John 1
The Word Became Flesh
aIn the beginning was bthe Word, and cthe Word was with God, and dthe Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 aAll things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 aIn him was life, and bthe life was the light of men. 5 aThe light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
6 There was a man asent from God, whose name was bJohn. 7 He came as a awitness, to bear witness about the light, bthat all might believe through him. 8 aHe was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.
9 aThe true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet athe world did not know him. 11 He came to ahis own, and bhis own people cdid not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, awho believed in his name, bhe gave the right cto become dchildren of God, 13 who awere born, bnot of blood cnor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
14 And athe Word bbecame flesh and cdwelt among us, dand we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of egrace and ftruth. 15 (aJohn bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, b‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”) 16 For from ahis fullness we have all received, bgrace upon grace. 17 For athe law was given through Moses; bgrace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 aNo one has ever seen God; bGod the only Son, who is at the Father’s side, che has made him known.
The Testimony of John the Baptist
19 And this is the atestimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, b“Who are you?” 20 aHe confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” 21 And they asked him, “What then? aAre you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you bthe Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” 22 So they said to him, “Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” 23 He said, “I am athe voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.”
24 (Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.) 25 They asked him, a“Then why are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” 26 John answered them, a“I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know, 27 even ahe who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.” 28 These things took place in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
Behold, the Lamb of God
29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, athe Lamb of God, who btakes away the sin cof the world! 30 This is he of whom I said, a‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’ 31 I myself did not know him, but afor this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.” 32 And John abore witness: b“I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and cit remained on him. 33 I myself did not know him, but ahe who sent me to baptize bwith water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, cthis is he who baptizes bwith the Holy Spirit.’ 34 And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.”
Jesus Calls the First Disciples
35 The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, 36 and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, athe Lamb of God!” 37 The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. 38 Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, a“What are you seeking?” And they said to him, b“Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?” 39 He said to them, “Come and you will see.” So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour. 40 aOne of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. 41 He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found athe Messiah” (which means Christ). 42 He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of aJohn. You shall be called bCephas” (which means cPeter).
Jesus Calls Philip and Nathanael
43 aThe next day Jesus decided bto go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” 44 Now aPhilip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip found aNathanael and said to him, “We have found him of whom bMoses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus cof Nazareth, dthe son of Joseph.” 46 Nathanael said to him, a“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, aan Israelite indeed, bin whom there is no deceit!” 48 Nathanael said to him, “How ado you know me?” Jesus answered him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” 49 Nathanael answered him, a“Rabbi, byou are the Son of God! You are the cKing of Israel!” 50 Jesus answered 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, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see aheaven opened, and bthe angels of God ascending and descending on cthe Son of Man.”
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway,
a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.