John 1

The Deity of Jesus Christ

1 1In the beginning was 2the Word, and the Word was 3with God, and 4the Word was God.
2 [a]He was in the beginning with God.
3 5All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing * came into being that has come into being.
4 6In Him was life, and the life was 7the Light of men.
5 8The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not [b]comprehend it.

The Witness John

6 There [c]came a man sent from God, whose name was 9John.
7 [d]He came [e]10as a witness, to testify about the Light, 11so that all might believe through him.
8 [f]12He was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light.
9 There was 13the true Light [g]which, coming into the world, enlightens every man.
10 He was in the world, and 14the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him.
11 He came to His [h]own, and those who were His own did not receive Him.
12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become 15children of God, even 16to those who believe in His name,
13 17who were [i]born, not of [j]blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

The Word Made Flesh

14 And 18the Word 19became flesh, and [k]20dwelt among us, and 21we saw His glory, glory as of [l]the only begotten from the Father, full of 22grace and 23truth.
15 John 24testified about Him and cried out, saying, "This was He of whom I said, '25He who comes after me [m]has a higher rank than I, 26for He existed before me.' "
16 For of His 27fullness [n]we have all received, and [o]grace upon grace.
17 For 28the Law was given through Moses; 29grace and 30truth [p]were realized through Jesus Christ.
18 31No one has seen God at any time; 32the only begotten God who is 33in the bosom of the Father, 34He has explained Him.

The Testimony of John

19 This is 35the testimony of John, when 36the Jews sent to him priests and Levites 37from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?"
20 And he confessed and did not deny, but confessed, "38I am not [q]the Christ."
21 They asked him, "What then? Are you 39Elijah?" And he said, "I am not." "Are you 40the Prophet?" And he answered, "No."
22 Then they said to him, "Who are you, so that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?"
23 He said, "I am 41A VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS, 'MAKE STRAIGHT THE WAY OF THE LORD,' as Isaiah the prophet said."
24 Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.
25 They asked him, and said to him, "Why then are you baptizing, if you are not the [r]Christ, nor Elijah, nor 42the Prophet?"
26 John answered them saying, "43I baptize [s]in water, but among you stands One whom you do not know.
27 "It is 44He who comes after me, the 45thong of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie."
28 These things took place in Bethany 46beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
29 The next day he saw Jesus coming to him and said, "Behold, 47the Lamb of God who 48takes away the sin of the world!
30 "This is He on behalf of whom I said, '49After me comes a Man who [t]has a higher rank than I, 50for He existed before me.'
31 "I did not recognize [u]Him, but so that He might be manifested to Israel, I came baptizing [v]in water."
32 John 51testified saying, "52I have seen the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven, and He remained upon Him.
33 "I did not recognize [w]Him, but He who sent me to baptize [x]in water said to me, 'He upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining upon Him, 53this is the One who baptizes [y]in the Holy Spirit.'
34 "I myself have seen, and have testified that this is 54the Son of God."

Jesus' Public Ministry, First Converts

35 Again 55the next day John was standing [z]with two of his disciples,
36 and he looked at Jesus as He walked, and said, "Behold, 56the Lamb of God!"
37 The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.
38 And Jesus turned and saw them following, and said to them, "What do you seek?" They said to Him, "57Rabbi (which translated means Teacher ), where are You staying?"
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 [aa]tenth hour.
40 58One of the two who heard John speak and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother.
41 He found first his own brother Simon and said to him, "We have found the 59Messiah " (which translated means [ab]Christ ).
42 He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, "You are Simon the son of [ac]60John; you shall be called 61Cephas " (which is translated [ad]62Peter ).
43 63The next day He purposed to go into 64Galilee, and He found 65Philip. And Jesus said to him, "66Follow Me."
44 Now 67Philip was from 68Bethsaida, of the city of Andrew and Peter.
45 69Philip found 70Nathanael and said to him, "We have found Him of whom 71Moses in the Law and also 72the Prophets wrote -Jesus of 73Nazareth, 74the son of Joseph."
46 Nathanael said to him, "75Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?" 76Philip said to him, "Come and see."
47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming to Him, and said of him, "Behold, an 77Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!"
48 Nathanael said to Him, "How do You know me?" Jesus answered and said to him, "Before 78Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you."
49 Nathanael answered Him, "79Rabbi, You are 80the Son of God; You are the 81King of Israel."
50 Jesus answered and said to him, "Because I said to you that 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, you will see 82the heavens opened and 83the angels of God ascending and descending on 84the Son of Man."

