34 Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother:(A) “This child is destined to cause the falling(B) and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, 35 so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.”

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For to us a child is born,(A)
    to us a son is given,(B)
    and the government(C) will be on his shoulders.(D)
And he will be called
    Wonderful Counselor,(E) Mighty God,(F)
    Everlasting(G) Father,(H) Prince of Peace.(I)

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He grew up before him like a tender shoot,(A)
    and like a root(B) out of dry ground.
He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,
    nothing in his appearance(C) that we should desire him.
He was despised and rejected by mankind,
    a man of suffering,(D) and familiar with pain.(E)
Like one from whom people hide(F) their faces
    he was despised,(G) and we held him in low esteem.

Surely he took up our pain
    and bore our suffering,(H)
yet we considered him punished by God,(I)
    stricken by him, and afflicted.(J)
But he was pierced(K) for our transgressions,(L)
    he was crushed(M) for our iniquities;
the punishment(N) that brought us peace(O) was on him,
    and by his wounds(P) we are healed.(Q)

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The Word Became Flesh

In the beginning was the Word,(A) and the Word was with God,(B) and the Word was God.(C) He was with God in the beginning.(D) Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.(E) In him was life,(F) and that life was the light(G) of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness,(H) and the darkness has not overcome[a] it.(I)

There was a man sent from God whose name was John.(J) He came as a witness to testify(K) 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 light(M) that gives light to everyone(N) was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him,(O) the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.(P) 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed(Q) in his name,(R) he gave the right to become children of God(S) 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.(T)

14 The Word became flesh(U) and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory,(V) the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace(W) and truth.(X)

15 (John testified(Y) concerning him. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’”)(Z) 16 Out of his fullness(AA) we have all received grace(AB) in place of grace already given. 17 For the law was given through Moses;(AC) grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.(AD) 18 No one has ever seen God,(AE) but the one and only Son, who is himself God and[b](AF) is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.

John the Baptist Denies Being the Messiah

19 Now this was John’s(AG) testimony when the Jewish leaders[c](AH) in Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. 20 He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, “I am not the Messiah.”(AI)

21 They asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?”(AJ)

He said, “I am not.”

“Are you the Prophet?”(AK)

He answered, “No.”

22 Finally they said, “Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”

23 John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, “I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness,(AL) ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’”[d](AM)

24 Now the Pharisees who had been sent 25 questioned him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”

26 “I baptize with[e] water,”(AN) John replied, “but among you stands one you do not know. 27 He is the one who comes after me,(AO) the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.”(AP)

28 This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan,(AQ) where John was baptizing.

John Testifies About Jesus

29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God,(AR) who takes away the sin of the world!(AS) 30 This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’(AT) 31 I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.”

32 Then John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him.(AU) 33 And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water(AV) told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’(AW) 34 I have seen and I testify that this is God’s Chosen One.”[f](AX)

John’s Disciples Follow Jesus(AY)

35 The next day John(AZ) was there again with two of his disciples. 36 When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!”(BA)

37 When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. 38 Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, “What do you want?”

They said, “Rabbi”(BB) (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?”

39 “Come,” he replied, “and you will see.”

So they went and saw where he was staying, and they spent that day with him. It was about four in the afternoon.

40 Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. 41 The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ).(BC) 42 And he brought him to Jesus.

Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called(BD) Cephas” (which, when translated, is Peter[g]).(BE)

Jesus Calls Philip and Nathanael

43 The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip,(BF) he said to him, “Follow me.”(BG)

44 Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida.(BH) 45 Philip found Nathanael(BI) and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law,(BJ) and about whom the prophets also wrote(BK)—Jesus of Nazareth,(BL) the son of Joseph.”(BM)

46 “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?”(BN) Nathanael asked.

“Come and see,” said Philip.

47 When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, “Here truly is an Israelite(BO) in whom there is no deceit.”(BP)

48 “How do you know me?” Nathanael asked.

Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.”

