John 1
Living Bible
1 1-2 Before anything else existed,[a] there was Christ, with God. He has always been alive and is himself God. 3 He created everything there is—nothing exists that he didn’t make. 4 Eternal life is in him, and this life gives light to all mankind. 5 His life is the light that shines through the darkness—and the darkness can never extinguish it.
6-7 God sent John the Baptist as a witness to the fact that Jesus Christ is the true Light. 8 John himself was not the Light; he was only a witness to identify it.
9 Later on, the one who is the true Light arrived to shine on everyone coming into the world.
10 But although he made the world, the world didn’t recognize him when he came. 11-12 Even in his own land and among his own people, the Jews, he was not accepted. Only a few would welcome and receive him. But to all who received him, he gave the right to become children of God. All they needed to do was to trust him to save them.[b] 13 All those who believe this are reborn!—not a physical rebirth[c] resulting from human passion or plan—but from the will of God.
14 And Christ[d] became a human being and lived here on earth among us and was full of loving forgiveness and truth. And some of us have seen his glory—the glory of the only Son of the heavenly Father!
15 John pointed him out to the people, telling the crowds, “This is the one I was talking about when I said, ‘Someone is coming who is greater by far than I am—for he existed long before I did!’” 16 We have all benefited from the rich blessings he brought to us—blessing upon blessing heaped upon us! 17 For Moses gave us only the Law with its rigid demands and merciless justice, while Jesus Christ brought us loving forgiveness as well. 18 No one has ever actually seen God, but, of course, his only Son has, for he is the companion of the Father and has told us all about him.
19 The Jewish leaders[e] sent priests and assistant priests from Jerusalem to ask John whether he claimed to be the Messiah.
20 He denied it flatly. “I am not the Christ,” he said.
21 “Well then, who are you?” they asked. “Are you Elijah?”
“No,” he replied.
“Are you the Prophet?”[f]
“No.”
22 “Then who are you? Tell us, so we can give an answer to those who sent us. What do you have to say for yourself?”
23 He replied, “I am a voice from the barren wilderness, shouting as Isaiah prophesied, ‘Get ready for the coming of the Lord!’”
24-25 Then those who were sent by the Pharisees asked him, “If you aren’t the Messiah or Elijah or the Prophet, what right do you have to baptize?”
26 John told them, “I merely baptize with[g] water, but right here in the crowd is someone you have never met, 27 who will soon begin his ministry among you, and I am not even fit to be his slave.”
28 This incident took place at Bethany, a village on the other side of the Jordan River where John was baptizing.
29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look! There is the Lamb of God who takes away the world’s sin! 30 He is the one I was talking about when I said, ‘Soon a man far greater than I am is coming, who existed long before me!’ 31 I didn’t know he was the one, but I am here baptizing with water in order to point him out to the nation of Israel.”
32 Then John told about seeing the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove descending from heaven and resting upon Jesus.
33 “I didn’t know he was the one,” John said again, “but at the time God sent me to baptize he told me, ‘When you see the Holy Spirit descending and resting upon someone—he is the one you are looking for. He is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 I saw it happen to this man, and I therefore testify that he is the Son of God.”
35 The following day as John was standing with two of his disciples, 36 Jesus walked by. John looked at him intently and then declared, “See! There is the Lamb of God!”
37 Then John’s two disciples turned and followed Jesus.
38 Jesus looked around and saw them following. “What do you want?” he asked them.
“Sir,” they replied, “where do you live?”
39 “Come and see,” he said. So they went with him to the place where he was staying and were with him from about four o’clock that afternoon until the evening. 40 (One of these men was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother.)
41 Andrew then went to find his brother Peter and told him, “We have found the Messiah!” 42 And he brought Peter to meet Jesus.
Jesus looked intently at Peter for a moment and then said, “You are Simon, John’s son—but you shall be called Peter, the rock!”
43 The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and told him, “Come with me.” 44 (Philip was from Bethsaida, Andrew and Peter’s hometown.)
45 Philip now went off to look for Nathanael and told him, “We have found the Messiah!—the very person Moses and the prophets told about! His name is Jesus, the son of Joseph from Nazareth!”
46 “Nazareth!” exclaimed Nathanael. “Can anything good come from there?”
“Just come and see for yourself,” Philip declared.
47 As they approached, Jesus said, “Here comes an honest man—a true son of Israel.”
48 “How do you know what I am like?” Nathanael demanded.
And Jesus replied, “I could see you under the fig tree before Philip found you.”
49 Nathanael replied, “Sir, you are the Son of God—the King of Israel!”
50 Jesus asked him, “Do you believe all this just because I told you I had seen you under the fig tree? You will see greater proofs than this. 51 You will even see heaven open and the angels of God coming back and forth to me, the Messiah.”[h]
Footnotes
- John 1:1 Before anything else existed, literally, “In the beginning.” Christ, literally, “the Word,” meaning Christ, the wisdom and power of God and the first cause of all things; God’s personal expression of himself to men.
- John 1:11 to trust him to save them, literally, “to believe on his name.”
- John 1:13 not a physical rebirth, literally, “not of blood.”
- John 1:14 Christ, literally, “the Word.” loving forgiveness, literally, “grace.” seen his glory, see Matthew 17:2. the only Son of the heavenly Father, literally, “his unique Son.”
- John 1:19 The Jewish leaders, literally, “The Jews.”
- John 1:21 See Deuteronomy 18:15, 18.
- John 1:26 with, or “in.” So also with, or “in” the Holy Spirit in vv. 31 and 33.
