John 1
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was face to face with God, and the Word was God.
In the beginning the Word was; and the Word was with God; and the Word was God.
2 He was face to face with God in the Beginning.
He was in the beginning with God;
3 All things came into being through him, and apart from him nothing that exists came into being.
through him all things came into being, and nothing came into being apart from him.
4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men.
That which came into being in him was life; and the life was the light of humanity;
5 And the light is shining in the darkness, and the darkness has not overwhelmed it
and the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness never overpowered it.
6 A man came into being, sent from God, whose name was John.
There appeared a man sent from God, whose name was John;
7 He came as a witness, that he might bear testimony concerning the Light - so that all men might believe through him.
he came as a witness – to bear witness to the light so that through him everyone might believe.
8 He was not the Light; it was to bear testimony concerning the Light that he came into being.
He was not the light, but he came to bear witness to the light.
9 The true Light, which enlightens every man, was then coming into the world.
That was the true light which enlightens everyone coming into the world.
10 He was in the world, and through him the world came into being, yet the world knew him not.
He was in the world; and through him the world came into being – yet the world did not know him.
11 He came to his own creation, and his own folk welcomed him not.
He came to his own – yet his own did not receive him.
12 But to all who receive him, to them he has given the right to become children of God, even to those who trust in his name;
But to all who did receive him he gave power to become children of God – to those who believe in his name.
13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
For not to natural conception, nor to human instincts, nor to human will did they owe the new life, but to God.
14 And the Word became flesh and tented with us. And we gazed on his glory - glory as of the Father’s only Son - full of grace and truth.
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.
15 John bore witness concerning him, and cried aloud, saying, "This is he of whom I said, ‘He who is coming after me has been put before me, for he was before me.’"
(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”);
16 For out of his fulness we have all received, yes, grace upon grace.
out of his fullness we have all received gift after gift of love;
17 For the Law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
for the Law was given through Moses, love and truth came through Jesus Christ.
18 No man has ever seen God; God, only begotten, who is in the bosom of the Father - he has interpreted him.
No one has ever yet seen God; God the only Son, who is ever with the Father – he has revealed him.
19 Now this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent some priests and Levites to him from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?"
When the religious authorities in Jerusalem sent some Priests and Levites to ask John – “Who are you?”,
20 He acknowledged - he did not deny it - but acknowledged, "I am not the Christ."
he told them clearly and simply, “I am not the Christ.”
21 "What then?" they questioned; "Are you Elijah?" He said, "I am not." "Are you the Prophet?" "No," he replied.
“What then?” they asked. “Are you Elijah?” “No,” he said, “I am not.” “Are you ‘the prophet’?” He answered, “No.”
22 Then said they to him. "Who are you? That we may give some answer to those who sent us. What account do you give of yourself?"
“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?”
23 He said, "I am a voice of one who cries aloud in the desert, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as said the prophet Isaiah."
“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.”
24 Now it was some of the Pharisees who had been sent to him;
These men had been sent from the Pharisees;
25 so they questioned him, saying, "Why then are you baptizing, if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?"
and their next question was, “Why then do you baptize, if you are not the Christ or Elijah or ‘the prophet’?”
26 "I indeed am baptizing in water," John said in reply, "but in your midst stands One whom you do not recognize,
John’s answer was – “I baptize with water, but among you stands one whom you do not know;
27 One who is to come after me, whose sandal-strap I am not worthy to untie."
he is coming after me, yet I am not worthy even to unfasten his sandal.”
28 This happened in Bethany, beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing.
This happened at Bethany, across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said. "Behold, that is God’s Lamb, who takes and bears away the sin of the world.
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!
30 This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes One who has been put before me, for he was before me.’
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.’
31 I myself did not recognize him; I only came baptizing in water, in order that he might be openly shown to Israel."
I did not know who he was, but I have come baptizing with water to make him known to Israel.”
32 John also bore this testimony, saying. "I saw the Spirit like a dove descend from heaven and rest upon him.
John also said: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven like a dove and rest on him.
33 And I did not recognize him, but He who sent me to baptize in water said to me, ‘The one on whom you see the Spirit descending and resting upon him, is he who baptizes in the Holy Spirit.’
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.’
34 This I have seen, and I am become a witness to the fact that he is the Son of God."
This I have seen myself, and I have declared my belief that he is the Son of God.”
35 Next day again, John was standing with two of his disciples.
The next day, when John was standing with two of his disciples,
36 After gazing intently on Jesus as he walked about, he said, "Look! that is the Lamb of God!"
he looked at Jesus as he passed and exclaimed, “There is the Lamb of God!”
37 The two disciples heard his exclamation, and they followed Jesus.
The two disciples heard him say this, and followed Jesus.
38 Then Jesus turned and saw them following him, and said, "What do you want?" They replied, "Rabbi" (which may be translated ‘Teacher’), "where are you staying?"
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?”
39 He said to them, "Come, and you shall see." So they went and saw where he was staying, and spent that day with him. It was then about four o’clock in the afternoon.
“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.
40 One of the two men who heard what John said and followed Jesus, was Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter.
One of the two, who heard what John said and followed Jesus, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother.
41 In the morning he found his brother Simon, and said to him, "We have found the Messiah" (a word which means Christ, the Anointed One).
He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, “We have found the Messiah!” (a word which means ‘Christ,’ or ‘Consecrated’.)
42 He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked intently at him and said. "You are Simon, son of John; you shall be called Cephas" (or ‘Peter,’ which means ‘Rock’).
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’).
43 Next day Jesus decided to go into Galilee; and he found Philip and said to him, "Follow me."
The following day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. He found Philip, and said to him, “Follow me.”
44 Now Philip belonged to Bethsaida, the same town as Andrew and Peter.
Philip was from Bethsaida, the same town as Andrew and Peter.
45 Then Philip found Nathanael and told him, "We have found him about whom Moses wrote in the Law, as did the prophets - Jesus of Nazareth, Joseph’s son."
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!”
46 And Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see."
“Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” asked Nathanael. “Come and see,” replied Philip.
47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him, and said, "Behold a true Israelite in whom there is no deceit."
When Jesus saw Nathanael coming towards him, he said, “Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is no deceit!”
48 "How do you know me?" asked Nathanael. "Before Philip called you," replied Jesus, "when you were under the fig tree, I saw you."
“How do you know me?” asked Nathanael. “Even before Philip called you,” replied Jesus, “when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.”
49 "Rabbi," answered Nathanael, "you are the Son of God; you are King of Israel."
“Rabbi,” Nathanael exclaimed, “you are the Son of God, you are king of Israel!”
50 Jesus said in reply. "Do you believe because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree?’
“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!
51 You shall see greater things than that! Believe me," he added, "you all shall see heaven opened wide, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man."
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.”
