John 1:6-36

English Standard Version

⁶ There was a man ^(A)sent from God, whose name was ^(B)John. ⁷ He came as a ^(C)witness, to bear witness about the light, ^(D)that all might believe through him. ^8 (E)He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.

^9 (F)The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. ¹⁰ He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet ^(G)the world did not know him. ¹¹ He came to ^(H)his own,^[a] and ^(I)his own people^{[b] (J)}did not receive him. ¹² But to all who did receive him, ^(K)who believed in his name, ^(L)he gave the right ^(M)to become ^(N)children of God, ¹³ who ^(O)were born, ^(P)not of blood ^(Q)nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

¹⁴ And ^(R)the Word ^(S)became flesh and ^(T)dwelt among us, ^(U)and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son^[c] from the Father, full of ^(V)grace and ^(W)truth. ¹⁵ (^(X)John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ^(Y)‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”) ¹⁶ For from ^(Z)his fullness we have all received, ^(AA)grace upon grace.^{[d] 17} For ^(AB)the law was given through Moses; ^(AC)grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. ^18 (AD)No one has ever seen God; ^(AE)the only God,^[e] who is at the Father's side,^{[f] (AF)}he has made him known.

The Testimony of John the Baptist

¹⁹ And this is the ^(AG)testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, ^(AH)“Who are you?” ^20 (AI)He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” ²¹ And they asked him, “What then? ^(AJ)Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you ^(AK)the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” ²² So they said to him, “Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” ²³ He said, “I am ^(AL)the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight^[g] the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.”

²⁴ (Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.) ²⁵ They asked him, ^(AM)“Then why are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” ²⁶ John answered them, ^(AN)“I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know, ²⁷ even ^(AO)he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.” ²⁸ These things took place in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

Behold, the Lamb of God

²⁹ The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, ^(AP)the Lamb of God, who ^(AQ)takes away the sin ^(AR)of the world! ³⁰ This is he of whom I said, ^(AS)‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’ ³¹ I myself did not know him, but ^(AT)for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.” ³² And John ^(AU)bore witness: ^(AV)“I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and ^(AW)it remained on him. ³³ I myself did not know him, but ^(AX)he who sent me to baptize ^(AY)with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, ^(AZ)this is he who baptizes ^(BA)with the Holy Spirit.’ ³⁴ And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son^[h] of God.”

Jesus Calls the First Disciples

³⁵ The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, ³⁶ and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, ^(BB)the Lamb of God!”