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.

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Footnotes

  1. John 1:5 Or understood

Prologue: Christ, the Eternal Word

In the beginning the Word already existed.
    The Word was with God,
    and the Word was God.
He existed in the beginning with God.
God created everything through him,
    and nothing was created except through him.
The Word gave life to everything that was created,[a]
    and his life brought light to everyone.
The light shines in the darkness,
    and the darkness can never extinguish it.[b]

God sent a man, John the Baptist,[c] 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.

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Footnotes

  1. 1:3-4 Or and nothing that was created was created except through him. The Word gave life to everything.
  2. 1:5 Or and the darkness has not understood it.
  3. 1:6 Greek a man named John.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God;

this one was in the beginning with God;

all things through him did happen, and without him happened not even one thing that hath happened.

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

and the light in the darkness did shine, and the darkness did not perceive it.

There came a man -- having been sent from God -- whose name [is] John,

this one came for testimony, that he might testify about the Light, that all might believe through him;

that one was not the Light, but -- that he might testify about the Light.

He was the true Light, which doth enlighten every man, coming to the world;

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