John 1:2-41

²He was in the beginning with God.

³All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.

⁴In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.

⁵And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

⁶There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.

⁷This man came for a testimony, so that he might testify concerning the Light, so that all through him might believe.

⁸He was not that Light, but was sent so that he might testify concerning the Light.

⁹That was the true Light which lightens every man coming into the world.

¹⁰He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him.

¹¹He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.

¹²But as many as received Him, to them He gave the authority to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name;

¹³who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

¹⁴And the Word became 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.

¹⁵John testified concerning Him and has cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because He was before me.’ ”

¹⁶And out of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace.

¹⁷For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

¹⁸No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has revealed Him.

¹⁹And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem so that they might ask him, “Who are you?”

²⁰He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Messiah.”

²¹And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.”

²²Then they said to him, “Who are you, that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?”

²³He said: “I am ‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Make straight the way of the Lord,” ’ as Isaiah the prophet said.”

²⁴Now those who had been sent were from the Pharisees.

²⁵And they asked him, saying, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”

²⁶John answered them, saying, “I baptize with water, but there stands One among you whom you do not know.

²⁷He is the One who comes after me, who ranks before me, of whom I am not worthy that I should loose the strap of His sandal.”

²⁸These things happened in Bethany, beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

²⁹The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!

³⁰This is the One about whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who ranks before me, because He was before me.’

³¹I did not know Him; but that He should be made manifest to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water.”

³²And John testified, saying, “I saw the Spirit coming down from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him.

³³I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘Upon whom you see the Spirit descending and abiding on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’

³⁴And I have seen and have testified that this is the Son of God.”

³⁵Again, the next day, John stood with two of his disciples.

³⁶And looking at Jesus as He was walking, he said, “Behold the Lamb of God!”

³⁷The two disciples heard him speaking, and they followed Jesus.

³⁸Then Jesus turned and observed them following, and said to them, “What are you seeking?” They said to Him, “Rabbi” (which is translated, Teacher), “where are You staying?”

³⁹He said to them, “Come and see.” They came and saw where He was staying, and they stayed with Him that day. It was about the tenth hour.

⁴⁰One of the two who heard John speak, and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother.

⁴¹He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated, the Christ).