Prologue

In the beginning(A) was the Word,(B) and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.(C) He was with God in the beginning.(D) All things were created(E) through him,(F) and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created. In him was life,[a](G) and that life was the light(H) of men. That light shines(I) in the darkness, and yet the darkness did not overcome[b] it.(J)

There was a man sent from God whose name was John.(K) He came as a witness to testify about the light, so that all might believe through him.[c] He was not the light, but he came to testify(L) about the light. The true light(M) that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.[d](N)

10 He was in the world, and the world was created(O) through him, and yet the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive(P) him,(Q) he gave them the right(R) to be[e] children(S) of God,(T) to those who believe(U) in his name,(V) 13 who were born,(W) not of natural descent,[f] or of the will(X) of the flesh,(Y) or of the will of man,[g] but of God.(Z)

14 The Word(AA) became flesh(AB) and dwelt[h] among us. We observed his glory,(AC) the glory as the one and only(AD) Son[i] from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 (John testified concerning him and exclaimed, “This was the one of whom I said, ‘The one coming after me(AE) ranks ahead of me,(AF) because he existed before me.’”)(AG) 16 Indeed, we have all received grace(AH) upon[j] grace from his fullness, 17 for the law was given through Moses;(AI) grace and truth(AJ) came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God. The one and only(AK) Son, who is himself God and is at the Father’s(AL) side[k]—he has revealed him.(AM)

John the Baptist’s Testimony

19 This was John’s testimony when the Jews from Jerusalem(AN) sent priests(AO) and Levites(AP) to ask him, “Who are you?”

20 He didn’t deny it but confessed, “I am not the Messiah.”(AQ)

21 “What then?” they asked him. “Are you Elijah?” (AR)

“I am not,” he said.

“Are you the Prophet?” (AS)

“No,” he answered.

22 “Who are you, then?” they asked. “We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What can you tell us about yourself?”

23 He said, “I am a voice of one crying out in the wilderness: Make straight the way of the Lord[l](AT)—just as Isaiah(AU) the prophet said.”

24 Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.(AV) 25 So they asked him, “Why then do you baptize if you aren’t the Messiah, or Elijah, or the Prophet?”

26 “I baptize with[m] water,”(AW) John answered them. “Someone stands among you, but you don’t know him. 27 He is the one coming after me,[n](AX) whose sandal strap I’m not worthy to untie.” 28 All this happened in Bethany[o] across the Jordan,(AY) where John was baptizing.

The Lamb of God

29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God,(AZ) who takes away the sin(BA) of the world! 30 This is the one I told you about: ‘After me comes a man who ranks ahead of me, because he existed before me.’ 31 I didn’t know him,(BB) but I came baptizing with water so that he might be revealed(BC) to Israel.” 32 And John testified, “I saw the Spirit(BD) descending from heaven like a dove, and he rested on him.(BE) 33 I didn’t know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The one you see the Spirit descending and resting on—he is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’(BF) 34 I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.”[p](BG)

35 The next day, John was standing with two of his disciples. 36 When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!”

37 The two disciples heard him say this and followed Jesus. 38 When Jesus turned and noticed them following him, he asked them, “What are you looking for?”

They said to him, “Rabbi”(BH) (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?”

39 “Come and you’ll see,” he replied. So they went and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day. It was about four in the afternoon.[q]

40 Andrew,(BI) Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard John and followed him. 41 He first found his own brother Simon and told him, “We have found the Messiah”[r](BJ) (which is translated “the Christ”),(BK) 42 and he brought Simon to Jesus.

When Jesus saw him, he said, “You are Simon, son of John.[s] You will be called Cephas”(BL) (which is translated “Peter”[t]).

Philip and Nathanael

43 The next day Jesus[u] decided to leave for Galilee. He found Philip(BM) and told him, “Follow me.”

44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida,(BN) the hometown of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip found Nathanael(BO) and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the law (and so did the prophets(BP)): Jesus the son of Joseph,(BQ) from Nazareth.”(BR)

46 “Can anything good(BS) come out of Nazareth?” Nathanael asked him.

“Come and see,” Philip answered.

47 Then Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said about him, “Here truly is an Israelite(BT) in whom there is no deceit.”

48 “How do you know me?” Nathanael asked.

“Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you,” Jesus answered.

