The true light(A) that gives light to everyone(B) was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him,(C) the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.(D) 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed(E) in his name,(F) he gave the right to become children of God(G) 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.(H)

14 The Word became flesh(I) and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory,(J) the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace(K) and truth.(L)

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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[a] and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness.[b] And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.

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Footnotes

  1. 1:14a Greek became flesh.
  2. 1:14b Or grace and truth; also in 1:17.

9-13 The Life-Light was the real thing:
    Every person entering Life
    he brings into Light.
He was in the world,
    the world was there through him,
    and yet the world didn’t even notice.
He came to his own people,
    but they didn’t want him.
But whoever did want him,
    who believed he was who he claimed
    and would do what he said,
He made to be their true selves,
    their child-of-God selves.
These are the God-begotten,
    not blood-begotten,
    not flesh-begotten,
    not sex-begotten.

14 The Word became flesh and blood,
    and moved into the neighborhood.
We saw the glory with our own eyes,
    the one-of-a-kind glory,
    like Father, like Son,
Generous inside and out,
    true from start to finish.

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