Christ Comes to the World

In the beginning [Gen. 1:1] ·there was the Word [the Word already existed; ^Cthe Word refers to Christ, God’s revelation of himself]. The Word was ·with [in the presence of; in intimate relationship with] God [^Cthe Father], and the Word was [fully] God.

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].

[^LFor] The One whom God sent speaks the words of God, because God gives him the Spirit ·fully [^Lwithout measure/limit].

Jesus ·said [answered; replied], “If you only knew the ·free gift [^Lgift] of God and who it is that is asking you ·for water [^L“Give me a drink”], you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.” [^C“Living water” in Greek can mean fresh running water, but Jesus means “water which gives eternal life”; the woman misunderstands this play on words.]

The person who belongs to God ·accepts what God says [^Lhears/obeys the words of God]. But you don’t ·accept what God says [hear; obey], because you don’t belong to God.”

I did works among them that no one else has ever done. If I had not done these works, they would not be guilty of sin. [^CJesus’ words and actions resulted in their guilt because they rejected him despite the evidence (the “signs”) that God was working through him; see Matt. 11:20–24; Luke 11:31–32.] But now they have seen what I have done, and yet they have hated both me and my Father.