49 “Rabbi,”(BU) Nathanael replied, “You are the Son(BV) of God; you are the King of Israel!” (BW)

50 Jesus responded to him, “Do you believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this.” 51 Then he said, “Truly I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God(BX) ascending and descending(BY) on the Son of Man.”(BZ)

Footnotes

  1. 1:3–4 Other punctuation is possible:... not one thing was created. What was created in him was life
  2. 1:5 Or grasp, or comprehend, or overtake; Jn 12:35
  3. 1:7 Or it (the light)
  4. 1:9 Or The true light who comes into the world gives light to everyone, or The true light enlightens everyone coming into the world.
  5. 1:12 Or become
  6. 1:13 Lit blood
  7. 1:13 Or not of human lineage, or of human capacity, or of human volition
  8. 1:14 Or and dwelt in a tent; lit and tabernacled
  9. 1:14 Son is implied from the reference to the Father and from Gk usage.
  10. 1:16 Or in place of
  11. 1:18 Other mss read The one and only Son, who is at the Father’s side
  12. 1:23 Is 40:3
  13. 1:26 Or in, also in vv. 31,33
  14. 1:27 Other mss add who came before me
  15. 1:28 Other mss read in Bethabara
  16. 1:34 Other mss read is the Chosen One of God
  17. 1:39 Lit about the tenth hour
  18. 1:41 Both Hb Messiah and Gk Christos mean “anointed one”
  19. 1:42 Other mss read “Simon, son of Jonah
  20. 1:42 Both Aramaic Cephas and Gk Petros mean “rock”
  21. 1:43 Lit he

Prólogo: Cristo, la Palabra eterna

En el principio la Palabra ya existía.
    La Palabra estaba con Dios,
    y la Palabra era Dios.
El que es la Palabra existía en el principio con Dios.
Dios creó todas las cosas por medio de él,
    y nada fue creado sin él.
La Palabra le dio vida a todo lo creado,[a]
    y su vida trajo luz a todos.
La luz brilla en la oscuridad,
    y la oscuridad jamás podrá apagarla.[b]

Dios envió a un hombre llamado Juan el Bautista[c] para que contara acerca de la luz, a fin de que todos creyeran por su testimonio. Juan no era la luz; era solo un testigo para hablar de la luz. Aquel que es la luz verdadera, quien da luz a todos, venía al mundo.

10 Vino al mismo mundo que él había creado, pero el mundo no lo reconoció. 11 Vino a los de su propio pueblo, y hasta ellos lo rechazaron; 12 pero a todos los que creyeron en él y lo recibieron, les dio el derecho de llegar a ser hijos de Dios. 13 Ellos nacen de nuevo, no mediante un nacimiento físico como resultado de la pasión o de la iniciativa humana, sino por medio de un nacimiento que proviene de Dios.

14 Entonces la Palabra se hizo hombre[d] y vino a vivir entre nosotros. Estaba lleno de amor inagotable y fidelidad.[e] Y hemos visto su gloria, la gloria del único Hijo del Padre.

15 Juan dio testimonio de él cuando clamó a las multitudes: «A él me refería yo cuando decía: “Alguien viene después de mí que es muy superior a mí porque existe desde mucho antes que yo”».

16 De su abundancia, todos hemos recibido una bendición inmerecida tras otra.[f] 17 Pues la ley fue dada por medio de Moisés, pero el amor inagotable de Dios y su fidelidad vinieron por medio de Jesucristo. 18 Nadie ha visto jamás a Dios; pero el Único, que es Dios,[g] está íntimamente ligado al Padre. Él nos ha revelado a Dios.

El testimonio de Juan el Bautista

19 Este fue el testimonio que dio Juan cuando los líderes judíos enviaron sacerdotes y ayudantes del templo[h] desde Jerusalén para preguntarle:

—¿Quién eres?

20 Él dijo con toda franqueza:

—Yo no soy el Mesías.

21 —Bien. Entonces, ¿quién eres?—preguntaron—. ¿Eres Elías?

—No—contestó.

—¿Eres el Profeta que estamos esperando?[i]

—No.

22 —Entonces, ¿quién eres? Necesitamos alguna respuesta para los que nos enviaron. ¿Qué puedes decirnos de ti mismo?

23 Juan contestó con las palabras del profeta Isaías:

«Soy una voz que clama en el desierto:
    “¡Abran camino para la llegada del Señor!”»[j].

24 Entonces los fariseos que habían sido enviados 25 le preguntaron:

—Si no eres el Mesías, ni Elías, ni el Profeta, ¿con qué derecho bautizas?

26 Juan les dijo:

—Yo bautizo con[k] agua, pero aquí mismo, en medio de la multitud, hay alguien a quien ustedes no reconocen. 27 Aunque su servicio viene después del mío, yo ni siquiera soy digno de ser su esclavo, ni de desatar las correas de sus sandalias.

