New Testament · John

John 1

The Beginning

(Genesis 1:1–2; Hebrews 11:1–3)

1In the beginning was the Word^a, and the Word was toward-together-with God, and the Word was God. 2He was in the beginning toward-together-with God. 3All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. 4In Him was life^b, and the life was the light of men. 5The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.

The Witness of John

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

9There was the true^c light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man. 10He was in the world, and the world came into being through Him, and the world did not know Him. 11He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. 12But as many as received Him, to them He gave the authority^d to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, 13who were born, not of blood nor of the will^e of flesh^f nor of the will of man, but of God.

The Word Became Flesh

(Psalm 84:1–12)

14And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory — glory as of the only-begotten from the Father — full of grace^g and truth^h.

15John testified about Him and cried out, saying, "This was He of whom I said, 'He who comes after me has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.'"

16For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace. 17For the lawⁱ was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Yeshua Messiah. 18No one has seen God at any time; the only-begotten Son who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.

The Mission of John the Baptist

(Isaiah 40:1–5; Matthew 3:1–12; Mark 1:1–8; Luke 3:1–20)

19This is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent to him priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?" 20And he confessed and did not deny, but confessed, "I am not the Messiah."

21They asked him, "What then? Are you Elijah?" And he said, "I am not." "Are you the Prophet?" And he answered, "No."

22Then they said to him, "Who are you, so that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?"

23He said, "I am a voice of one crying in the wilderness, 'Make straight the way of the Lord,' as Isaiah the prophet said."

24Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. 25They asked him and said to him, "Why then are you baptizing, if you are not the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?"

26John answered them saying, "I baptize in water, but among you stands One whom you do not know. 27It is He who comes after me, who has a higher rank than I, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie."

28These things took place in Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

Yeshua the Lamb of God

(Matthew 3:13–17; Mark 1:9–11; Luke 3:21–22)

29The next day he saw Yeshua coming to him and said, "Behold, the Lamb^j of God who takes away the sin of the world! 30This is He on behalf of whom I said, 'After me comes a Man who has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.' 31I did not know Him, but so that He might be manifested to Israel, I came baptizing in water."

32John testified saying, "I have seen the spirit^k descending as a dove out of heaven, and He remained upon Him. 33I did not recognize Him, but He who sent me to baptize in water said to me, 'He upon whom you see the spirit descending and remaining upon Him, this is the One who baptizes in holy^l spirit.' 34I myself have seen and have testified that this is the Son of God."

The First Disciples

(Matthew 4:18–22; Mark 1:16–20; Luke 5:1–11)

35Again the next day John was standing with two of his disciples, 36and he looked at Yeshua as He walked and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God!" 37The two disciples heard him speak and they followed Yeshua.

38Yeshua turned and saw them following and said to them, "What do you seek?" They said to Him, "Rabbi (which translated 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 that hour.^m

40One of the two who heard John speak and followed Him was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. 41He found first his own brother Simon and said to him, "We have found the Messiah" (which translated means Anointed One).

42He brought him to Yeshua; Yeshua looked at him and said, "You are Simon the son of Jonah; you shall be called Cephas" (which is translated Peter).

Yeshua Calls Philip and Nathanael

43The next day He purposed to go into Galilee and found Philip; and Yeshua said to him, "Follow Me." 44Now Philip was from Bethsaida, of 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 — Yeshua of Nazareth, the son of Joseph."

46Nathanael said to him, "Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see."

47Yeshua saw Nathanael coming to Him and said of him, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!"

48Nathanael said to Him, "How do You know me?" Yeshua answered and said to 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."

50Yeshua answered and said to him, "Because I said to you that 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, from now on you will see the heavens opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man."