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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)

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Footnotes

  1. John 1:5 Or understood

(A)In the beginning was (B)the Word, and the Word was (C)with God, and (D)the Word was God. [a]He was in the beginning with God. (E)All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him [b]not even one thing came into being that has come into being. (F)In Him was life, and the life was (G)the Light of mankind. And (H)the Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not [c]grasp it.

The Witness John the Baptist

A man [d]came, one sent from God, and his name was (I)John. [e]He came [f](J)as a witness, to testify about the Light, (K)so that all might believe through him. [g](L)He was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light.

[h]This was (M)the true Light [i]that, coming into the world, enlightens every person. 10 He was in the world, and (N)the world came into being through Him, and yet the world did not [j]know Him. 11 He came to His [k]own, and His own people did not [l]accept Him. 12 But [m]as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become (O)children of God, (P)to those who [n]believe in His name, 13 (Q)who were [o]born, not of [p]blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of a man, but of God.

The Word Made Flesh

14 And (R)the Word (S)became flesh, and (T)dwelt among us; and (U)we saw His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of (V)grace and (W)truth.

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Footnotes

  1. John 1:2 Lit This one
  2. John 1:3 One early ms nothing came into
  3. John 1:5 Or overpower
  4. John 1:6 Or came into being
  5. John 1:7 Lit This one
  6. John 1:7 Lit for testimony
  7. John 1:8 Lit That one; i.e., John
  8. John 1:9 I.e., the Word, Christ
  9. John 1:9 Or that enlightens every person coming into the world
  10. John 1:10 Or acknowledge
  11. John 1:11 Or own things, possessions, domain
  12. John 1:11 Or receive
  13. John 1:12 Or all who received
  14. John 1:12 Or trust in
  15. John 1:13 Or fathered
  16. John 1:13 Lit bloods

The Deity of Jesus Christ

In the beginning [before all time] was the Word ([a]Christ), and the Word was with God, and [b]the Word was God Himself.(A) He was [continually existing] in the beginning [co-eternally] with God. All things were made and came into existence through Him; and without Him not even one thing was made that has come into being. In Him was life [and the power to bestow life], and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines on in the [c]darkness, and the darkness did not understand it or overpower it or appropriate it or absorb it [and is unreceptive to it].(B)

The Witness of John the Baptist

There came a man commissioned and sent from God, whose name was [d]John.(C) This man came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe [in Christ, the Light] through him. John was not the Light, but came to testify about the Light.

There it was—the true Light [the genuine, perfect, steadfast Light] which, coming into the world, enlightens everyone.(D) 10 He (Christ) was in the world, and though the world was made through Him, the world did not recognize Him. 11 He came to that which was His own [that which belonged to Him—His world, His creation, His possession], and those who were His own [people—the Jewish nation] did not receive and welcome Him. 12 But to as many as did receive and welcome Him, He gave the right [the authority, the privilege] to become children of God, that is, to those who believe in (adhere to, trust in, and rely on) His name—(E) 13 who were born, not of blood [natural conception], nor of the will of the flesh [physical impulse], nor of the will of man [that of a natural father], but of God [that is, a divine and supernatural birth—they are born of God—spiritually transformed, renewed, sanctified].

The Word Made Flesh

14 And the Word (Christ) became flesh, and lived among us; and we [actually] saw His glory, glory as belongs to the [One and] only begotten Son of the Father, [the Son who is truly unique, the only One of His kind, who is] full of grace and truth (absolutely free of deception).(F)

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Footnotes

  1. John 1:1 In John the Apostle’s vision (Rev 19), he sees Christ returning as Warrior-Messiah-King, and “...His name is called The Word of God...and LORD OF LORDS.” (Rev 19:13, 16).
  2. John 1:1 In this phrase, “God” appears first in the Greek word order, emphasizing the fact that “the Word” (Christ) was God—so “God Himself.”
  3. John 1:5 I.e. the world immersed in sin: all that stands in opposition to God and biblical truth.
  4. John 1:6 The births of both John the Baptist and Jesus were foretold by the angel, Gabriel (Luke 1:5-80). This passage is about John the Baptist, the son of Zacharias the priest and his wife, Elizabeth. Elizabeth was related to Mary the mother of Jesus (Luke 1:36). John the Baptist is considered to be the last of the OT prophets, and is not to be confused with John the Apostle who wrote this Gospel, three brief letters (1 John, 2 John, 3 John) and Revelation.

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

The same was in the beginning with God.

All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

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

The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.

He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.

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.

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The Word of Life

In the beginning was the one
    who is called the Word.
The Word was with God
    and was truly God.
From the very beginning
    the Word was with God.

And with this Word,
    God created all things.
Nothing was made
    without the Word.
Everything that was created
    received its life from him,
and his life gave light
    to everyone.
The light keeps shining
    in the dark,
and darkness has never
    put it out.[a]
(A) God sent a man named John,
who came to tell
    about the light
and to lead all people
    to have faith.
John wasn't this light.
He came only to tell
    about the light.

The true light that shines
on everyone
    was coming into the world.
10 The Word was in the world,
    but no one knew him,
though God had made the world
    with his Word.
11 He came into his own world,
but his own nation
    did not welcome him.
12 Yet some people accepted him
    and put their faith in him.
So he gave them the right
    to be the children of God.
13 They were not God's children
by nature or because
    of any human desires.
God himself was the one
    who made them his children.

14 The Word became
a human being
    and lived here with us.
We saw his true glory,
the glory of the only Son
    of the Father.
From him the complete gifts
of undeserved grace and truth
    have come down to us.

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Footnotes

  1. 1.5 put it out: Or “understood it.”