John 1
Christian Standard Bible
Prologue
1 In the beginning(A) was the Word,(B) and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.(C) 2 He was with God in the beginning.(D) 3 All things were created(E) through him,(F) and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created. 4 In him was life,[a](G) and that life was the light(H) of men. 5 That light shines(I) in the darkness, and yet the darkness did not overcome[b] it.(J)
6 There was a man sent from God whose name was John.(K) 7 He came as a witness to testify about the light, so that all might believe through him.[c] 8 He was not the light, but he came to testify(L) about the light. 9 The true light(M) that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.[d](N)
10 He was in the world, and the world was created(O) through him, and yet the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive(P) him,(Q) he gave them the right(R) to be[e] children(S) of God,(T) to those who believe(U) in his name,(V) 13 who were born,(W) not of natural descent,[f] or of the will(X) of the flesh,(Y) or of the will of man,[g] but of God.(Z)
14 The Word(AA) became flesh(AB) and dwelt[h] among us. We observed his glory,(AC) the glory as the one and only(AD) Son[i] from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 (John testified concerning him and exclaimed, “This was the one of whom I said, ‘The one coming after me(AE) ranks ahead of me,(AF) because he existed before me.’”)(AG) 16 Indeed, we have all received grace(AH) upon[j] grace from his fullness, 17 for the law was given through Moses;(AI) grace and truth(AJ) came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God. The one and only(AK) Son, who is himself God and is at the Father’s(AL) side[k]—he has revealed him.(AM)
John the Baptist’s Testimony
19 This was John’s testimony when the Jews from Jerusalem(AN) sent priests(AO) and Levites(AP) to ask him, “Who are you?”
20 He didn’t deny it but confessed, “I am not the Messiah.”(AQ)
21 “What then?” they asked him. “Are you Elijah?” (AR)
“I am not,” he said.
“Are you the Prophet?” (AS)
“No,” he answered.
22 “Who are you, then?” they asked. “We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What can you tell us about yourself?”
23 He said, “I am a voice of one crying out in the wilderness: Make straight the way of the Lord[l](AT)—just as Isaiah(AU) the prophet said.”
24 Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.(AV) 25 So they asked him, “Why then do you baptize if you aren’t the Messiah, or Elijah, or the Prophet?”
26 “I baptize with[m] water,”(AW) John answered them. “Someone stands among you, but you don’t know him. 27 He is the one coming after me,[n](AX) whose sandal strap I’m not worthy to untie.” 28 All this happened in Bethany[o] across the Jordan,(AY) where John was baptizing.
The Lamb of God
29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God,(AZ) who takes away the sin(BA) of the world! 30 This is the one I told you about: ‘After me comes a man who ranks ahead of me, because he existed before me.’ 31 I didn’t know him,(BB) but I came baptizing with water so that he might be revealed(BC) to Israel.” 32 And John testified, “I saw the Spirit(BD) descending from heaven like a dove, and he rested on him.(BE) 33 I didn’t know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The one you see the Spirit descending and resting on—he is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’(BF) 34 I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.”[p](BG)
35 The next day, John was standing with two of his disciples. 36 When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!”
37 The two disciples heard him say this and followed Jesus. 38 When Jesus turned and noticed them following him, he asked them, “What are you looking for?”
They said to him, “Rabbi”(BH) (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?”
39 “Come and you’ll see,” he replied. So they went and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day. It was about four in the afternoon.[q]
40 Andrew,(BI) Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard John and followed him. 41 He first found his own brother Simon and told him, “We have found the Messiah”[r](BJ) (which is translated “the Christ”),(BK) 42 and he brought Simon to Jesus.
When Jesus saw him, he said, “You are Simon, son of John.[s] You will be called Cephas”(BL) (which is translated “Peter”[t]).
Philip and Nathanael
43 The next day Jesus[u] decided to leave for Galilee. He found Philip(BM) and told him, “Follow me.”
44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida,(BN) the hometown of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip found Nathanael(BO) and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the law (and so did the prophets(BP)): Jesus the son of Joseph,(BQ) from Nazareth.”(BR)
46 “Can anything good(BS) come out of Nazareth?” Nathanael asked him.
“Come and see,” Philip answered.
47 Then Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said about him, “Here truly is an Israelite(BT) in whom there is no deceit.”
48 “How do you know me?” Nathanael asked.
“Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you,” Jesus answered.
