John

The Gospel according to Saint John, chapter 1, New English Translation and King James Version

Chapter 1 New English Translation

Prologue to the Gospel

   1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was fully God. 2 The Word was with God in the beginning. 3 All things were created by him, and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of mankind. 5 And the light shines on in the darkness, but the darkness has not mastered it.
   6 A man came, sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify about the light, so that everyone might believe through him. 8 He himself was not the light, but he came to testify about the light. 9 The true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was created by him, but the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to what was his own, but his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who have received him - those who believe in his name - he has given the right to become God's children 13 - children not born by human parents or by human desire or a husband's decision, but by God.
   14 Now the Word became flesh and took up residence among us. We saw his glory - the glory of the one and only, full of grace and truth, who came from the Father. 15 John testified about him and shouted out, "This one was the one about whom I said, 'He who comes after me is greater than I am, because he existed before me.'" 16 For we have all received from his fullness one gracious gift after another. 17 For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came about through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God. The only one, himself God, who is in closest fellowship with the Father, has made God known.

The Testimony of John the Baptist

   19 Now this was John's testimony when the Jewish leaders sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?" 20 He confessed - he did not deny but confessed - "I am not the Christ!" 21 So they asked him, "Then who are you? Are you Elijah?" He said, "I am not!" "Are you the Prophet?" He answered, "No!" 22 Then they said to him, "Who are you? Tell us so that we can give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?"
   23 John said, "I am the voice of one shouting in the wilderness, 'Make straight the way for the LORD, ' as Isaiah the prophet said." 24 (Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. ) 25 So they asked John, "Why then are you baptizing if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?"
   26 John answered them, "I baptize with water. Among you stands one whom you do not recognize, 27 who is coming after me. I am not worthy to untie the strap of his sandal!" 28 These things happened in Bethany across the Jordan River where John was baptizing.
   29 On the next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is the one about whom I said, 'After me comes a man who is greater than I am, because he existed before me.' 31 I did not recognize him, but I came baptizing with water so that he could be revealed to Israel."
   32 Then John testified, "I saw the Spirit descending like a dove from heaven, and it remained on him. 33 And I did not recognize him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water said to me, 'The one on whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining - this is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.' 34 I have both seen and testified that this man is the Chosen One of God."
   35 Again the next day John was standing there with two of his disciples. 36 Gazing at Jesus as he walked by, he said, "Look, the Lamb of God!" 37 When John's two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. 38 Jesus turned around and saw them following and said to them, "What do you want?" So they said to him, "Rabbi" (which is translated Teacher), "where are you staying?" 39 Jesus answered, "Come and you will see." So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day. Now it was about four o'clock in the afternoon.

Andrew's Declaration

   40 Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, was one of the two disciples who heard what John said and followed Jesus. 41 He first found his own brother Simon and told him, "We have found the Messiah!" (which is translated Christ). 42 Andrew brought Simon to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, "You are Simon, the son of John. You will be called Cephas" (which is translated Peter).

The Calling of More Disciples

   43 On the next day Jesus wanted to set out for Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, "Follow me." 44 (Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the town of Andrew and Peter. ) 45 Philip found Nathanael and told him, "We have found the one Moses wrote about in the law, and the prophets also wrote about - Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph." 46 Nathanael replied, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip replied, "Come and see."
   47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and exclaimed, "Look, a true Israelite in whom there is no deceit!" 48 Nathanael asked him, "How do you know me?" Jesus replied, "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you." 49 Nathanael answered him, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel!" 50 Jesus said to him, "Because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe? You will see greater things than these." 51 He continued, "I tell all of you the solemn truth - you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man."

King James Version

   1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
   2 The same was in the beginning with God.
   3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
   4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
   5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
   6 ¶ There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
   7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.
   8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.
   9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
   10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
   11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
   12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
   13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
   14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
   15 ¶ John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.
   16 And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.
   17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
   18 No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
   19 ¶ And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou?
   20 And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ.
   21 And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No.
   22 Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself?
   23 He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.
   24 And they which were sent were of the Pharisees.
   25 And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet?
   26 John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not;
   27 He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose.
   28 These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing.
   29 ¶ The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
   30 This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me.
   31 And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.
   32 And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.
   33 And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.
   34 And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.
   35 ¶ Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples;
   36 And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!
   37 And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.
   38 Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master,) where dwellest thou?
   39 He saith unto them, Come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day: for it was about the tenth hour.
   40 One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother.
   41 He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.
   42 And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone.
   43 ¶ The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me.
   44 Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.
   45 Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.
   46 And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.
   47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!
   48 Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.
   49 Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.
   50 Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these.
   51 And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.