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Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.
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In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.
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He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe.
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He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.
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He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him.
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He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.
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Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—
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(John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’”)
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No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.
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John the Baptist Denies Being the Messiah
Now this was John’s testimony when the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was.
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He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, “I am not the Messiah.”
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They asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” He answered, “No.”
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questioned him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”
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He is the one who comes after me, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.”
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John Testifies About Jesus
The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
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This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’
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I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.”
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Then John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him.
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And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’
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When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus.
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Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, “What do you want?” They said, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?”
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“Come,” he replied, “and you will see.” So they went and saw where he was staying, and they spent that day with him. It was about four in the afternoon.
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The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ).
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And he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which, when translated, is Peter).
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Jesus Calls Philip and Nathanael
The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, “Follow me.”