49 “Rabbi,”(BU) Nathanael replied, “You are the Son(BV) of God; you are the King of Israel!” (BW)
50 Jesus responded to him, “Do you believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this.” 51 Then he said, “Truly I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God(BX) ascending and descending(BY) on the Son of Man.”(BZ)
Footnotes
- 1:3–4 Other punctuation is possible:... not one thing was created. What was created in him was life
- 1:5 Or grasp, or comprehend, or overtake; Jn 12:35
- 1:7 Or it (the light)
- 1:9 Or The true light who comes into the world gives light to everyone, or The true light enlightens everyone coming into the world.
- 1:12 Or become
- 1:13 Lit blood
- 1:13 Or not of human lineage, or of human capacity, or of human volition
- 1:14 Or and dwelt in a tent; lit and tabernacled
- 1:14 Son is implied from the reference to the Father and from Gk usage.
- 1:16 Or in place of
- 1:18 Other mss read The one and only Son, who is at the Father’s side
- 1:23 Is 40:3
- 1:26 Or in, also in vv. 31,33
- 1:27 Other mss add who came before me
- 1:28 Other mss read in Bethabara
- 1:34 Other mss read is the Chosen One of God
- 1:39 Lit about the tenth hour
- 1:41 Both Hb Messiah and Gk Christos mean “anointed one”
- 1:42 Other mss read “Simon, son of Jonah
- 1:42 Both Aramaic Cephas and Gk Petros mean “rock”
- 1:43 Lit he
John 1
Expanded Bible
Christ Comes to the World
1 In the beginning [Gen. 1:1] ·there was the Word [the Word already existed; C the Word refers to Christ, God’s revelation of himself]. The Word was ·with [in the presence of; in intimate relationship with] God [C the Father], and the Word was [fully] God. 2 He was ·with [in the presence of; in intimate relationship with] God in the beginning. 3 All things ·were made [were created; came to be] ·by [through] him, and nothing ·was made [came to be] without him [Prov. 8:22–31]. 4 ·In him there was life [or What was made through him was life], and that life was the light of all people. 5 The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not ·overpowered [defeated; or understood; comprehended] it.
6 There was a man named John [C the Baptist; Matt. 3; Luke 3] who was sent by God. 7 He came to ·tell people the truth [testify; bear witness] about the Light so that ·through him all people could hear about the Light and believe [L everyone might believe through him]. 8 John was not the Light, but he came to ·tell people the truth [testify; bear witness] about the Light. * 9 The true Light that ·gives light to [shines on; illuminates; enlightens] all [people] was coming into the world! [or 9 The true Light gives light to all who have come into the world.]
10 ·The Word [L He] was in the world, and the world ·was made [was created; came into being] ·by [through] him, but the world did not ·know [recognize] him. 11 He came to ·the world that was his own [or his own country; L that which was his own], but his own people did not ·accept [receive] him. 12 But to all who did ·accept [receive] him and believe ·in him [L in his name; C the name indicating the character of the person] he gave the ·right [power; authority] to become children of God. 13 They did not become his children ·in any human way [by natural descent; by physical birth; L by blood]—by ·any human parents [human passion/decision; L desire/will of the flesh] or ·human desire [a husband’s decision; L desire/will of a man/husband]. They were born of God.
14 The Word became ·a human [T flesh] and ·lived [made his home; pitched his tabernacle; C God’s glorious presence dwelt in Israel’s tabernacle in the wilderness] among us. We saw his ·glory [majesty]—the glory that belongs to the ·only Son [one and only; T only begotten] ·of [who came from] the Father—and he was full of ·grace and truth [God’s gracious love and faithfulness; Ex. 34:5–7]. 15 John ·tells the truth about [testifies concerning; witnesses about] him and cries out, saying, “This is the One I told you about: ‘The One who comes after me [C in time] is greater than I am, because he ·was living [existed] before me [C a reference to Christ’s preexistence; 1:1–2].’”
16 ·Because he was full of grace and truth [L From his fullness; 1:14], from him we all received ·one gift after another [L grace for grace; C this could mean abundant grace or that the grace under Christ replaced grace under the law]. 17 The law was given through Moses [Ex. 19—24], but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God [C God the Father, who is pure spirit; 4:24]. But ·God the only Son[a] [God the one and only; the only Son who is himself God; T God the only begotten] is ·very close to [by the side of; close to the heart of; T in the bosom of] the Father, and he has ·shown us what God is like [made him known].
John the Baptist Tells People About Jesus(A)
19 Here is the ·truth John told [testimony John gave; witness of John; 1:6] when the ·leaders [Jewish leadership; L Jews; C John often uses the term “Jews” to refer to the religious leaders in opposition to Jesus, rather than to the Jewish people generally] in Jerusalem sent ·priests and Levites [C the religious authorities; priests oversaw temple worship; Levites were members of the tribe of Levi who assisted them; 1 Chr. 23:24–32] to ask him, “Who are you?”
