John 1

1Before anything existed — the Word was already there. The Word was with God. And the Word was God.

2The Word was with God from the very beginning.

3Everything that exists was made through the Word. Not one single thing was made without the Word.

4Inside the Word was life itself. And that life was the light that shines for all people.

5That light shines in the darkness. The darkness tried to seize it, conquer it, and put it out — but the darkness completely failed. The light kept shining.

6God sent a man — his name was John.

7John came to tell people about the Light — so that through John's message every person could believe.

8John himself was not the Light. God sent John to point people to the Light.

9The Word is the true Light — the real Light that gives light to every single person who comes into this world.

10The Word was in the world — the same world the Word had made — but the world did not recognize the Word.

11The Word came to the Word's own people. But the Word's own people refused to accept the Word.

12But to everyone who did receive and accept the Word — the Word gave the right and power to become children of God — all who believe in the Word's name.

13These children of God were not born the natural way — not from a human father's decision or a mother's choice — but born from God himself.

14And the Word became a human being and lived among us in a human body. We saw the Word's glory — the glory that belongs to the one and only Son of the Father — completely full of grace and truth.

15John the Baptist shouted and testified about the Word, saying: This is the one I told you about! The one who comes after me is greater than me — because the Word existed long before I was ever born!

16From the Word's overflowing fullness — we have all received blessing after blessing — grace piled on top of grace.

17God gave the Law through Moses. But grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

18No person has ever seen God with their eyes. But the one and only Son — who lives right at the Father's heart — has made God fully known to us.

19This is John the Baptist's testimony — when the Jewish leaders sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask John: Who are you?

20John did not hide the truth or hold back. John stated it plainly: I am not the Christ.

21They asked John: Then who are you? Are you Elijah? John said: No. Are you the Prophet? John answered: No.

22They pressed John further: Who are you then? We need an answer to bring back to the people who sent us. What do you say about yourself?

23John said: I am the voice calling out in the desert — Prepare and straighten the road for the Lord! This is what the prophet Isaiah said would happen.

24The men who had been sent to question John were from the Pharisees.

25They asked John: If you are not the Christ, not Elijah, and not the Prophet — then why are you baptizing people?

26John answered: I baptize with water. But standing right here among you is someone you do not know.

27That one is the one coming after me — and the Word is far greater than me. I am not even worthy to untie the strap of the Word's sandals.

28All of this happened at Bethabara — on the other side of the Jordan River — where John was baptizing.

29The next day John saw Jesus walking toward John. And John said: Look! There is the Lamb of God — the one who takes away the sin of the whole world!

30This is the one I was talking about when I said: Someone comes after me who is far greater than me — because Jesus existed long before I was ever born.

31I did not know who Jesus was at first. But I came baptizing with water so that Jesus would be revealed and made known to Israel.

32John testified: I saw the Spirit come down from heaven like a dove — and the Spirit rested and stayed on Jesus.

33I did not know who Jesus was — but God who sent me to baptize told me: The one on whom you see the Spirit come down and stay — that is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.

34I saw it — and I am telling you: This is the Son of God.

35The next day John was standing there again with two of John's disciples.

36John watched Jesus walking by and said: Look — the Lamb of God!

37The two disciples heard John say it — and they left John and followed Jesus.

38Jesus turned around and saw them following. Jesus asked: What are you looking for? They said: Rabbi — which means Teacher — where are you staying?

39Jesus said: Come and see. They went with Jesus — saw where Jesus was staying — and spent the rest of the day with Jesus. It was about four o'clock in the afternoon.

40One of the two who had heard John and followed Jesus was Andrew — Simon Peter's brother.

41Andrew immediately went and found his brother Simon and told him: We have found the Messiah — which means the Christ — the Anointed One!

42Andrew brought Simon to Jesus. Jesus looked at Simon and said: You are Simon son of Jona. You will be called Cephas — which means a rock or stone.

43The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. Jesus found Philip and said to Philip: Follow me.

44Philip was from the town of Bethsaida — the same town where Andrew and Peter were from.

45Philip went and found Nathanael and said: We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law — the one the prophets wrote about — Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph!

46Nathanael said: Nazareth? Can anything good come from Nazareth? Philip said: Come and see.

47Jesus saw Nathanael coming and said about Nathanael: Here is a true Israelite — someone with no deceit or trick in him at all!

48Nathanael asked Jesus: How do you know me? Jesus answered: Before Philip even called you — when you were sitting under the fig tree — I saw you.

49Nathanael answered Jesus: Rabbi — you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!

50Jesus answered Nathanael: You believe just because I told you I saw you under the fig tree? You will see much greater things than that!

51Jesus said: I tell you the truth — and I say it twice so you know it is certain — you will see heaven open wide and the angels of God going up and coming down on the Son of Man.