John 1:14-18

Expanded Bible

¹⁴ The Word became ·a human [^Tflesh] and ·lived [made his home; pitched his tabernacle; ^CGod’s glorious presence dwelt in Israel’s tabernacle in the wilderness] among us. We saw his ·glory [majesty]—the glory that belongs to the ·only Son [one and only; ^Tonly begotten] ·of [who came from] the Father—and he was full of ·grace and truth [God’s gracious love and faithfulness; Ex. 34:5–7]. ¹⁵ John ·tells the truth about [testifies concerning; witnesses about] him and cries out, saying, “This is the One I told you about: ‘The One who comes after me [^Cin time] is greater than I am, because he ·was living [existed] before me [^Ca reference to Christ’s preexistence; 1:1–2].’”

¹⁶ ·Because he was full of grace and truth [^LFrom his fullness; 1:14], from him we all received ·one gift after another [^Lgrace for grace; ^Cthis could mean abundant grace or that the grace under Christ replaced grace under the law]. ¹⁷ The law was given through Moses [Ex. 19—24], but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. ¹⁸ No one has ever seen God [^CGod the Father, who is pure spirit; 4:24]. But ·God the only Son^[a] [God the one and only; the only Son who is himself God; ^TGod the only begotten] is ·very close to [by the side of; close to the heart of; ^Tin the bosom of] the Father, and he has ·shown us what God is like [made him known].