20 John ·spoke freely [confessed] and did not ·refuse to answer [deny it]. He said, “I am not the ·Christ [Messiah].”
21 So they asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?” [C Elijah, an OT prophet, was expected to come back before the Messiah; 1 Kin. 17—2 Kin. 2; Mal. 4:5–6.]
He answered, “No, I am not.”
“Are you the Prophet?” [C the Prophet like Moses predicted in Deut. 18:15–19] they asked.
He answered, “No.”
22 Then they said, “Who are you? Give us an answer to tell those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”
23 John told them in the words of the prophet Isaiah:
“I am the voice of one
calling out in the ·desert [wilderness]:
‘Make ·the road straight [a clear path] for the Lord [Is. 40:3].’”
24 Some Pharisees [C a religious party which strictly observed OT laws and later customs] who had been sent asked John: 25 “If you are not the ·Christ [Messiah] or Elijah or the Prophet [1:21], why do you baptize people?”
26 John answered, “I baptize with water, but there is one here with you that you don’t ·know about [recognize]. 27 He is the One who comes after me. I am not ·good enough [worthy; fit] to untie the ·strings [straps] of his sandals.” [C Removing sandals was the task of a slave.]
28 This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan River [C a site east of the Jordan River, not the Bethany near Jerusalem], where John was baptizing people.
29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him. John said, “Look, the Lamb of God [C lambs were used for sacrifice; Gen. 22:8], who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is the One I was talking about [1:15] when I said, ‘A man will come after me, but he is greater than I am, because he ·was living [existed] before me.’ 31 Even I did not ·know [recognize] who he was, although I came baptizing with water so that ·the people of Israel would know who he is [he might be revealed to Israel].”
The First Followers of Jesus
35 The next day John [C the Baptist; 1:6] was [standing] there again with two of his ·followers [disciples]. 36 When he saw Jesus walking by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God [see 1:29]!”
37 The two ·followers [disciples] heard John say this, so they followed Jesus. 38 When Jesus turned and saw them following him, he asked, “What are you looking for?”
They said, “Rabbi, where are you staying?” (“Rabbi” means “Teacher.”)
39 He answered, “Come and see.” So the two men went with Jesus and saw where he was staying and stayed there with him that day. It was about ·four o’clock in the afternoon [L the tenth hour; C hours were counted from dawn, about 6 AM].
40 One of the two men who followed Jesus after they heard John speak about him was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. 41 The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and say to him, “We have found the Messiah.” (“Messiah” means “Christ.”) [C Both Hebrew Mashiach (Messiah) and Greek Christos (Christ) mean “Anointed One.”]
42 Then Andrew took Simon to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas.” (“Cephas” means “Peter.”) [C Both Aramaic Cephas and Greek Petros mean “rock.”]
43 The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee [C a region about 50 miles north of Jerusalem]. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me [C as a disciple].”
44 Philip was from the town of Bethsaida [C a town just to the north of the Sea of Galilee], where Andrew and Peter lived. 45 Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the man that Moses wrote about in the law, and the prophets also wrote about him. [C The law and the prophets refer to the OT Scriptures.] He is Jesus, the son of Joseph, from Nazareth [C a village a few miles southwest of the Sea of Galilee].”
46 But Nathanael said to Philip, “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” [C This is because of its insignificance and lack of mention in the OT.]
Philip answered, “Come and see.”
47 As Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him, he said, “Here is truly an Israelite. There is ·nothing false [no deceit; no guile] in him.”
48 Nathanael asked, “How do you know me?”
Jesus answered, “I saw you when you were under the fig tree, before Philip ·told you about me [L called you].”
49 Then Nathanael said to Jesus, “Teacher [L Rabbi], you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel.”
50 Jesus said to Nathanael, “Do you believe simply because I told you I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than that.” 51 And Jesus said to them, “·I tell you the truth [L Truly, truly I say to you], you will all see heaven open and ‘angels of God going up and coming down’ [C a reference to Jacob’s dream in Gen. 28:12] on the Son of Man [C a title for the Messiah; Dan. 7:13–14].”