28 Ese encuentro ocurrió en Betania, una región situada al oriente del río Jordán, donde Juan estaba bautizando.

Jesús, el Cordero de Dios

29 Al día siguiente, Juan vio que Jesús se le acercaba y dijo: «¡Miren! ¡El Cordero de Dios, que quita el pecado del mundo! 30 A él me refería cuando yo decía: “Después de mí, vendrá un hombre que es superior a mí porque existe desde mucho antes que yo”. 31 No lo reconocí como el Mesías, aunque estuve bautizando con agua para que él fuera revelado a Israel».

32 Entonces Juan dio testimonio: «Vi al Espíritu Santo descender del cielo como una paloma y reposar sobre él. 33 Yo no sabía que era el Mesías, pero cuando Dios me envió a bautizar con agua, me dijo: “Aquel, sobre quien veas que el Espíritu desciende y reposa, es el que bautizará con el Espíritu Santo”. 34 Vi que eso sucedió con Jesús, por eso doy testimonio de que él es el Elegido de Dios[l]».

Los primeros discípulos

35 Al día siguiente, Juan estaba otra vez allí con dos de sus discípulos. 36 Al pasar Jesús, Juan lo miró y declaró: «¡Miren! ¡Ahí está el Cordero de Dios!». 37 Cuando los dos discípulos de Juan lo oyeron, siguieron a Jesús.

38 Jesús miró a su alrededor y vio que ellos lo seguían.

—¿Qué quieren?—les preguntó.

Ellos contestaron:

—Rabí (que significa “Maestro”), ¿dónde te hospedas?

39 —Vengan y vean—les dijo.

Eran como las cuatro de la tarde cuando lo acompañaron al lugar donde se hospedaba, y se quedaron el resto del día con él.

40 Andrés, hermano de Simón Pedro, era uno de estos hombres que, al oír lo que Juan dijo, siguieron a Jesús. 41 Andrés fue a buscar a su hermano Simón y le dijo: «Hemos encontrado al Mesías» (que significa «Cristo»[m]).

42 Luego Andrés llevó a Simón, para que conociera a Jesús. Jesús miró fijamente a Simón y le dijo: «Tu nombre es Simón hijo de Juan, pero te llamarás Cefas» (que significa «Pedro»[n]).

43 Al día siguiente, Jesús decidió ir a Galilea. Encontró a Felipe y le dijo: «Ven, sígueme». 44 Felipe era de Betsaida, el pueblo natal de Andrés y Pedro.

45 Felipe fue a buscar a Natanael y le dijo:

—¡Hemos encontrado a aquel de quien Moisés[o] y los profetas escribieron! Se llama Jesús, el hijo de José, de Nazaret.

46 —¡Nazaret!—exclamó Natanael—. ¿Acaso puede salir algo bueno de Nazaret?

—Ven y compruébalo tú mismo—le respondió Felipe.

47 Mientras ellos se acercaban, Jesús dijo:

—Aquí viene un verdadero hijo de Israel, un hombre totalmente íntegro.

48 —¿Cómo es que me conoces?—le preguntó Natanael.

—Pude verte debajo de la higuera antes de que Felipe te encontrara—contestó Jesús.

49 Entonces Natanael exclamó:

—Rabí, ¡tú eres el Hijo de Dios, el Rey de Israel!

50 Jesús le preguntó:

—¿Crees eso solo porque te dije que te había visto debajo de la higuera? Verás cosas más grandes que esta.

51 Y agregó: «Les digo la verdad, todos ustedes verán el cielo abierto y a los ángeles de Dios subiendo y bajando sobre el Hijo del Hombre, quien es la escalera entre el cielo y la tierra[p]».

Footnotes

  1. 1:3-4 O y nada de lo que fue creado, fue creado sino por medio de él. La Palabra dio vida a todo.
  2. 1:5 O y la oscuridad no la ha entendido.
  3. 1:6 En griego un hombre llamado Juan.
  4. 1:14a En griego se hizo carne.
  5. 1:14b O de gracia y verdad; similar en 1:17.
  6. 1:16 O recibido la gracia de Cristo en lugar de la gracia de la ley; en griego dice recibido gracia sobre gracia.
  7. 1:18 Algunos manuscritos dicen pero el único Hijo.
  8. 1:19 En griego y levitas.
  9. 1:21 En griego ¿Eres tú el Profeta? Ver Dt 18:15, 18; Ml 4:5-6.
  10. 1:23 Is 40:3.
  11. 1:26 O en; también en 1:31, 33.
  12. 1:34 Algunos manuscritos dicen el Hijo de Dios.
  13. 1:41 Tanto Mesías (término hebreo) como Cristo (término griego) significan «ungido».
  14. 1:42 Tanto el nombre Cefas (del arameo) como el nombre Pedro (del griego) significan «roca».
  15. 1:45 En griego Moisés en la ley.
  16. 1:51 En griego subiendo y bajando sobre el Hijo del Hombre; ver Gn 28:10-17. «Hijo del Hombre» es un título que Jesús empleaba para referirse a sí mismo.

