约翰福音 1
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Simplified)
生命之道
1 太初，道已经存在，道与上帝同在，道就是上帝。 2 太初，道就与上帝同在。 3 万物都是借着祂造的[a]，受造之物没有一样不是借着祂造的。 4 祂里面有生命，这生命是人类的光。 5 光照进黑暗里，黑暗不能胜过[b]光。
6 有一个人名叫约翰，是上帝差来的。 7 他来是要为光做见证，叫世人可以借着他而相信。 8 约翰不是那光，他来是为那光做见证。 9 那照亮世人的真光来到了世上。 10 祂来到自己所创造的世界，世界却不认识祂。 11 祂来到自己的地方，自己的人却不接纳祂。 12 但所有接纳祂的，就是那些信祂的人，祂就赐给他们权利成为上帝的儿女。 13 这些人既不是从人的血缘关系生的，也不是从人的情欲或意愿生的，而是从上帝生的。
14 道成为肉身，住在我们中间，充满了恩典和真理。我们见过祂的荣耀，正是父独一儿子的荣耀。
15 约翰为祂做见证的时候，高声喊道：“这就是我以前所说的那位，‘祂在我以后来却比我位分高，因为祂在我之前已经存在了。’” 16 从祂的丰盛里，我们一次又一次地领受了恩典。 17 因为律法是借着摩西颁布的，恩典和真理是借着耶稣基督赐下来的。 18 从来没有人见过上帝，只有父怀中的独一上帝[c]把祂显明出来。
施洗者约翰的见证
19 以下是约翰的见证。犹太人从耶路撒冷派祭司和利未人来找约翰，查问他是谁。 20 约翰毫不隐瞒地说：“我不是基督。”
21 他们问：“那么，你是谁？是以利亚吗？”
他说：“不是。”
他们又问：“你是那位先知吗？”
他说：“也不是。”
22 他们又追问：“你到底是谁？我们好回复差我们来的人。你自己说你是谁？”
23 他说：“我就是在旷野大声呼喊‘修直主的路’的那个人，正如以赛亚先知所言。”
24 派来的人当中有几个法利赛人[d]，他们问他： 25 “你既然不是基督，不是以利亚，也不是那位先知，那你为什么给人施洗呢？”
26 约翰答道：“我是用水施洗，但在你们中间有一位你们不认识的， 27 祂虽然是在我以后来的，我就是给祂解鞋带也不配。” 28 这事发生在约旦河东岸的伯大尼，那里是约翰给人施洗的地方。
上帝的羔羊
29 次日，约翰看见耶稣走过来，就说：“看啊！上帝的羔羊，除去世人罪恶的！ 30 这就是我以前所说的那位，‘有一个人在我以后来却比我位分高，因为祂在我之前已经存在了。’ 31 我以前并不认识祂，现在我用水给人施洗，是要把祂显明给以色列人。”
32 约翰又做见证说：“我看见圣灵好像鸽子一样从天降下，住在祂身上。 33 我本来不认识祂，但那位差我来用水给人施洗的告诉我，‘你看见圣灵降下，住在谁身上，谁就是用圣灵给人施洗的。’ 34 我看见了，便做见证，祂就是上帝的儿子。”
第一批门徒
35 再次日，约翰和两个门徒站在那里， 36 他看见耶稣经过，就说：“看啊！这是上帝的羔羊！” 37 两个门徒听见他的话，便跟从了耶稣。 38 耶稣转过身来，看见他们跟着，便问：“你们想要什么？”
他们说：“老师[e]，你住在哪里？”
39 耶稣说：“你们来看吧。”他们便跟着去看耶稣住的地方。到了那里大约下午四点了，他们就住在耶稣那里。 40 听见约翰的话后跟从耶稣的两个人中，有一个是西门·彼得的弟弟安得烈。 41 他首先去找他哥哥西门，说：“我们找到弥赛亚了！”弥赛亚的意思是基督[f]。 42 他带着西门去见耶稣。
耶稣看着西门，对他说：“约翰的儿子西门，你要改名为矶法。”矶法的意思是彼得。
43 又过了一天，耶稣决定去加利利。祂遇见了腓力，就对他说：“跟从我！” 44 腓力是伯赛大人，与彼得、安得烈是同乡。 45 腓力去找拿但业，对他说：“我们遇见了摩西律法书和先知书记载的那位！祂是约瑟的儿子耶稣，从拿撒勒来的。”
46 拿但业说：“拿撒勒还会出什么好东西？”
腓力说：“你来看看吧！”
47 耶稣看见拿但业走过来，就指着他说：“看啊，这是个真正的以色列人！他心里毫无诡诈。”
48 拿但业问耶稣：“你怎么会认识我？”
耶稣答道：“腓力还没有去找你之前，我就看见你在无花果树下了。”
49 拿但业说：“老师，你是上帝的儿子！你是以色列的王！”
50 耶稣说：“我说看见你在无花果树下，你就信我吗？将来你还要看见比这更大的事。 51 我实实在在地告诉你们，你们会看见天门敞开，上帝的天使以人子[g]为梯上上下下。”
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].”
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