John 1
New Matthew Bible
The everlasting birth of Christ, and how he became man. The testimony of John. The calling of Andrew, Peter, etc.
1 In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by it, and without it was made nothing that was made. 4 In it was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shines in the darkness, but the darkness comprehended it not.
6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 This man came as a witness to bear witness of the light, so that all through him might believe. 8 He was not that light, but was sent to bear witness of the light 9 that was the true light, who lights all men that come into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and yet the world knew him not.
11 He came among his own, and his own received him not. 12 But as many as received him, to them he gave power to be the children of God, in that they believed on his name – 13 who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor yet of the will of man, but of God.
14 And the word was made flesh and dwelt among us. And we saw the glory of it, as the glory of the only begotten Son of the Father, which word was full of grace and truth. 15 John bore witness of him and cried out, saying, This was he of whom I spoke, who, though he came after me, went before me, because he was before me. 16 And of his fullness we have all received, even grace for grace. 17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. 18 No man has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he has declared him.
19 And this is the witness of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who are you? 20 He acknowledged, and did not deny but said plainly, I am not the Christ.
21 And they asked him, What then? Are you Elijah?
And he said, I am not.
Are you a prophet?
And he answered, No.
22 Then said they to him, Who are you, so that we may give an answer to those who sent us: what do you say about yourself?
23 He said, I am the voice of a crier in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord! as the prophet Isaiah said.
24 And those who were sent were of the Pharisees. 25 And they asked him and said to him, Why do you baptize then, if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor a prophet?
26 John answered them, saying, I baptize with water, but one is come among you whom you do not know. 27 He it is that comes after me, who was before me, whose shoe latchet I am not worthy to loose.
28 These things were done in Bethabara beyond the Jordan, where John did baptize.
29 The next day, John saw Jesus coming to him and said, Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is he of whom I said, after me comes a man who went before me, because he was before me. 31 And I did not know him. But in order that he should be declared to Israel, I have come baptizing with water.
32 And John bore witness, saying, I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove and rest upon him. 33 And I did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize in water, the same said to me, Upon whom you see the Spirit descend and remain still on him, the same is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit. 34 And I saw and bore witness that this is the Son of God.
35 The next day after, John was standing again with two of his disciples. 36 And he saw Jesus as he walked by and said, Behold the Lamb of God! 37 And the two disciples heard him speak, and followed Jesus.
38 And Jesus turned about and saw them following and said to them, What are you seeking? They said to him, Rabbi (which means, Teacher), where are you staying? 39 He said to them, Come and see.
They went and saw where he was lodging, and stayed with him that day. For it was about the tenth hour.
40 One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. 41 He found his brother Simon first and said to him, We have found the Messiah! (which translated is, the Anointed). 42 And he brought him to Jesus. And Jesus regarded him and said, You are Simon, the son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas (which translated is, a rock).
43 The day following, Jesus decided to go into Galilee. And he found Philip and said to him, Follow me. 44 Philip was from Bethsaida, the town of Andrew and Peter. 45 And Philip found Nathanael and said to him, We have found him of whom Moses in the law and the prophets did write: Jesus, the son of Joseph of Nazareth. 46 And Nathanael said to him, Can any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip said to him, Come and see.
47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him and said of him, Behold a right Israelite, in whom there is no guile. 48 Nathanael said to him, Where did you know me? Jesus answered and said to him, Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you. 49 Nathanael answered and said to him, Rabbi, you are the Son of God, you are the king of Israel!
50 Jesus answered and said to him, Because I said to you, I saw you under the fig tree, you believe. You will see greater things than these.
51 And he said to him, Truly truly I say to you, hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending over the Son of man.
John 1
Authorized (King James) Version
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. 8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. 9 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.
Copyright © 2016 by Ruth Magnusson (Davis). Includes emendations to February 2022. All rights reserved.
KJV reproduced by permission of Cambridge University Press, the Crown’s patentee in the UK.