The Eternal Word^(A)

1 In the beginning ^(B)was the Word, and the ^(C)Word was ^(D)with God, and the Word was ^(E)God. ^2 (F)He was in the beginning with God. ^3 (G)All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. ^4 (H)In Him was life, and ^(I)the life was the light of men. ⁵ And ^(J)the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not ^[a]comprehend it.

John’s Witness: The True Light

⁶ There was a ^(K)man sent from God, whose name was John. ⁷ This man came for a ^(L)witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might ^(M)believe. ⁸ He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that ^(N)Light. ^9 (O)That^[b] was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.

The Word Becomes Flesh

^14 (A)And the Word ^(B)became ^(C)flesh and dwelt among us, and ^(D)we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, ^(E)full of grace and truth.

^15 (F)John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ^(G)‘He who comes after me ^[a]is preferred before me, ^(H)for He was before me.’ ”

^16 [b]And of His ^(I)fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. ¹⁷ For ^(J)the law was given through Moses, but ^(K)grace and ^(L)truth came through Jesus Christ. ^18 (M)No one has seen God at any time. ^(N)The only begotten ^[c]Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.

A Voice in the Wilderness^(A)

¹⁹ Now this is ^(B)the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?”

^20 (C)He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.”

²¹ And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?”

He said, “I am not.”

“Are you ^(D)the Prophet?”

And he answered, “No.”

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

²³ He said: ^(E)“I am

as the prophet Isaiah said.”

²⁴ Now those who were sent were from the Pharisees. ²⁵ And they asked him, saying, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”

²⁶ John answered them, saying, ^(G)“I baptize with water, ^(H)but there stands One among you whom you do not know. ^27 (I)It is He who, coming after me, ^[a]is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose.”

The Lamb of God^(A)

²⁹ The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! ^(B)The Lamb of God ^(C)who takes away the sin of the world!

²⁶ And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, He who was with you beyond the Jordan, ^(A)to whom you have testified—behold, He is baptizing, and all ^(B)are coming to Him!”

²⁷ John answered and said, ^(C)“A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven. ²⁸ You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ^(D)‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ^(E)‘I have been sent before Him.’ ^29 (F)He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but ^(G)the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled. ^30 (H)He must increase, but I must decrease. ^31 (I)He who comes from above ^(J)is above all; ^(K)he who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of the earth. ^(L)He who comes from heaven is above all.