comming vnto him, and saith, Beholde that Lambe of God, which taketh away the sinne of the world. 30 This is he of whom I saide, After me commeth a man, which was before me: for he was better then I. 31 And I knewe him not: but because he should be declared to Israel, therefore am I come, baptizing with water. 32 So Iohn bare recorde, saying, I behelde that Spirit come downe from heauen, like a doue, and it abode vpon him, 33 And I knewe him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, he saide vnto me, Vpon whom thou shalt see that Spirit come downe, and tary still on him, that is he which baptizeth with the holy Ghost. 34 And I sawe, and bare record that this is that Sonne of God. 35 The next day, Iohn stoode againe, and two of his disciples. 36 And he behelde Iesus walking by, and said, Beholde that Lambe of God. 37 And the two disciples heard him speake, and followed Iesus. 38 Then Iesus turned about, and saw them follow, and saide vnto them, What seeke ye? And they saide vnto him, Rabbi (which is to say by interpretation, Master) where dwellest thou? 39 He saide vnto them, Come, and see. They came and sawe where hee dwelt, and abode with him that day: for it was about the tenth houre. 40 Andrew, Simon Peters brother, was one of the two which had heard it of Iohn, and that followed him. 41 The same founde his brother Simon first, and said vnto him, We haue founde that Messias, which is by interpretation, that Christ. 42 And he brought him to Iesus. And Iesus behelde him, and saide, Thou art Simon the sonne of Iona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, a stone. 43 The day following, Iesus woulde goe into Galile, and founde Philip, and said vnto him, Followe me. 44 Nowe Philip was of Bethsaida, the citie of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philippe founde Nathanael, and saide vnto him, Wee haue founde him of whom Moses did write in the Lawe, and the Prophetes, Iesus that sonne of Ioseph, that was of Nazareth. 46 Then Nathanael sayde vnto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saide to him, Come, and see. 47 Iesus sawe Nathanael comming to him, and saide of him, Beholde in deede an Israelite, in whom is no guile. 48 Nathanael sayde vnto him, Whence knewest thou mee? Iesus answered, and sayd vnto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast vnder the figge tree, I sawe thee. 49 Nathanael answered, and saide vnto him, Rabbi, thou art that Sonne of God: thou art that King of Israel. 50 Iesus answered, and sayde vnto him, Because I sayde vnto thee, I sawe thee vnder the figtree, beleeuest thou? thou shalt see greater things then these. 51 And he saide vnto him, Verely, verely I say vnto you, hereafter shall yee see heauen open, and the Angels of God ascending, and descending vpon that Sonne of man.
The Word of Life
1 In the beginning the Word already existed; the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 From the very beginning the Word was with God. 3 Through him God made all things; not one thing in all creation was made without him. 4 The Word was the source of life, and this life brought light to people. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has never put it out.
6 God sent his messenger, a man named John, 7 who came to tell people about the light, so that all should hear the message and believe. 8 He himself was not the light; he came to tell about the light. 9 This was the real light—the light that comes into the world and shines on all people.
10 The Word was in the world, and though God made the world through him, yet the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to his own country, but his own people did not receive him. 12 Some, however, did receive him and believed in him; so he gave them the right to become God's children. 13 They did not become God's children by natural means, that is, by being born as the children of a human father; God himself was their Father.
14 The Word became a human being and, full of grace and truth, lived among us. We saw his glory, the glory which he received as the Father's only Son.
15 John spoke about him. He cried out, “This is the one I was talking about when I said, ‘He comes after me, but he is greater than I am, because he existed before I was born.’”
16 Out of the fullness of his grace he has blessed us all, giving us one blessing after another. 17 God gave the Law through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God. The only Son, who is the same as God and is at the Father's side, he has made him known.
John the Baptist's Message
(Matthew 3.1-12Mark 1.1-8Luke 3.1-18)19 The Jewish authorities in Jerusalem sent some priests and Levites to John to ask him, “Who are you?”
20 John did not refuse to answer, but spoke out openly and clearly, saying: “I am not the Messiah.”
21 “Who are you, then?” they asked. “Are you Elijah?”
“No, I am not,” John answered.
“Are you the Prophet?” they asked.
“No,” he replied.
22 “Then tell us who you are,” they said. “We have to take an answer back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”
23 John answered by quoting the prophet Isaiah:
“I am ‘the voice of someone shouting in the desert:
Make a straight path for the Lord to travel!’”
24 The messengers, who had been sent by the Pharisees, 25 then asked John, “If you are not the Messiah nor Elijah nor the Prophet, why do you baptize?”
26 John answered, “I baptize with water, but among you stands the one you do not know. 27 He is coming after me, but I am not good enough even to untie his sandals.”
28 All this happened in Bethany on the east side of the Jordan River, where John was baptizing.
The Lamb of God
29 The next day John saw Jesus coming to him, and said, “There is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is the one I was talking about when I said, ‘A man is coming after me, but he is greater than I am, because he existed before I was born.’ 31 I did not know who he would be, but I came baptizing with water in order to make him known to the people of Israel.”
32 And John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down like a dove from heaven and stay on him. 33 I still did not know that he was the one, but God, who sent me to baptize with water, had said to me, ‘You will see the Spirit come down and stay on a man; he is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 I have seen it,” said John, “and I tell you that he is the Son of God.”
The First Disciples of Jesus
35 The next day John was standing there again with two of his disciples, 36 when he saw Jesus walking by. “There is the Lamb of God!” he said.
37 The two disciples heard him say this and went with Jesus. 38 Jesus turned, saw them following him, and asked, “What are you looking for?”
They answered, “Where do you live, Rabbi?” (This word means “Teacher.”)
39 “Come and see,” he answered. (It was then about four o'clock in the afternoon.) So they went with him and saw where he lived, and spent the rest of that day with him.
40 One of them was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. 41 At once he found his brother Simon and told him, “We have found the Messiah.” (This word means “Christ.”) 42 Then he took Simon to Jesus.
Jesus looked at him and said, “Your name is Simon son of John, but you will be called Cephas.” (This is the same as Peter and means “a rock.”)
Jesus Calls Philip and Nathanael
43 The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Come with me!” ( 44 Philip was from Bethsaida, the town where Andrew and Peter lived.) 45 Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one whom Moses wrote about in the book of the Law and whom the prophets also wrote about. He is Jesus son of Joseph, from Nazareth.”
46 “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” Nathanael asked.
“Come and see,” answered Philip.
47 When Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, he said about him, “Here is a real Israelite; there is nothing false in him!”
48 Nathanael asked him, “How do you know me?”
Jesus answered, “I saw you when you were under the fig tree before Philip called you.”
49 “Teacher,” answered Nathanael, “you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!”
50 Jesus said, “Do you believe just because I told you I saw you when you were under the fig tree? You will see much greater things than this!” 51 And he said to them, “I am telling you the truth: you will see heaven open and God's angels going up and coming down on the Son of Man.”