The Beginning
1 In the beginning was the Word , and the Word was with God , and the Word was God; 2 this one was in the beginning with God; 3 all things through him did happen , and without him happened not even one thing that hath happened. 4 In him was life , and the life was the light of men, 5 and the light in the darkness did shine , and the darkness did not perceive it.
The Witness of John
6 There came a man —having been sent from God —whose name [is] John, 7 this one came for testimony , that he might testify about the Light , that all might believe through him; 8 that one was not the Light , but —that he might testify about the Light.
9 He was the true Light , which doth enlighten every man , coming to the world; 10 in the world he was , and the world through him was made , and the world did not know him: 11 to his own things he came , and his own people did not receive him; 12 but as many as did receive him to them he gave authority to become sons of God —to those believing in his name, 13 who —not of blood nor of a will of flesh , nor of a will of man but —of God were begotten.
The Word Made His Dwelling among Us
14 And the Word became flesh , and did tabernacle among us , and we beheld his glory , glory as of an only begotten of a father , full of grace and truth. 15 John doth testify concerning him , and hath cried , saying , ‘This was he of whom I said , He who after me is coming , hath come before me , for he was before me;’ 16 and out of his fulness did we all receive , and grace over-against grace; 17 for the law through Moses was given , the grace and the truth through Jesus Christ did come; 18 God no one hath ever seen ; the only begotten Son , who is on the bosom of the Father —he did declare.
The Mission of John the Baptist
(Isaiah 40:1-5; Matthew 3:1-12; Mark 1:1-8; Luke 3:1-20)
19 And this is the testimony of John , when the Jews sent out of Jerusalem priests and Levites , that they might question him , ‘Who art thou?’ 20 and he confessed and did not deny , and confessed —‘I am not the Christ.’ 21 And they questioned him , ‘What then ? Elijah art thou ?’ and he saith , ‘I am not .’—‘The prophet art thou ?’ and he answered , ‘No.’ 22 They said then to him , ‘Who art thou, that we may give an answer to those sending us ? what dost thou say concerning thyself?’ 23 He said , ‘I [am] a voice of one crying in the wilderness : Make straight the way of the Lord , as said Isaiah the prophet.’
24 And those sent were of the Pharisees, 25 and they questioned him and said to him , ‘Why , then , dost thou baptize , if thou art not the Christ , nor Elijah , nor the prophet?’ 26 John answered them , saying , ‘I baptize with water , but in midst of you he hath stood whom ye have not known, this one it is who is coming after me, who hath been before me, 27 of whom I am not worthy that I may loose the cord of his sandal.’ 28 These things came to pass in Bethabara , beyond the Jordan , where John was baptizing,
Behold, the Lamb of God
(Matthew 3:13-17; Mark 1:9-11; Luke 3:21-22)
29 on the morrow John seeth Jesus coming unto him , and saith , ‘Lo , the Lamb of God , who is taking away the sin of the world; 30 this is he concerning whom I said , After me doth come a man , who hath come before me , because he was before me: 31 and I knew him not , but , that he might be manifested to Israel , because of this I came with the water baptizing. 32 And John testified , saying —‘I have seen the Spirit coming down , as a dove , out of heaven , and it remained on him; 33 and I did not know him , but he who sent me to baptize with water , He said to me , On whomsoever thou mayst see the Spirit coming down , and remaining on him , this is he who is baptizing with the Holy Spirit; 34 and I have seen , and have testified , that this is the Son of God.’
Jesus Calls His First Disciples
(Matthew 4:18-22; Matthew 13:47-52; Mark 1:16-20; Luke 5:1-11)
35 On the morrow , again , John was standing , and two of his disciples, 36 and having looked on Jesus walking , he saith , ‘Lo , the Lamb of God;’ 37 and the two disciples heard him speaking , and they followed Jesus. 38 And Jesus having turned , and having beheld them following , saith to them , ‘What seek ye?’ and they said to them , ‘Rabbi , (which is, being interpreted , Teacher ,) where remainest thou?’ 39 He saith to them , ‘Come and see ;’ they came , and saw where he doth remain , and with him they remained that day and the hour was about the tenth. 40 Andrew , the brother of Simon Peter , was one of the two who heard from John , and followed him; 41 this one doth first find his own brother Simon , and saith to him , ‘We have found the Messiah ,’ (which is , being interpreted , The Anointed,) 42 and he brought him unto Jesus : and having looked upon him , Jesus saith , ‘Thou art Simon , the son of Jonas , thou shalt be called Cephas ,’ (which is interpreted , A rock.)
Jesus Calls Philip and Nathanael
43 On the morrow , he willed to go forth to Galilee , and he findeth Philip , and saith to him , ‘Be following me.’ 44 And Philip was from Bethsaida , of the city of Andrew and Peter; 45 Philip findeth Nathanael , and saith to him , ‘Him of whom Moses wrote in the Law , and the prophets , we have found , Jesus the son of Joseph , who [is] from Nazareth;’ 46 and Nathanael said to him , ‘Out of Nazareth is any good thing able to be ?’ Philip said to him , ‘Come and see.’ 47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming unto him , and he saith concerning him , ‘Lo , truly an Israelite , in whom guile is not;’ 48 Nathanael saith to him , ‘Whence me dost thou know ?’ Jesus answered and said to him , ‘Before Philip’s calling thee —thou being under the fig-tree —I saw thee.’ 49 Nathanael answered and saith to him , ‘Rabbi , thou art the Son of God , thou art the king of Israel.’ 50 Jesus answered and said to him , ‘Because I said to thee , I saw thee under the fig-tree , thou dost believe ; greater things than these thou shalt see;’ 51 and he saith to him , ‘Verily , verily , I say to you , henceforth ye shall see the heaven opened , and the messengers of God going up and coming down upon the Son of Man.’