49 Then Nathanael declared, “Rabbi,(BQ) you are the Son of God;(BR) you are the king of Israel.”(BS)

50 Jesus said, “You believe[h] because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that.” 51 He then added, “Very truly I tell you,[i] you[j] will see ‘heaven open,(BT) and the angels of God ascending and descending(BU) on’[k] the Son of Man.”(BV)

Footnotes

  1. John 1:5 Or understood
  2. John 1:18 Some manuscripts but the only Son, who
  3. John 1:19 The Greek term traditionally translated the Jews (hoi Ioudaioi) refers here and elsewhere in John’s Gospel to those Jewish leaders who opposed Jesus; also in 5:10, 15, 16; 7:1, 11, 13; 9:22; 18:14, 28, 36; 19:7, 12, 31, 38; 20:19.
  4. John 1:23 Isaiah 40:3
  5. John 1:26 Or in; also in verses 31 and 33 (twice)
  6. John 1:34 See Isaiah 42:1; many manuscripts is the Son of God.
  7. John 1:42 Cephas (Aramaic) and Peter (Greek) both mean rock.
  8. John 1:50 Or Do you believe … ?
  9. John 1:51 The Greek is plural.
  10. John 1:51 The Greek is plural.
  11. John 1:51 Gen. 28:12

Jesus Comforts His Disciples

14 “Do not let your hearts be troubled.(A) You believe(B) in God[a];(C) believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there(D) to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back(E) and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.(F) You know the way to the place where I am going.”

Jesus the Way to the Father

Thomas(G) said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”

Jesus answered, “I am(H) the way(I) and the truth(J) and the life.(K) No one comes to the Father except through me.(L) If you really know me, you will know[b] my Father as well.(M) From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”

Philip(N) said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.”

Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.(O) How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me?(P) The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority.(Q) Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. 11 Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves.(R) 12 Very truly I tell you, whoever believes(S) in me will do the works I have been doing,(T) and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13 And I will do whatever you ask(U) in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit

15 “If you love me, keep my commands.(V) 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate(W) to help you and be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth.(X) The world cannot accept him,(Y) because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be[c] in you. 18 I will not leave you as orphans;(Z) I will come to you.(AA) 19 Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me.(AB) Because I live, you also will live.(AC) 20 On that day(AD) you will realize that I am in my Father,(AE) and you are in me, and I am in you.(AF) 21 Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me.(AG) The one who loves me will be loved by my Father,(AH) and I too will love them and show myself to them.”

22 Then Judas(AI) (not Judas Iscariot) said, “But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?”(AJ)

23 Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching.(AK) My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.(AL) 24 Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.(AM)

25 “All this I have spoken while still with you. 26 But the Advocate,(AN) the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name,(AO) will teach you all things(AP) and will remind you of everything I have said to you.(AQ) 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.(AR) I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled(AS) and do not be afraid.

28 “You heard me say, ‘I am going away and I am coming back to you.’(AT) If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father,(AU) for the Father is greater than I.(AV) 29 I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe.(AW) 30 I will not say much more to you, for the prince of this world(AX) is coming. He has no hold over me, 31 but he comes so that the world may learn that I love the Father and do exactly what my Father has commanded me.(AY)

“Come now; let us leave.

Footnotes

  1. John 14:1 Or Believe in God
  2. John 14:7 Some manuscripts If you really knew me, you would know
  3. John 14:17 Some early manuscripts and is

For what the law was powerless(A) to do because it was weakened by the flesh,[a](B) God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh(C) to be a sin offering.[b](D) And so he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement(E) of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.(F)

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Footnotes

  1. Romans 8:3 In contexts like this, the Greek word for flesh (sarx) refers to the sinful state of human beings, often presented as a power in opposition to the Spirit; also in verses 4-13.
  2. Romans 8:3 Or flesh, for sin

Follow God’s example,(A) therefore, as dearly loved children(B) and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us(C) and gave himself up for us(D) as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.(E)

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In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:(A)

Who, being in very nature[a] God,(B)
    did not consider equality with God(C) something to be used to his own advantage;
rather, he made himself nothing(D)
    by taking the very nature[b] of a servant,(E)
    being made in human likeness.(F)
And being found in appearance as a man,
    he humbled himself
    by becoming obedient to death(G)
        even death on a cross!(H)

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Footnotes

  1. Philippians 2:6 Or in the form of
  2. Philippians 2:7 Or the form

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