The Word Became Flesh

1 In the beginning was the Word,^(A) and the Word was with God,^(B) and the Word was God.^{(C) 2} He was with God in the beginning.^{(D) 3} Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.^{(E) 4} In him was life,^(F) and that life was the light^(G) of all mankind. ⁵ The light shines in the darkness,^(H) and the darkness has not overcome^[a] it.^(I)

⁶ There was a man sent from God whose name was John.^{(J) 7} He came as a witness to testify^(K) concerning that light, so that through him all might believe.^{(L) 8} He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.

⁹ 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.

Jesus Changes Water Into Wine

2 On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee.^(A) Jesus’ mother^(B) was there, ² and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. ³ When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.”

⁴ “Woman,^[a](C) why do you involve me?”^(D) Jesus replied. “My hour^(E) has not yet come.”

⁵ His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”^(F)

⁶ Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing,^(G) each holding from twenty to thirty gallons.^[b]

⁷ Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim.

⁸ Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.”

They did so, ⁹ and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine.^(H) He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside ¹⁰ and said, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.”

Dispute Over Jesus’ Testimony

¹² When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am^(A) the light of the world.^(B) Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”^(C)

¹¹ “I am^(A) the good shepherd.^(B) The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.^{(C) 12} The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away.^(D) Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. ¹³ The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.

¹⁴ “I am the good shepherd;^(E) I know my sheep^(F) and my sheep know me— ¹⁵ just as the Father knows me and I know the Father^(G)—and I lay down my life for the sheep.^{(H) 16} I have other sheep^(I) that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock^(J) and one shepherd.^{(K) 17} The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life^(L)—only to take it up again. ¹⁸ No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord.^(M) I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”^(N)

The Death of Lazarus

11 Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany,^(A) the village of Mary and her sister Martha.^{(B) 2} (This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair.)^{(C) 3} So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love^(D) is sick.”

⁴ When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory^(E) so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” ⁵ Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. ⁶ So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days, ⁷ and then he said to his disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.”^(F)

⁸ “But Rabbi,”^(G) they said, “a short while ago the Jews there tried to stone you,^(H) and yet you are going back?”

⁹ Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Anyone who walks in the daytime will not stumble, for they see by this world’s light.^{(I) 10} It is when a person walks at night that they stumble, for they have no light.”

¹¹ After he had said this, he went on to tell them, “Our friend^(J) Lazarus has fallen asleep;^(K) but I am going there to wake him up.”

¹² His disciples replied, “Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better.” ¹³ Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep.^(L)

¹⁴ So then he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead, ¹⁵ and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.”

¹⁶ Then Thomas^(M) (also known as Didymus^[a]) said to the rest of the disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”

Jesus Comforts the Sisters of Lazarus

¹⁷ On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days.^{(N) 18} Now Bethany^(O) was less than two miles^[b] from Jerusalem, ¹⁹ and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother.^{(P) 20} When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home.^(Q)

God’s Love and Ours

⁷ Dear friends, let us love one another,^(A) for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God^(B) and knows God.^{(C) 8} Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.^{(D) 9} This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son^(E) into the world that we might live through him.^{(F) 10} This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us^(G) and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.^{(H) 11} Dear friends,^(I) since God so loved us,^(J) we also ought to love one another.^{(K) 12} No one has ever seen God;^(L) but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.^(M)

John’s Vision of Christ

⁹ I, John,^(A) your brother and companion in the suffering^(B) and kingdom^(C) and patient endurance^(D) that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God^(E) and the testimony of Jesus.^{(F) 10} On the Lord’s Day^(G) I was in the Spirit,^(H) and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet,^{(I) 11} which said: “Write on a scroll what you see^(J) and send it to the seven churches:^(K) to Ephesus,^(L) Smyrna,^(M) Pergamum,^(N) Thyatira,^(O) Sardis,^(P) Philadelphia^(Q) and Laodicea.”^(R)

¹² I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands,^{(S) 13} and among the lampstands^(T) was someone like a son of man,^[a](U) dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet^(V) and with a golden sash around his chest.^{(W) 14} The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire.^{(X) 15} His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace,^(Y) and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters.^{(Z) 16} In his right hand he held seven stars,^(AA) and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword.^(AB) His face was like the sun^(AC) shining in all its brilliance.

¹⁷ When I saw him, I fell at his feet^(AD) as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me^(AE) and said: “Do not be afraid.^(AF) I am the First and the Last.^{(AG) 18} I am the Living One; I was dead,^(AH) and now look, I am alive for ever and ever!^(AI) And I hold the keys of death and Hades.^(AJ)

¹⁹ “Write, therefore, what you have seen,^(AK) what is now and what will take place later. ²⁰ The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand^(AL) and of the seven golden lampstands^(AM) is this: The seven stars are the angels^[b] of the seven churches,^(AN) and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.^(AO)

To the Church in Ephesus

2 “To the angel^[a] of the church in Ephesus^(A) write: