John 1:1–18

The Word Became Human

1In the beginning, the Word was already there. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. ²He was with God in the beginning.

³All things were made through him. Nothing that has been made was made without him. ⁴Life was in him, and that life was the light for all people. ⁵The light shines in the darkness. But the darkness has not understood it.

⁶A man came who was sent from God. His name was John. ⁷He came to give witness about that light. He gave witness so that all people could believe.

⁸John himself was not the light. He came only as a witness to the light. ⁹The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.

¹⁰The Word was in the world that was made through him. But the world did not recognize him. ¹¹He came to what was his own. But his own people did not accept him.

¹²Some people did accept him. They believed in his name. He gave them the right to become children of God. ¹³To 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.

¹⁴The 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 Son.

He came from the Father. And he was full of grace and truth.

¹⁵John gives witness about him. He cries out and says, “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.’ ”

¹⁶We have all received one blessing after another. God’s grace is not limited. ¹⁷Moses gave us the law. Jesus Christ has given us grace and truth.

¹⁸No one has ever seen God. But God, the one and only Son, is at the Father’s side. He has shown us what God is like.