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John 1

New International Reader’s Version



1 In the beginning, the Word was already there. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 All things were made through him. Nothing that has been made was made without him. 4 Life was in him, and that life was the light for all people. 5 The light shines in the darkness. But the darkness has not overcome the light. 6 There was a man sent from God. His name was John. 7 He came to be a witness about that light. He was a witness so that all people might believe. 8 John himself was not the light. He came only as a witness to the light. 9 The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. 10 The Word was in the world. And the world was made through him. But the world did not recognise him. 11 He came to what was his own. But his own people did not accept him. 12 Some people did accept him and did believe in his name. He gave them the right to become children of God. 13 To be a child of God has nothing to do with human parents. Children of God are not born because of human choice or because a husband wants them to be born. They are born because of what God does. 14 The Word became a human being. He made his home with us. We have seen his glory. It is the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father. And the Word was full of grace and truth. 15 John was a witness about the Word. John cried out and said, ‘This was the one I was talking about. I said, “He who comes after me is more important than I am. He is more important because he existed before I was born.” ’ 16 God is full of grace. From him we have all received grace in place of the grace already given. 17 In the past, God gave us grace through the law of Moses. Now, grace and truth come to us through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God. But the One and Only is God and is at the Father’s side. The one at the Father’s side has shown us what God is like. 



19 The Jewish leaders in Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask John who he was. John spoke the truth to them. 20 He did not try to hide the truth. He spoke to them openly. He said, ‘I am not the Messiah.’ 21 They asked him, ‘Then who are you? Are you Elijah?’ He said, ‘I am not.’ ‘Are you the Prophet we’ve been expecting?’ they asked. ‘No’, he answered. 22 They asked one last time, ‘Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?’ 23 John replied, using the words of Isaiah the prophet. John said, ‘I’m the messenger who is calling out in the desert, “Make the way for the Lord straight.” ’ (Isa 40:3) 24 The Pharisees who had been sent 25 asked him, ‘If you are not the Messiah, why are you baptising people? Why are you doing that if you aren’t Elijah or the Prophet we’ve been expecting?’ 26 ‘I baptise people with water,’ John replied. ‘But someone is standing among you whom you do not know. 27 He is the one who comes after me. I am not good enough to untie his sandals.’ 28 This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the River Jordan. That was where John was baptising. 



29 The next day John saw Jesus coming towards him. John said, ‘Look! The Lamb of God! He takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is the one I was talking about. I said, “A man who comes after me is more important than I am. That’s because he existed before I was born.” 31 I did not know him. But God wants to make it clear to Israel who this person is. That’s the reason I came baptising with water.’ 32 Then John told them, ‘I saw the Holy Spirit come down from heaven like a dove. The Spirit remained on Jesus. 33 I myself did not know him. But the one who sent me to baptise with water told me, “You will see the Spirit come down and remain on someone. He is the one who will baptise with the Holy Spirit.” 34 I have seen it happen. I am a witness that this is God’s Chosen One.’ 



35 The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. 36 He saw Jesus walking by. John said, ‘Look! The Lamb of God!’ 37 The two disciples heard him say this. So they followed Jesus. 38 Then Jesus turned round and saw them following. He asked, ‘What do you want?’ They said, ‘Rabbi, where are you staying?’ Rabbi means Teacher. 39 ‘Come’, he replied. ‘You will see.’ So they went and saw where he was staying. They spent the rest of the day with him. It was about four o’clock in the afternoon. 40 Andrew was Simon Peter’s brother. Andrew was one of the two disciples who heard what John had said. He had also followed Jesus. 41 The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon. He told him, ‘We have found the Messiah.’ Messiah means Christ. 42 And he brought Simon to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, ‘You are Simon, son of John. You will be called Cephas.’ Cephas means Peter, or Rock. 



43 The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, ‘Follow me.’ 44 Philip was from the town of Bethsaida. So were Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip found Nathanael and told him, ‘We have found the one whom Moses wrote about in the Law. The prophets also wrote about him. He is Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.’ 46 ‘Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?’ Nathanael asked. ‘Come and see,’ said Philip. 47 Jesus saw Nathanael approaching. Here is what Jesus said about him. ‘He is a true Israelite. Nothing about him is false.’ 48 ‘How do you know me?’ Nathanael asked. Jesus answered, ‘I saw you while you were still under the fig tree. I saw you there before Philip called you.’ 49 Nathanael replied, ‘Rabbi, you are the Son of God. You are the king of Israel.’ 50 Jesus said, ‘You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that.’ 51 Then he said to the disciples, ‘What I’m about to tell you is true. You will see heaven open. You will see the angels of God going up and coming down on the Son of Man.’ 

