John 1-4

Wycliffe Bible

1 In the beginning was the word, and the word was at God, and God was the word. [In the beginning was the word, that is, God's Son, and the word was at God, and God was the word.]

² This was in the beginning at God.

³ All things were made by him, and without him was made nothing [nought], that thing that was made.

⁴ In him was life, and the life was the light of men;

⁵ and the light shineth in darknesses, and [the] darknesses comprehended not it.

⁶ A man was sent from God, to whom the name was John.

⁷ This man came into witnessing, that he should bear witnessing of the light, that all men should believe by him.

⁸ He was not that light, but that he should bear witnessing of the light.

⁹ There was a very light, which lighteneth each man that cometh into this world [that lighteth each man coming into this world].

¹⁰ He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.

¹¹ He came into his own things, and his received him not.

¹² But how many ever received him, he gave to them power to be made the sons of God, to them that believe in his name;

¹³ the which not of bloods [which not of bloods], neither of the will of flesh, neither of the will of man, but be born of God.

¹⁴ And the word was made man, and dwelled among us, and we have seen the glory of him, as the glory of the one begotten Son of the Father, full of grace and of truth. [And the word, that is, God's Son, is made flesh, or man, and hath dwelled in us, and we have seen the glory of him, the glory as of the one begotten of the Father, the Son full of grace and truth.]

¹⁵ John beareth witnessing of him, and crieth, and saith, This is he of whom I said, He that shall come after me, is made before me [saying, This it was, whom I said, He that cometh after me, is made before me], for he was before me;

¹⁶ and of the plenty of him we all have taken, and grace for grace.

¹⁷ For the law was given by Moses; but grace and truth is made by Jesus Christ.

¹⁸ No man saw ever God [No man ever saw God], but the one begotten Son, that is in the bosom of the Father, he hath told out.

¹⁹ And this is the witnessing of John, when Jews sent from Jerusalem priests and deacons to him, that they should ask him, Who art thou?

²⁰ [And] He acknowledged, and denied not, and he acknowledged, For I am not Christ.

²¹ And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he said, I am not. Art thou a prophet [Art thou the prophet]? And he answered, Nay.

²² Therefore they said to him, Who art thou? That we give an answer to these that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself?

²³ He said, I am a voice of a crier in desert [I am a voice of a man crying in desert], Dress ye the way of the Lord, as Esaias, the prophet, said.

²⁴ And they that were sent, were of the Pharisees.

²⁵ And they asked him, and said to him, What then baptizest thou, if thou art not Christ, neither Elias, neither a prophet?

²⁶ John answered to them, and said [saying], I baptize in water, but in the middle of you hath stand one, that ye know not [whom ye know not];

²⁷ he it is, that shall come after me [he it is, that is to coming after me], that was made before me, of whom I am not worthy to loose the thong of his shoe.

²⁸ These things were done in Bethany beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing.

²⁹ Another day John saw Jesus coming to him, and he said, Lo! the lamb of God; lo! he that doeth away the sins of the world.^[a]

³⁰ This is he, that I said of, After me is come a man [This is he, of whom I said, After me cometh a man], which was made before me; for he was rather than I.

³¹ And I knew him not, but that he be showed in Israel, therefore I came baptizing in water.

³² And John bare witnessing, and said, I saw the Spirit coming down as a culver from heaven, and dwelled on him. [And John bare witnessing, saying, For I saw the Spirit coming down, as a culver from heaven, and dwelling upon him.]

³³ And I knew him not; but he that sent me to baptize in water, said to me, On whom thou seest the Spirit coming down [Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit coming down], and dwelling on him, this is he, that baptizeth in the Holy Ghost.

³⁴ And I saw, and bare witnessing, that this is the Son of God.

³⁵ Another day John stood [Again John stood in another day], and two of his disciples;

³⁶ and he beheld Jesus walking, and saith [and he beholding Jesus walking, saith], Lo! the lamb of God.

³⁷ And two disciples heard him speaking, and [they] followed Jesus.

³⁸ And Jesus turned, and saw them following him, and saith to them, What seek ye? And they said to him, Rabbi, that is to say [that is interpreted], Master, where dwellest thou?

³⁹ And he saith to them, Come ye, and see. And they came, and saw where he dwelled [He saith to them, Come, and see ye. They came, and saw where he dwelt]; and dwelt with him that day. And it was as the tenth hour.

⁴⁰ And Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, was one of the twain, that heard of John, and had followed him.

⁴¹ This found first his brother Simon, and he said to him, We have found Messias, that is to say, Christ; [This found first his brother Simon, and he saith to him, We have found Messias, that is interpreted Christ;]

⁴² and he led him to Jesus. And Jesus beheld him, and said, Thou art Simon, the son of Jona; thou shalt be called Cephas, that is to say [that is interpreted], Peter.

