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Introduction

We proclaim to you the one who existed from the beginning,[a] whom we have heard and seen. We saw him with our own eyes and touched him with our own hands. He is the Word of life.

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Footnotes

  1. 1:1 Greek What was from the beginning.

The Incarnation of the Word of Life

That which was from the beginning,(A) which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes,(B) which we have looked at and our hands have touched(C)—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life.

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27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and look at my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!”

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27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”(A)

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20 We cannot stop telling about everything we have seen and heard.”

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20 As for us, we cannot help speaking(A) about what we have seen and heard.”(B)

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14 Furthermore, we have seen with our own eyes and now testify that the Father sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.

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14 And we have seen and testify(A) that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.(B)

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39 Look at my hands. Look at my feet. You can see that it’s really me. Touch me and make sure that I am not a ghost, because ghosts don’t have bodies, as you see that I do.”

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39 Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see;(A) a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.”

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16 For we were not making up clever stories when we told you about the powerful coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. We saw his majestic splendor with our own eyes 17 when he received honor and glory from God the Father. The voice from the majestic glory of God said to him, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.”[a] 18 We ourselves heard that voice from heaven when we were with him on the holy mountain.

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16 For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power,(A) but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.(B) 17 He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”[a](C) 18 We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain.(D)

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Peter 1:17 Matt. 17:5; Mark 9:7; Luke 9:35

26 The Father has life in himself, and he has granted that same life-giving power to his Son.

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26 For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life(A) in himself.

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“I am the Alpha and the Omega—the beginning and the end,”[a] says the Lord God. “I am the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come—the Almighty One.”

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Footnotes

  1. 1:8 Greek I am the Alpha and the Omega, referring to the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet.

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,”(A) says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come,(B) the Almighty.”(C)

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This one who is life itself was revealed to us, and we have seen him. And now we testify and proclaim to you that he is the one who is eternal life. He was with the Father, and then he was revealed to us. We proclaim to you what we ourselves have actually seen and heard so that you may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.

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The life appeared;(A) we have seen it and testify to it,(B) and we proclaim to you the eternal life,(C) which was with the Father and has appeared to us. We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard,(D) so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.(E)

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The Message to the Church in Smyrna

“Write this letter to the angel of the church in Smyrna. This is the message from the one who is the First and the Last, who was dead but is now alive:

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To the Church in Smyrna

“To the angel of the church in Smyrna(A) write:

These are the words of him who is the First and the Last,(B) who died and came to life again.(C)

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17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as if I were dead. But he laid his right hand on me and said, “Don’t be afraid! I am the First and the Last. 18 I am the living one. I died, but look—I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and the grave.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. 1:18 Greek and Hades.

17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet(A) as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me(B) and said: “Do not be afraid.(C) I am the First and the Last.(D) 18 I am the Living One; I was dead,(E) and now look, I am alive for ever and ever!(F) And I hold the keys of death and Hades.(G)

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During the forty days after he suffered and died, he appeared to the apostles from time to time, and he proved to them in many ways that he was actually alive. And he talked to them about the Kingdom of God.

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After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them(A) over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.(B)

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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.

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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.

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)

15 (John testified(Y) concerning him. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’”)(Z) 16 Out of his fullness(AA) we have all received grace(AB) in place of grace already given. 17 For the law was given through Moses;(AC) grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.(AD) 18 No one has ever seen God,(AE) but the one and only Son, who is himself God and[b](AF) is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.

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Footnotes

  1. John 1:5 Or understood
  2. John 1:18 Some manuscripts but the only Son, who