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John 1:4–9

In him was life,f and that life was the lightg of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness,h and the darkness has not overcomea it.i

There was a man sent from God whose name was John.j He came as a witness to testifyk concerning that light, so that through him all might believe.l He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.

The true lightm that gives light to everyonen was coming into the world.

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John 1:4–9 — English Standard Version (ESV)

In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.

The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.

John 1:4–9 — King James Version (KJV 1900)

In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.

John 1:4–9 — New Living Translation (NLT)

The Word gave life to everything that was created,

and his life brought light to everyone.

The light shines in the darkness,

and the darkness can never extinguish it.

God sent a man, John the Baptist, to tell about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony. John himself was not the light; he was simply a witness to tell about the light. The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.

John 1:4–9 — The New King James Version (NKJV)

In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shined in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.

That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.

John 1:4–9 — New Century Version (NCV)

In him there was life, and that life was the light of all people. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overpowered it.

There was a man named John who was sent by God. He came to tell people the truth about the Light so that through him all people could hear about the Light and believe. John was not the Light, but he came to tell people the truth about the Light. The true Light that gives light to all was coming into the world!

John 1:4–9 — American Standard Version (ASV)

In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in the darkness; and the darkness apprehended it not. There came a man, sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for witness, that he might bear witness of the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came that he might bear witness of the light. There was the true light, even the light which lighteth every man, coming into the world.

John 1:4–9 — 1890 Darby Bible (DARBY)

In him was life, and the life was the light of men.

And the light appears in darkness, and the darkness apprehended it not. There was a man sent from God, his name John. He came for witness, that he might witness concerning the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but that he might witness concerning the light. The true light was that which, coming into the world, lightens every man.

John 1:4–9 — GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)

He was the source of life, and that life was the light for humanity. 

The light shines in the dark, and the dark has never extinguished it. 

God sent a man named John to be his messenger. John came to declare the truth about the light so that everyone would become believers through his message. John was not the light, but he came to declare the truth about the light. 

The real light, which shines on everyone, was coming into the world.

John 1:4–9 — The Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

Life was in Him,

and that life was the light of men.

That light shines in the darkness,

yet the darkness did not overcome it.

There was a man named John

who was sent from God.

He came as a witness

to testify about the light,

so that all might believe through him.

He was not the light,

but he came to testify about the light.

The true light, who gives light to everyone,

was coming into the world.

John 1:4–9 — The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.

John 1:4–9 — The Lexham English Bible (LEB)

In him was life, and the life was the light of humanity. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.

A man came, sent from God, whose name was John. This one came for a witness, in order that he could testify about the light, so that all would believe through him. That one was not the light, but came in order that he could testify about the light. The true light, who gives light to every person, was coming into the world.

John 1:4–9 — New International Reader’s Version (1998) (NIrV)

Life was in him, and that life was the light for all people. The light shines in the darkness. But the darkness has not understood it.

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

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

John 1:4–9 — New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (NASB95)

In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.

The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

There came a man sent from God, whose name was John.

He came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe through him.

He was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light.

There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man.


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