⁴³ And on the morrow he would go out into Galilee, and he found Philip; and he saith to him [and Jesus saith to him], Follow thou me.

⁴⁴ Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and of Peter [the city of Andrew and Peter].

⁴⁵ Philip found Nathanael, and said to him [and he saith to him], We have found Jesus, the son of Joseph, of Nazareth, whom Moses wrote in the law and the prophets.

⁴⁶ And Nathanael said to him, Of Nazareth may some good thing be? Philip said to him [Philip saith to him], Come, and see.

⁴⁷ Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and said of him [and saith of him], Lo! verily a man of Israel, in whom is no guile.

⁴⁸ Nathanael said to him [Nathanael saith to him], Whereof hast thou known me? Jesus answered, and said to him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou were under the fig tree, I saw thee.

⁴⁹ Nathanael answered to him, and said [and saith], Rabbi, thou art the Son of God, thou art king of Israel.

⁵⁰ Jesus answered, and said to him, For I said to thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, thou believest; thou shalt see more than these things [thou shalt see more things than these].

⁵¹ And he said to them, Truly, truly, I say to you, ye shall see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending up and coming down on man's Son [and the angels of God ascending up and coming down upon man's Son].

2 And the third day weddings were made in the Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there.

² And Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the weddings.

³ And when wine failed, the mother of Jesus said to him, They have not wine.

⁴ And Jesus saith to her, What to me and to thee, woman? mine hour came not yet.

⁵ His mother saith to the ministers, Whatever thing he saith to you, do ye.

⁶ And there were set six stone cans, after the cleansing of the Jews, holding each two or three metretes. [Forsooth there were put six stone pots, after the cleansing of Jews, taking each two or three measures.]

⁷ And Jesus saith to them, Fill ye the pots with water. And they filled them, up to the mouth. [Jesus saith to them, Fill ye the pots with water. And they filled them unto the highest part.]

⁸ And Jesus said to them, Draw ye now, and bear ye to the master of the feast^[b]. And they bare.

⁹ And when the master of the feast had tasted the water made wine, and knew not whereof it was, but the ministers knew that drew the water^[c], the master of the feast calleth the spouse,

¹⁰ and saith to him, Each man setteth first good wine, and when men be filled, then that that is worse; but thou hast kept the good wine into this time. [and saith to him, Each man putteth first good wine, and when men shall be full-filled, then that that is worse; soothly thou hast kept good wine till now.]

¹¹ Jesus did this the beginning of signs in the Cana of Galilee, and showed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.

¹² After these things he came down to Capernaum, and his mother, and his brethren, and his disciples; and they dwelled there not many days [and they dwelt there not many days].

¹³ And the pask of Jews was nigh, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

¹⁴ And he found in the temple men selling oxen, and sheep, and culvers, and [money-]changers sitting.

¹⁵ And when he had made as it were a scourge of small cords, he drove out all of the temple, and oxen, and sheep^[d]; and he shedded [out] the money of changers, and turned upside-down the boards.

¹⁶ And he said to them that sold culvers, Take away from hence these things, and do not ye make the house of my Father an house of merchandise.

¹⁷ And his disciples had mind, for it was written, The fervent love of thine house hath eaten me [The zeal, or fervour of love, of thine house hath eaten me].

¹⁸ Therefore the Jews answered, and said to him, What token showest thou to us [What sign, or token, showest thou to us], that thou doest these things?

¹⁹ Jesus answered, and said to them, Undo ye this temple, and in three days I shall raise it.

²⁰ Therefore the Jews said to him, In forty and six years this temple was builded, and shalt thou in three days raise it [In forty and six years this temple is built, and thou in three days shalt raise it]?

²¹ But he said of the temple of his body.

²² Therefore when he was risen from death, his disciples had mind, that he said these things of his body [Therefore when he had risen from dead men, his disciples had mind, for he said this thing]; and they believed to the scripture, and to the word that Jesus said.

²³ And when Jesus was at Jerusalem in pask, in the feast day, many believed in his name, seeing his signs that he did [seeing the signs of him which he did].

²⁴ But Jesus trusted not himself to them, for he knew all men;

²⁵ and for it was not need to him, that any man should bear witnessing of man, for he knew, what was in man.

3 And there was a man of the Pharisees, Nicodemus by name, a prince of the Jews.

² And he came to Jesus by night, and said to him, Rabbi, we know, that thou art come from God a master [Rabbi, we know, for of God thou hast come a master]; for no man may do these signs, that thou doest, but God be with him.

³ Jesus answered, and said to him, Truly, truly, I say to thee, but a man be born again, he may not see the kingdom of God.

