生命之道

太初,道已经存在,道与上帝同在,道就是上帝。 太初,道就与上帝同在。 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。 祂里面有生命,这生命是人类的光。 光照进黑暗里,黑暗不能胜过[b]光。

有一个人名叫约翰,是上帝差来的。 他来是要为光做见证,叫世人可以借着他而相信。 约翰不是那光,他来是为那光做见证。 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。”

Footnotes

  1. 1:3 造的”或译“存在”。
  2. 1:5 胜过”或译“接受”或“明白”。
  3. 1:18 独一上帝”有古卷作“独一儿子”。
  4. 1:24 派来的人当中有几个法利赛人”或译“法利赛人派来的那几个人”。
  5. 1:38 老师”希腊文是“拉比”,特指犹太教的老师,下同。
  6. 1:41 希伯来文的“弥赛亚”和希腊文的“基督”都是“受膏者”的意思。
  7. 1:51 人子”是耶稣的自称,耶稣在这里自比天梯,背景请参见创世记28:12

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.

10 He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. 11 He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. 12 But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. 13 They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.

14 So the Word became human[d] and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness.[e] And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.

15 John testified about him when he shouted to the crowds, “This is the one I was talking about when I said, ‘Someone is coming after me who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before me.’”

16 From his abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another.[f] 17 For the law was given through Moses, but God’s unfailing love and faithfulness came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God. But the unique One, who is himself God,[g] is near to the Father’s heart. He has revealed God to us.

The Testimony of John the Baptist

19 This was John’s testimony when the Jewish leaders sent priests and Temple assistants[h] from Jerusalem to ask John, “Who are you?” 20 He came right out and said, “I am not the Messiah.”

21 “Well then, who are you?” they asked. “Are you Elijah?”

“No,” he replied.

“Are you the Prophet we are expecting?”[i]

“No.”

22 “Then who are you? We need an answer for those who sent us. What do you have to say about yourself?”

23 John replied in the words of the prophet Isaiah:

“I am a voice shouting in the wilderness,
    ‘Clear the way for the Lord’s coming!’”[j]

24 Then the Pharisees who had been sent 25 asked him, “If you aren’t the Messiah or Elijah or the Prophet, what right do you have to baptize?”

26 John told them, “I baptize with[k] water, but right here in the crowd is someone you do not recognize. 27 Though his ministry follows mine, I’m not even worthy to be his slave and untie the straps of his sandal.”

28 This encounter took place in Bethany, an area east of the Jordan River, where John was baptizing.

Jesus, the Lamb of God

29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! 30 He is the one I was talking about when I said, ‘A man is coming after me who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before me.’ 31 I did not recognize him as the Messiah, but I have been baptizing with water so that he might be revealed to Israel.”

32 Then John testified, “I saw the Holy Spirit descending like a dove from heaven and resting upon him. 33 I didn’t know he was the one, but when God sent me to baptize with water, he told me, ‘The one on whom you see the Spirit descend and rest is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 I saw this happen to Jesus, so I testify that he is the Chosen One of God.[l]

The First Disciples

35 The following day John was again standing with two of his disciples. 36 As Jesus walked by, John looked at him and declared, “Look! There is the Lamb of God!” 37 When John’s two disciples heard this, they followed Jesus.

38 Jesus looked around and saw them following. “What do you want?” he asked them.

They replied, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?”

39 “Come and see,” he said. It was about four o’clock in the afternoon when they went with him to the place where he was staying, and they remained with him the rest of the day.

40 Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of these men who heard what John said and then followed Jesus. 41 Andrew went to find his brother, Simon, and told him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means “Christ”[m]).

42 Then Andrew brought Simon to meet Jesus. Looking intently at Simon, Jesus said, “Your name is Simon, son of John—but you will be called Cephas” (which means “Peter”[n]).

43 The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Come, follow me.” 44 Philip was from Bethsaida, Andrew and Peter’s hometown.

45 Philip went to look for Nathanael and told him, “We have found the very person Moses[o] and the prophets wrote about! His name is Jesus, the son of Joseph from Nazareth.”

46 “Nazareth!” exclaimed Nathanael. “Can anything good come from Nazareth?”

“Come and see for yourself,” Philip replied.

47 As they approached, Jesus said, “Now here is a genuine son of Israel—a man of complete integrity.”

48 “How do you know about me?” Nathanael asked.

Jesus replied, “I could see you under the fig tree before Philip found you.”

49 Then Nathanael exclaimed, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God—the King of Israel!”

50 Jesus asked him, “Do you believe this just because I told you I had seen you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this.” 51 Then he said, “I tell you the truth, you will all see heaven open and the angels of God going up and down on the Son of Man, the one who is the stairway between heaven and earth.[p]

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.
  4. 1:14a Greek became flesh.
  5. 1:14b Or grace and truth; also in 1:17.
  6. 1:16 Or received the grace of Christ rather than the grace of the law; Greek reads received grace upon grace.
  7. 1:18 Some manuscripts read But the one and only Son.
  8. 1:19 Greek and Levites.
  9. 1:21 Greek Are you the Prophet? See Deut 18:15, 18; Mal 4:5-6.
  10. 1:23 Isa 40:3.
  11. 1:26 Or in; also in 1:31, 33.
  12. 1:34 Some manuscripts read the Son of God.
  13. 1:41 Messiah (a Hebrew term) and Christ (a Greek term) both mean “anointed one.”
  14. 1:42 The names Cephas (from Aramaic) and Peter (from Greek) both mean “rock.”
  15. 1:45 Greek Moses in the law.
  16. 1:51 Greek going up and down on the Son of Man; see Gen 28:10-17. “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself.

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.

15 John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.

16 And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.

17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

18 No man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

19 And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou?

20 And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ.

21 And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No.

22 Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself?

23 He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.

24 And they which were sent were of the Pharisees.

25 And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet?

26 John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not;

27 He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose.

28 These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing.

29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

30 This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me.

31 And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.

32 And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.

33 And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.

34 And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.

35 Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples;

36 And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!

37 And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.

38 Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master,) where dwellest thou?

39 He saith unto them, Come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day: for it was about the tenth hour.

40 One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother.

41 He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.

42 And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone.

43 The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me.

44 Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.

45 Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.

46 And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.

47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!

48 Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.

49 Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.

50 Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these.

51 And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.