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John 1

English Standard Version



1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (Ge 1:1; Joh 17:5; Php 2:6; Col 1:17; Heb 4:12; 1Jo 1:1; 1Jo 1:2; Re 1:4; Re 1:8; Re 1:17; Re 3:14; Re 19:13; Re 21:6; Re 22:13) 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. (Ps 33:6; Joh 1:10; 1Co 8:6; Col 1:16; Heb 1:2) 4 In him was life,[1] and the life was the light of men. (Joh 5:26; Joh 8:12; Joh 9:5; Joh 11:25; Joh 12:46; 1Jo 1:2; 1Jo 5:11) 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (Joh 3:19) 6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. (Mal 3:1; Mt 3:1; Mr 1:4; Lu 3:2; Joh 1:33; Joh 3:28) 7 He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. (Joh 3:26; Joh 5:33; Ac 19:4) 8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. (Joh 1:20) 9 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. (Isa 49:6; 1Jo 2:8) 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. (Joh 16:3; 1Jo 3:1) 11 He came to his own,[2] and his own people[3] did not receive him. (Mt 21:38; Joh 3:11; Joh 3:32; Joh 5:43; Joh 13:1) 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, (Mt 5:45; Joh 11:52; Ga 3:26; 1Jo 3:1; 1Jo 5:1; 1Jo 5:13) 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. (Joh 3:3; Joh 3:6; Jas 1:18; 1Pe 1:3; 1Pe 1:23) 14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son[4] from the Father, full of grace and truth. (Lu 9:32; Joh 1:1; Joh 1:7; Joh 2:11; Joh 6:51; Joh 14:6; Ro 1:3; Ro 8:3; Ga 4:4; Php 2:7; Col 1:22; 1Ti 3:16; Heb 2:14; 2Pe 1:16; 1Jo 1:1; 1Jo 4:2; 1Jo 4:14; 2Jo 1:7; Re 7:15; Re 21:3) 15 (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”) (Mt 3:11; Joh 1:7; Joh 1:27; Joh 1:30) 16 For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.[5] (Mt 25:29; Eph 1:23; Eph 3:19; Eph 4:13; Col 1:19; Col 2:9) 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. (Ex 20:1; Joh 1:14; Joh 7:19; Ro 5:21) 18 No one has ever seen God; the only God,[6] who is at the Father’s side,[7] he has made him known. (Ex 33:20; Mt 11:27; Joh 1:14; Joh 3:16; Joh 3:32; Joh 5:37; Joh 6:46; Joh 12:45; Col 1:15; 1Ti 6:16; 1Jo 4:12; 1Jo 4:20) 



19 And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” (Joh 3:26; Joh 8:25) 20 He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” (Lu 3:15; Joh 1:8; Joh 3:28; Ac 13:25) 21 And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” (De 18:15; De 18:18; Mt 11:14; Mt 16:14) 22 So they said to him, “Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” 23 He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight[8] the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.” (Isa 40:3; Mt 3:3) 24 (Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.) 25 They asked him, “Then why are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” (Mt 3:6; Mr 1:4; Lu 3:3; Lu 3:7) 26 John answered them, “I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know, (Mt 3:11; Mr 1:7; Lu 3:16; Ac 1:5; Ac 13:25) 27 even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.” (Joh 1:15; Joh 1:30) 28 These things took place in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing. 



29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! (Ge 22:8; Ex 12:3; Isa 53:7; Joh 1:36; Joh 3:16; Joh 4:42; Joh 12:47; Ac 8:32; Heb 10:4; Heb 10:11; 1Pe 1:19; 1Jo 2:2; 1Jo 3:5; 1Jo 4:14; Re 5:6) 30 This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’ (Joh 1:15; Joh 1:27) 31 I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.” (Lu 1:17; Lu 1:76) 32 And John bore witness: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. (Isa 11:2; Mt 3:16; Mr 1:10; Lu 3:22; Joh 1:7; Ac 10:38) 33 I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ (Mt 3:11; Mr 1:8; Lu 3:2; Lu 3:16; Joh 1:6; Joh 3:5; Ac 1:5) 34 And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son[9] of God.” 



35 The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, 36 and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” (Joh 1:29) 37 The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. 38 Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, “What are you seeking?” And they said to him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?” (Mr 10:51; Joh 1:49; Joh 3:2; Joh 3:26; Joh 6:25; Joh 18:4; Joh 18:7; Joh 20:15; Joh 20:16) 39 He 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 hour.[10] 40 One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus[11] was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. (Mt 4:18; Mr 1:16; Lu 5:2) 41 He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ). (Joh 4:25) 42 He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter[12]). (Mt 16:18; Joh 21:15; 1Co 1:12; 1Co 3:22) 



43 The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” (Joh 1:28; Joh 1:35; Joh 2:1) 44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. (Joh 12:21) 45 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” (Mt 2:23; Lu 3:23; Lu 16:16; Lu 24:27; Joh 6:42; Joh 21:2) 46 Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” (Joh 7:41; Joh 7:52) 47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!” (Ps 32:2; Ps 73:1; Zep 3:13; Ro 9:4; Ro 9:6; Re 14:5) 48 Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” (Joh 2:24) 49 Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” (Zep 3:15; Zec 9:9; Mt 27:11; Mt 27:42; Joh 1:38; Joh 6:69; Joh 11:27; Joh 12:13; Joh 20:28) 50 Jesus answered him, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” 51 And he said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you,[13] you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.” (Ge 28:12; Eze 1:1; Da 7:13; Mt 3:16; Lu 3:21) 

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The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) is adapted from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. All rights reserved.