⁴ Nicodemus said to him [Nicodemus saith to him], How may a man be born, when he is old? whether he may enter again into his mother's womb, and be born again?

⁵ Jesus answered, Truly, truly, I say to thee, but a man be born again of water, and of the Holy Ghost, he may not enter into the kingdom of God.

⁶ That that is born of the flesh, is flesh; and that that is born of the Spirit, is spirit.

⁷ Wonder thou not, for I said to thee, It behooveth you to be born again.

⁸ The Spirit breatheth where he will, and thou hearest his voice, but thou knowest not, from whence he cometh, nor whither he goeth; so is each man that is born of the Spirit.

⁹ Nicodemus answered, and said to him, How may these things be done [How be these things able to be done]?

¹⁰ Jesus answered, and said to him, Thou art a master in Israel, and knowest not these things? [Jesus answered, and said to him, Art thou a master in Israel, and knowest not these things?]

¹¹ Truly, truly, I say to thee, for we speak that that we know, and we witness that that we have seen, and ye take not our witnessing.

¹² If I have said to you earthly things, and ye believe not, how if I say to you heavenly things, shall ye believe?

¹³ And no man ascendeth [up] into heaven, but he that came down from heaven, man's Son that is in heaven. [And no man ascendeth into heaven, no but he that came down from heaven, the Son of man which is in heaven.]

¹⁴ And as Moses areared a serpent in desert [And as Moses reared up a serpent in desert], so it behooveth man's Son to be raised [up],

¹⁵ that each man that believeth in him, perish not, but have everlasting life.

¹⁶ For God loved so the world [Forsooth God so loved the world], that he gave his one begotten Son, that each man that believeth in him perish not, but have everlasting life.

¹⁷ For God sent not his Son into the world, that he judge the world, but that the world be saved by him.

¹⁸ He that believeth in him, is not deemed; but he that believeth not, is now deemed [He that believeth into him is not deemed, or condemned; forsooth he that believeth not, is now condemned], for he believeth not in the name of the one begotten Son of God.

¹⁹ And this is the doom, for light came into the world, and men loved more darknesses than light; for their works were evil.

²⁰ For each man that doeth evil, hateth the light; and he cometh not to the light [and cometh not to the light], that his works be not reproved.

²¹ But he that doeth truth, cometh to the light, that his works be showed, that they be done in God.

²² After these things Jesus came, and his disciples, into the land of Judaea, and there he dwelled with them, and baptized [and baptized, or christened].

²³ And John was baptizing in Aenon, beside Salim, for many waters were there; and they came, and were baptized.

²⁴ And John was not yet sent into prison.

²⁵ Therefore a question was made of John's disciples with the Jews, of the purification [of the purification, or cleansing].

²⁶ And they came to John, and said to him, Master [Rabbi, or Master], he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou hast borne witnessing, lo! he baptizeth, and all men come to him.

²⁷ John answered, and said, A man may not take any thing, but it be given to him from heaven.

²⁸ Ye yourselves bear witnessing to me, that I said, I am not Christ, but that I am sent before him.

²⁹ He that hath a wife, is the husband^[e]; but the friend of the spouse that standeth, and heareth him, joyeth with joy, for the voice of the spouse. Therefore in this thing my joy is fulfilled.

³⁰ It behooveth him to wax, but me to be made less. [It behooveth him to wax, forsooth me to be diminished, or made less.]

³¹ He that came from above, is above all; he that is of the earth, speaketh of the earth; he that cometh from heaven, is above all.

³² And he witnesseth that thing that he hath seen, and heard [And this thing that he saw and heard, he witnesseth], and no man taketh his witnessing.

³³ But he that taketh his witnessing, hath confirmed that God is soothfast. [Forsooth he that hath taken his witnessing, hath marked that God is soothfast.]

³⁴ But he whom God hath sent, speaketh the words of God; for not to measure God giveth the Spirit.

³⁵ The Father loveth the Son, and he hath given all things into his hand.

³⁶ He that believeth in the Son, hath everlasting life; but he that is unbelieveful to the Son, shall not see everlasting life, but the wrath of God dwelleth on him.

4 Therefore as Jesus knew, that the Pharisees heard, that Jesus maketh and baptizeth more disciples than John,

² though Jesus baptized not, but his disciples,

³ he left Judaea, and went again into Galilee.

⁴ And it behooved him to pass by Samaria.

⁵ Therefore Jesus came into a city of Samaria, that is called Sychar, beside the place [beside the manor, or field], that Jacob gave to Joseph, his son.

⁶ And the well of Jacob was there; and Jesus was weary of the journey, and sat thus upon the well [soothly Jesus made weary of the journey, sat thus on the well]. And the hour was, as it were the sixth.