- John 1:51 the Messiah, literally, “the Son of Man.”
John 1
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.
约翰福音 1
Revised Chinese Union Version (Simplified Script) Shen Edition
道成了肉身
1 太初有道，道与 神同在，道就是 神。 2 这道太初与 神同在。 3 万物都是藉着他造的，没有一样不是藉着他造的。凡被造的， 4 在他里面有生命[a]，这生命就是人的光。 5 光照在黑暗里，黑暗却没有胜过光[b]。
6 有一个人，是从 神那里差来的，名叫约翰。 7 这人来是为了作见证，是为那光作见证，要使众人藉着他而信。 8 他不是那光，而是要为那光作见证。 9 那光是真光，来到世上，照亮所有的人[c]。 10 他在世界，世界是藉着他造的，世界却不认识他。 11 他来到自己的地方，自己的人并不接纳他。 12 凡接纳他的，就是信他名的人，他就赐他们权柄作 神的儿女。 13 这些人不是从血生的，不是从情欲生的，也不是从人的意愿生的，而是从 神生的。
14 道成了肉身，住在我们中间，充充满满地有恩典有真理，我们也见过他的荣光，正是父独一儿子[d]的荣光。 15 约翰为他作见证，喊着说：“这就是我曾说：‘那在我以后来的先于我，因为在我以前，他已经存在。’” 16 从他的丰富里，我们都领受了恩典，而且恩上加恩。 17 律法是藉着摩西颁布的；恩典和真理却是由耶稣基督来的。 18 从来没有人见过 神，只有在父怀里独一的儿子将他表明出来。
施洗约翰的见证(A)
19 这是约翰的见证：犹太人从耶路撒冷差祭司和利未人到约翰那里去问他：“你是谁？” 20 他就承认，并不隐瞒，承认说：“我不是基督。” 21 他们又问他：“那么，你是谁？是以利亚吗？”他说：“我不是。”“是那位先知吗？”他回答：“不是。” 22 于是他们对他说：“你到底是谁，好让我们回覆差我们来的人。你说，你自己是谁？” 23 他说：
“我就是那在旷野呼喊的声音：
修直主的道。”
正如以赛亚先知所说的。
24 那些人是法利赛人差来的。 25 他们就问他：“你既不是基督，不是以利亚，也不是那位先知，那么，你为什么施洗呢？” 26 约翰回答：“我是用水施洗，但有一位站在你们中间，是你们不认识的， 27 就是那在我以后来的，我给他解鞋带也不配。” 28 这些事发生在约旦河东边的伯大尼[e]，约翰施洗的地方。
神的羔羊
29 第二天，约翰看见耶稣来到他那里，就说：“看哪， 神的羔羊，除去世人的罪的！ 30 这就是我曾说‘那在我以后来的先于我，因为在我以前，他已经存在’的那一位。 31 我先前不认识他，如今我来用水施洗，为要使他显明给以色列人。” 32 约翰又作见证说：“我曾看见圣灵仿佛鸽子从天降下，停留在他的身上。 33 我先前不认识他，可是那差我来用水施洗的对我说：‘你看见圣灵降下来，停留在谁的身上，谁就是用圣灵施洗的。’ 34 我看见了，所以作证：这一位是 神的儿子。”
初次选召门徒
35 又过了一天，约翰同两个门徒站在那里。 36 他见耶稣走过，就说：“看哪， 神的羔羊！” 37 两个门徒听见他的话，就跟从了耶稣。 38 耶稣转过身来，看见他们跟着，就问他们说：“你们要什么？”他们对他说：“拉比，你在哪里住？”（“拉比”翻出来就是老师。） 39 耶稣说：“你们来看。”他们就去看他在哪里住。这一天他们就跟他同住；那时大约是下午四点钟。 40 听了约翰的话而跟从耶稣的那两个人，其中一个是西门‧彼得的弟弟安得烈。 41 他先找到自己的哥哥西门，对他说：“我们遇见弥赛亚了。”（“弥赛亚”翻出来就是基督。） 42 于是安得烈领西门去见耶稣。耶稣看着他，说：“你是约翰[f]的儿子西门，你要称为矶法。”（“矶法”翻出来就是彼得[g]。）
呼召腓力和拿但业
43 又过了一天，耶稣想要往加利利去。他找到腓力，就对他说：“来跟从我！” 44 这腓力是伯赛大人，是安得烈和彼得的同乡。 45 腓力找到拿但业，对他说：“摩西在律法书上所写的，和众先知所记的那一位，我们遇见了，就是约瑟的儿子拿撒勒人耶稣。” 46 拿但业对他说：“拿撒勒还能出什么好的吗？”腓力说：“你来看。” 47 耶稣看见拿但业向他走来，就论到他说：“看哪，这真是个以色列人！他心里是没有诡诈的。” 48 拿但业对耶稣说：“你从哪里认识我的？”耶稣回答他说：“腓力还没有呼唤你，你在无花果树底下，我就看见你了。” 49 拿但业回答他：“拉比！你是 神的儿子，你是以色列的王。” 50 耶稣回答他说：“因为我说在无花果树底下看见你，你就信吗？你将看见比这些更大的事呢！” 51 他又说：“我实实在在地告诉你们，你们将要看见天开了， 神的使者在人子身上，上去下来。”
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
和合本修訂版經文 © 2006, 2010, 2017 香港聖經公會。蒙允許使用。 Scripture Text of Revised Chinese Union Version © 2006, 2010, 2017 Hong Kong Bible Society. www.hkbs.org.hk/en/ Used by permission.