John 1:29–42

John Identifies Jesus as the Lamb of God

²⁹John saw Jesus coming toward him the next day and said, “Look! This is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. ³⁰He is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘A man who comes after me was before me because he existed before I did.’ ³¹I didn’t know who he was. However, I came to baptize with water to show him to the people of Israel.” 

³²John said, “I saw the Spirit come down as a dove from heaven and stay on him. ³³I didn’t know who he was. But God, who sent me to baptize with water, had told me, ‘When you see the Spirit come down and stay on someone, you’ll know that person is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ ³⁴I have seen this and have declared that this is the Son of God.” 

Calling of the First Disciples

³⁵The next day John was standing with two of his disciples. ³⁶John saw Jesus walk by. John said, “Look! This is the Lamb of God.” ³⁷When the two disciples heard John say this, they followed Jesus. 

³⁸Jesus turned around and saw them following him. He asked them, “What are you looking for?” 

They said to him, “Rabbi” (which means “teacher”), “where are you staying?” 

³⁹Jesus told them, “Come, and you will see.” So they went to see where he was staying and spent the rest of that day with him. It was about ten o’clock in the morning. 

⁴⁰Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two disciples who heard John and followed Jesus. ⁴¹Andrew at once found his brother Simon and told him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means “Christ”). ⁴²Andrew brought Simon to Jesus. 

Jesus looked at Simon and said, “You are Simon, son of John. Your name will be Cephas” (which means “Peter”).