Prologue

1 In the beginning a was the Word, b c

and the Word was with God,

and the Word was God. d

2 He was with God in the beginning. e

3 All things were created f through Him, g

and apart from Him not one thing was created

that has been created.

4 Life was in Him, h i

and that life was the light j of men.

5 That light shines k in the darkness,

yet the darkness did not overcome l it. m

6 There was a man named John n

who was sent from God.

7 He came as a witness

to testify about the light,

so that all might believe through him. o

8 He was not the light,

but he came to testify p about the light.

9 The true light, q who gives light to everyone,

was coming into the world. r s

10 He was in the world,

and the world was created t through Him,

yet the * world did not recognize Him.

11 He came to His own, u

and His own people v did not receive Him.

12 But to all who did receive w Him, x

He gave them the right y to be z children a of God, b

to those who believe c in His name, d

13 who were born, e

not of blood, f

or of the will g of the flesh, h

or of the will of man, i

but of God. j

14 The Word k became flesh l m

and took up residence n among us.

We observed His glory, o

the glory as the * One and Only p Son q from the Father,

full of grace and truth.

15 (John testified concerning Him and exclaimed,

“This was the One of whom I said,

‘The One coming after me r has surpassed me, s

because He existed before me.’ ”) t

16 Indeed, we have all received grace u after grace

from His fullness,

17 for the law was given through Moses, v

grace and truth w came through Jesus Christ.

18 No one has ever seen God. x

The One and Only y Son z—

the One who is at the Father’s a side b—

He has revealed Him. c

John the Baptist’s Testimony

19 This is John’s testimony when the * Jews from Jerusalem d sent priests e and Levites f to ask him, “Who are you?”

20 He did not refuse to answer, but he declared: “I am not the * Messiah.” g

21 “What then?” they asked him. “Are you Elijah?” h

“I am not,” he said.

“Are you the Prophet?” i j

“No,” he answered.

22 “Who are you, then?” they asked. “We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What can you tell us about yourself?”

23 He said, “I am a voice of one crying out in the wilderness: Make straight the way of the Lord k l—just as Isaiah m the prophet said.”

24 Now they had been sent from the * Pharisees. n 25 So they asked him, “Why then do you baptize if you aren’t the Messiah, or Elijah, or the Prophet?”

26 “I baptize with o water,” p John answered them. “Someone stands among you, but you don’t know Him. 27 He is the One coming after me, q r whose sandal strap I’m not worthy to untie.”

28 All this happened in Bethany s across the Jordan, t u where John was baptizing.

The Lamb of God

29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Here is the Lamb of God, v who takes away the sin w of the world! 30 This is the One I told you about: ‘After me comes a man who has surpassed me, because He existed before me.’ 31 I didn’t know Him, x but I came baptizing with y water so He might be revealed z to Israel.”