The Eternal Word(A)

In the beginning (B)was the Word, and the (C)Word was (D)with God, and the Word was (E)God. (F)He was in the beginning with God. (G)All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. (H)In Him was life, and (I)the life was the light of men. And (J)the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not [a]comprehend it.

John’s Witness: The True Light

There was a (K)man sent from God, whose name was John. This man came for a (L)witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might (M)believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that (N)Light. (O)That[b] was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.

10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and (P)the world did not know Him. 11 (Q)He came to His [c]own, and His [d]own did not receive Him. 12 But (R)as many as received Him, to them He gave the [e]right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: 13 (S)who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

The Word Becomes Flesh

14 (T)And the Word (U)became (V)flesh and dwelt among us, and (W)we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, (X)full of grace and truth.

15 (Y)John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, (Z)‘He who comes after me [f]is preferred before me, (AA)for He was before me.’ ”

16 [g]And of His (AB)fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. 17 For (AC)the law was given through Moses, but (AD)grace and (AE)truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 (AF)No one has seen God at any time. (AG)The only begotten [h]Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.

A Voice in the Wilderness(AH)

19 Now this is (AI)the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?”

20 (AJ)He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.”

21 And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?”

He said, “I am not.”

“Are you (AK)the Prophet?”

And he answered, “No.”

22 Then they said to him, “Who are you, that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?”

23 He said: (AL)“I am

(AM)‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
“Make straight the way of the Lord,” ’

as the prophet Isaiah said.”

24 Now those who were sent were from the Pharisees. 25 And they asked him, saying, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”

26 John answered them, saying, (AN)“I baptize with water, (AO)but there stands One among you whom you do not know. 27 (AP)It is He who, coming after me, [i]is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose.”

28 These things were done (AQ)in [j]Bethabara beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

The Lamb of God(AR)

29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! (AS)The Lamb of God (AT)who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is He of whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who [k]is preferred before me, for He was before me.’ 31 I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, (AU)therefore I came baptizing with water.”

32 (AV)And John bore witness, saying, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him. 33 I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, (AW)this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 And I have seen and testified that this is the (AX)Son of God.”

The First Disciples

35 Again, the next day, John stood with two of his disciples. 36 And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, (AY)“Behold the Lamb of God!”

37 The two disciples heard him speak, and they (AZ)followed Jesus. 38 Then Jesus turned, and seeing them following, said to them, “What do you seek?”

They said to Him, “Rabbi” (which is to say, when translated, Teacher), “where are You staying?”

39 He said to them, “Come and see.” They came and saw where He was staying, and remained with Him that day (now it was about the tenth hour).

40 One of the two who heard John speak, and followed Him, was (BA)Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. 41 He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, “We have found the [l]Messiah” (which is translated, the Christ). 42 And he brought him to Jesus.

Now when Jesus looked at him, He said, “You are Simon the son of [m]Jonah. (BB)You shall be called Cephas” (which is translated, [n]A Stone).

Philip and Nathanael

43 The following day Jesus wanted to go to Galilee, and He found (BC)Philip and said to him, “Follow Me.” 44 Now (BD)Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip found (BE)Nathanael and said to him, “We have found Him of whom (BF)Moses in the law, and also the (BG)prophets, wrote—Jesus (BH)of Nazareth, the (BI)son of Joseph.”

46 And Nathanael said to him, (BJ)“Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”

Philip said to him, “Come and see.”

47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him, and said of him, “Behold, (BK)an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!”

48 Nathanael said to Him, “How do 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, (BL)You are the Son of God! You are (BM)the King of Israel!”

50 Jesus answered and said to him, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” 51 And He said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, (BN)hereafter[o] you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.”

Footnotes

  1. John 1:5 Or overcome
  2. John 1:9 Or That was the true Light which, coming into the world, gives light to every man.
  3. John 1:11 His own things or domain
  4. John 1:11 His own people
  5. John 1:12 authority
  6. John 1:15 ranks higher than I
  7. John 1:16 NU For
  8. John 1:18 NU God
  9. John 1:27 ranks higher than I
  10. John 1:28 NU, M Bethany
  11. John 1:30 ranks higher than I
  12. John 1:41 Lit. Anointed One
  13. John 1:42 NU John
  14. John 1:42 Gr. Petros, usually translated Peter
  15. John 1:51 NU omits hereafter