The Word of Life

1 We declare to you what was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the word of life^(A)—

²⁷ Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.”^(A)

¹⁴ And we have seen and do testify that the Father has sent his Son as the Savior of the world.

²⁰ for we cannot keep from speaking about what we have seen and heard.”^(A)

Eyewitnesses of Christ’s Glory

¹⁶ For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we had been eyewitnesses of his majesty.^{(A) 17} For he received honor and glory from God the Father when that voice was conveyed to him by the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, my Beloved,^[a] with whom I am well pleased.”^{(B) 18} We ourselves heard this voice come from heaven, while we were with him on the holy mountain.^(C)

²⁶ For just as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself,

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

The Word Became Flesh

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.^{(A) 2} He was in the beginning with God. ³ All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being^{(B) 4} in him was life,^[a] and the life was the light of all people.^{(C) 5} The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overtake it.

⁶ There was a man sent from God whose name was John. ⁷ He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. ⁸ He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. ⁹ The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.^[b](D)

¹⁰ He was in the world, and the world came into being through him, yet the world did not know him.^{(E) 11} He came to what was his own,^[c] and his own people did not accept him. ¹² But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God,^{(F) 13} who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.^(G)

¹⁴ And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son,^[d] full of grace and truth.^{(H) 15} (John testified to him and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he was before me.’ ”) ¹⁶ From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.^{[e](I) 17} The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.^{(J) 18} No one has ever seen God. It is the only Son, himself God, who^[f] is close to the Father’s heart,^[g] who has made him known.^(K)

¹⁷ When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he placed his right hand on me, saying, “Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last^{(A) 18} and the Living One. I was dead, and see, I am alive forever and ever, and I have the keys of Death and of Hades.^(B)