⁴ In Him was life [and the power to bestow life], and the life was the Light of men.

⁷ This man came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe [in Christ, the Light] through him. ⁸ John was not the Light, but came to testify about the Light.

⁹ There it was—the true Light [the genuine, perfect, steadfast Light] which, coming into the world, enlightens everyone.^(A)

¹⁹ This is the judgment [that is, the cause for indictment, the test by which people are judged, the basis for the sentence]: the Light has come into the world, and people loved the ^[a]darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil.^(A)

Jesus Is the Light of the World

¹² Once more Jesus addressed the crowd. He said, “^[a]I am the Light of the world. He who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.”

³⁵ So Jesus said to them, “The Light is among you [only] a little while longer. Walk while you have the Light [keep on living by it], so that darkness will not overtake you. He who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going [he is drifting aimlessly]. ³⁶ While you have the Light, believe and trust in the Light [have faith in it, hold on to it, rely on it], so that you may become sons of Light [being filled with Light as followers of God].”

Jesus said these things, and then He left and hid Himself from them.

⁴⁶ I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes and trusts in Me [as Savior—all those who anchor their hope in Me and rely on the truth of My message] will not continue to live in darkness.

⁶ For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give us the Light of the knowledge of the glory and majesty of God [clearly revealed] in the face of Christ.^(A)