Images for John 1

Cross References 84

  • 1. Genesis 1:1; Colossians 1:17; 1 John 1:1
  • 2. John 1:14; Revelation 19:13
  • 3. John 17:5; 1 John 1:2
  • 4. Philippians 2:6
  • 5. John 1:10; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Colossians 1:16; Hebrews 1:2
  • 6. John 5:26; John 11:25; John 14:6
  • 7. John 8:12; John 9:5; John 12:46
  • 8. John 3:19
  • 9. Matthew 3:1
  • 10. John 1:15, 19, 32; John 3:26; John 5:33
  • 11. John 1:12; Acts 19:4; Galatians 3:26
  • 12. John 1:20
  • 13. 1 John 2:8
  • 14. 1 Corinthians 8:6; Colossians 1:16; Hebrews 1:2
  • 15. John 11:52; Galatians 3:26
  • 16. John 1:7; John 3:18; 1 John 3:23; 1 John 5:13
  • 17. John 3:5; James 1:18; 1 Peter 1:23; 1 John 2:29; 1 John 3:9
  • 18. Revelation 19:13
  • 19. Romans 1:3; Galatians 4:4; Philippians 2:7; 1 Timothy 3:16; Hebrews 2:14; 1 John 1:1; 1 John 4:2; 2 John 7
  • 20. Revelation 21:3
  • 21. Luke 9:32; John 2:11; John 17:22, 24; 2 Peter 1:16; 1 John 1:1
  • 22. John 1:17; Romans 5:21; Romans 6:14
  • 23. John 8:32; John 14:6; John 18:37
  • 24. John 1:7
  • 25. Matthew 3:11; John 1:27, 30
  • 26. John 1:30
  • 27. Ephesians 1:23; Ephesians 3:19; Ephesians 4:13; Colossians 1:19; Colossians 2:9
  • 28. John 7:19
  • 29. John 1:14; Romans 5:21; Romans 6:14
  • 30. John 8:32; John 14:6; John 18:37
  • 31. Exodus 33:20; John 6:46; Colossians 1:15; 1 Timothy 6:16; 1 John 4:12
  • 32. John 3:16, 18; 1 John 4:9
  • 33. Luke 16:22; John 13:23
  • 34. John 3:11
  • 35. John 1:7
  • 36. John 2:18, 20; John 5:10, 15f, 18; John 6:41, 52; John 7:1, 11, 13, 15, 35; John 8:22, 48, 52, 57; John 9:18, 22; John 10:24, 31, 33
  • 37. Matthew 15:1
  • 38. Luke 3:15; John 3:28
  • 39. Matthew 11:14; Matthew 16:14
  • 40. Deuteronomy 18:15, 18; Matthew 21:11; John 1:25
  • 41. Isaiah 40:3; Matthew 3:3; Mark 1:3; Luke 3:4
  • 42. Deuteronomy 18:15, 18; Matthew 21:11; John 1:21
  • 43. Matthew 3:11; Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16; Acts 1:5
  • 44. Matthew 3:11; John 1:30
  • 45. Matthew 3:11; Mark 1:7; Luke 3:16
  • 46. John 3:26; John 10:40
  • 47. Isaiah 53:7; John 1:36; Acts 8:32; 1 Peter 1:19; Revelation 5:6, 8, 12; Revelation 6:1
  • 48. Matthew 1:21; 1 John 3:5
  • 49. Matthew 3:11; John 1:27
  • 50. John 1:15
  • 51. John 1:7
  • 52. Matthew 3:16; Mark 1:10; Luke 3:22
  • 53. Matthew 3:11; Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16; Acts 1:5
  • 54. Matthew 4:3; John 1:49
  • 55. John 1:29
  • 56. John 1:29
  • 57. Matthew 23:7; John 1:49
  • 58. Matthew 4:18-22; Mark 1:16-20; Luke 5:2-11; John 1:40-42
  • 59. Daniel 9:25; John 4:25
  • 60. Matthew 16:17; John 21:15-17
  • 61. 1 Corinthians 1:12; 1 Corinthians 3:22; 1 Corinthians 9:5; 1 Corinthians 15:5; Galatians 1:18; Galatians 2:9, 11, 14
  • 62. Matthew 16:18
  • 63. John 1:29, 35
  • 64. Matthew 4:12; John 1:28; John 2:11
  • 65. Matthew 10:3; John 1:44-48; John 6:5, 7; John 12:21; John 14:8
  • 66. Matthew 8:22
  • 67. Matthew 10:3; John 1:44-48; John 6:5, 7; John 12:21; John 14:8
  • 68. Matthew 11:21
  • 69. Matthew 10:3; John 1:44-48; John 6:5, 7; John 12:21; John 14:8
  • 70. John 1:46-49; John 21:2
  • 71. Luke 24:27
  • 72. Luke 24:27
  • 73. Matthew 2:23
  • 74. Luke 2:48; Luke 3:23; Luke 4:22; John 6:42
  • 75. John 7:41, 52
  • 76. Matthew 10:3; John 1:44-48; John 6:5, 7; John 12:21; John 14:8
  • 77. Romans 9:4
  • 78. Matthew 10:3; John 1:44-48; John 6:5, 7; John 12:21; John 14:8
  • 79. John 1:38
  • 80. John 1:34
  • 81. Matthew 2:2; Matthew 27:42; Mark 15:32; John 12:13
  • 82. Ezekiel 1:1; Matthew 3:16; Luke 3:21; Acts 7:56; Acts 10:11; Revelation 19:11
  • 83. Genesis 28:12
  • 84. Matthew 8:20

Footnotes 30

  • [a]. Lit "This one"
  • [b]. Or "overpower"
  • [c]. Or "came into being"
  • [d]. Lit "This one"
  • [e]. Lit "for testimony"
  • [f]. Lit "That one"
  • [g]. Or "which enlightens every person coming into the world"
  • [h]. Or "own things, possessions, domain"
  • [i]. Or "begotten"
  • [j]. Lit "bloods"
  • [k]. Or "tabernacled;" i.e. lived temporarily
  • [l]. Or "unique, only one of His kind"
  • [m]. Lit "has become before me"
  • [n]. Lit "we all received"
  • [o]. Lit "grace for grace"
  • [p]. Lit "came to be"
  • [q]. I.e. the Messiah
  • [r]. I.e. Messiah
  • [s]. The Gr here can be translated "in, with" or "by"
  • [t]. Lit "has become before me"
  • [u]. I.e. as the Messiah
  • [v]. The Gr here can be translated "in, with" or "by"
  • [w]. I.e. as the Messiah
  • [x]. The Gr here can be translated "in", "with" or "by"
  • [y]. The Gr here can be translated "in", "with" or "by"
  • [z]. Lit "and"
  • [aa]. Perhaps 10 a.m. (Roman time)
  • [ab]. Gr "Anointed One"
  • [ac]. Gr "Joannes"
  • [ad]. I.e. Rock or Stone

John 1 Commentaries

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