約翰福音 1
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Traditional)
生命之道
1 太初，道已經存在，道與上帝同在，道就是上帝。 2 太初，道就與上帝同在。 3 萬物都是藉著祂造的[a]，受造之物沒有一樣不是藉著祂造的。 4 祂裡面有生命，這生命是人類的光。 5 光照進黑暗裡，黑暗不能勝過[b]光。
6 有一個人名叫約翰，是上帝差來的。 7 他來是要為光做見證，叫世人可以藉著他而相信。 8 約翰不是那光，他來是為那光做見證。 9 那照亮世人的真光來到了世上。 10 祂來到自己所創造的世界，世界卻不認識祂。 11 祂來到自己的地方，自己的人卻不接納祂。 12 但所有接納祂的，就是那些信祂的人，祂就賜給他們權利成為上帝的兒女。 13 這些人既不是從人的血緣關係生的，也不是從人的情慾或意願生的，而是從上帝生的。
14 道成為肉身，住在我們中間，充滿了恩典和真理。我們見過祂的榮耀，正是父獨一兒子的榮耀。
15 約翰為祂做見證的時候，高聲喊道：「這就是我以前所說的那位，『祂在我以後來卻比我位分高，因為祂在我之前已經存在了。』」 16 從祂的豐盛裡，我們一次又一次地領受了恩典。 17 因為律法是藉著摩西頒佈的，恩典和真理是藉著耶穌基督賜下來的。 18 從來沒有人見過上帝，只有父懷中的獨一上帝[c]把祂顯明出來。
施洗者約翰的見證
19 以下是約翰的見證。猶太人從耶路撒冷派祭司和利未人來找約翰，查問他是誰。 20 約翰毫不隱瞞地說：「我不是基督。」
21 他們問：「那麼，你是誰？是以利亞嗎？」
他說：「不是。」
他們又問：「你是那位先知嗎？」
他說：「也不是。」
22 他們又追問：「你到底是誰？我們好回覆差我們來的人。你自己說你是誰？」
23 他說：「我就是在曠野大聲呼喊『修直主的路』的那個人，正如以賽亞先知所言。」
24 派來的人當中有幾個法利賽人[d]，他們問他： 25 「你既然不是基督，不是以利亞，也不是那位先知，那你為什麼給人施洗呢？」
26 約翰答道：「我是用水施洗，但在你們中間有一位你們不認識的， 27 祂雖然是在我以後來的，我就是給祂解鞋帶也不配。」 28 這事發生在約旦河東岸的伯大尼，那裡是約翰給人施洗的地方。
上帝的羔羊
29 次日，約翰看見耶穌走過來，就說：「看啊！上帝的羔羊，除去世人罪惡的！ 30 這就是我以前所說的那位，『有一個人在我以後來卻比我位分高，因為祂在我之前已經存在了。』 31 我以前並不認識祂，現在我用水給人施洗，是要把祂顯明給以色列人。」
32 約翰又做見證說：「我看見聖靈好像鴿子一樣從天降下，住在祂身上。 33 我本來不認識祂，但那位差我來用水給人施洗的告訴我，『你看見聖靈降下，住在誰身上，誰就是用聖靈給人施洗的。』 34 我看見了，便做見證，祂就是上帝的兒子。」
第一批門徒
35 再次日，約翰和兩個門徒站在那裡， 36 他看見耶穌經過，就說：「看啊！這是上帝的羔羊！」 37 兩個門徒聽見他的話，便跟從了耶穌。 38 耶穌轉過身來，看見他們跟著，便問：「你們想要什麼？」
他們說：「老師[e]，你住在哪裡？」
39 耶穌說：「你們來看吧。」他們便跟著去看耶穌住的地方。到了那裡大約下午四點了，他們就住在耶穌那裡。 40 聽見約翰的話後跟從耶穌的兩個人中，有一個是西門·彼得的弟弟安得烈。 41 他首先去找他哥哥西門，說：「我們找到彌賽亞了！」彌賽亞的意思是基督[f]。 42 他帶著西門去見耶穌。
耶穌看著西門，對他說：「約翰的兒子西門，你要改名為磯法。」磯法的意思是彼得。
43 又過了一天，耶穌決定去加利利。祂遇見了腓力，就對他說：「跟從我！」 44 腓力是伯賽大人，與彼得、安得烈是同鄉。 45 腓力去找拿但業，對他說：「我們遇見了摩西律法書和先知書記載的那位！祂是約瑟的兒子耶穌，從拿撒勒來的。」
46 拿但業說：「拿撒勒還會出什麼好東西？」
腓力說：「你來看看吧！」
47 耶穌看見拿但業走過來，就指著他說：「看啊，這是個真正的以色列人！他心裡毫無詭詐。」
48 拿但業問耶穌：「你怎麼會認識我？」
耶穌答道：「腓力還沒有去找你之前，我就看見你在無花果樹下了。」
49 拿但業說：「老師，你是上帝的兒子！你是以色列的王！」
50 耶穌說：「我說看見你在無花果樹下，你就信我嗎？將來你還要看見比這更大的事。 51 我實實在在地告訴你們，你們會看見天門敞開，上帝的天使以人子[g]為梯上上下下。」
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