⁷ And a woman came from Samaria, to draw water. And Jesus saith to her, Give me [to] drink.

⁸ And his disciples were gone into the city, to buy meat.

⁹ Therefore that woman of Samaria saith to him, How thou, that art a Jew, askest of me a drink, that am a woman of Samaria [which am a woman of Samaria]? for [the] Jews used not to deal with [the] Samaritans.

¹⁰ Jesus answered, and said to her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is, that saith to thee, Give me [to] drink, thou peradventure wouldest have asked of him, and he should have given to thee quick water.

¹¹ The woman saith to him, Sire, thou hast not wherein to draw [Sire, neither thou hast in what thing thou shalt draw], and the pit is deep; whereof then hast thou quick water?

¹² Whether thou art greater than our father Jacob, that gave to us the pit? and he drank thereof, and his sons, and his beasts.

¹³ Jesus answered, and said to her, Each man that drinketh of this water, shall thirst again;

¹⁴ but he that drinketh of the water that I shall give him, shall not thirst without end [shall not thirst into without end]; but the water that I shall give him, shall be made in him a well of water, springing up into everlasting life.

¹⁵ The woman saith to him, Sire, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw.

¹⁶ Jesus saith to her, Go, call thine husband, and come hither.

¹⁷ The woman answered, and said, I have none husband [I have not an husband]. Jesus saith to her, Thou saidest well, That I have none husband [For I have not an husband];

¹⁸ for thou hast had five husbands, and he that thou hast, is not thine husband [and he whom thou hast now, is not thine husband]. This thing thou saidest soothly.

¹⁹ The woman saith to him, Lord, I see, that thou art a prophet.

²⁰ Our fathers worshipped in this hill, and ye say, that at Jerusalem is a place, where it behooveth to worship.

²¹ Jesus saith to her, Woman, believe thou to me, for the hour shall come, when neither in this hill, neither in Jerusalem [nor in Jerusalem], ye shall worship the Father.

²² Ye worship that that ye know not; we worship that that we know; for health is of the Jews.

²³ But the time is come [But the hour cometh], and now it is, when true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth; for also the Father seeketh such, that worship him.

²⁴ God is a Spirit, and it behooveth them that worship him, to worship in spirit and truth.

²⁵ The woman saith to him, I know that Messias is come, that is said Christ; therefore when he cometh [therefore when he shall come], he shall tell us all things.

²⁶ Jesus saith to her, I am he, that speaketh with thee. [Jesus saith to her, I am, that speak with thee.]

²⁷ And at once [And anon] his disciples came, and wondered, that he spake with the woman; nevertheless no man said to him, What seekest thou, or, What speakest thou with her?

²⁸ Therefore the woman left her water pot, and went into the city, and said to the men [and saith to the men],

²⁹ Come ye, and see a man, that said to me all things that I have done; whether he be Christ? [Come ye, and see a man, that said to me all things what ever I have done; whether he is Christ?]

³⁰ And they went out of the city, and came to him.

³¹ In the mean while his disciples prayed him, and said, Master, eat. [In the mean while his disciples prayed him, saying, Rabbi, or Master, eat.]

³² But he said to them, I have meat to eat, that ye know not.

³³ Therefore the disciples said together, Whether any man hath brought him meat to eat [Whether any man brought to him to eat]?

³⁴ Jesus saith to them, My meat is, that I do the will of him that sent me, [and] that I perform the work of him.

³⁵ Whether ye say not, that yet four months be, and ripe corn cometh? Lo! I say to you, lift up your eyes, and see ye the fields, for now they be white to reap.

³⁶ And he that reapeth taketh hire, and gathereth fruit into everlasting life; that both he that soweth, and he that reapeth, have joy together.

³⁷ In this thing is the word true, For one is that soweth, and another that reapeth.

³⁸ I sent you to reap, that that ye have not travailed; other men have travailed, and ye have entered into their travails.

³⁹ And of that city many [of the] Samaritans believed in him, for the word of the woman, that bare witnessing, That he said to me all things that I have done [For he said to me all things, whatever I did].

⁴⁰ Therefore when Samaritans came to him, they prayed him to dwell there [they prayed him, that he should dwell there]; and he dwelt there two days.

⁴¹ And many more believed for his word,

⁴² and said to the woman, That now not for thy speech we believe; for we have heard, and we know, that this is verily the Saviour of the world.

⁴³ And after two days he went out from thence [Forsooth after two days he went thence], and went into Galilee.

⁴⁴ And he [Jesus] bare witnessing, that a prophet in his own country hath none honour. [Soothly he Jesus bare witnessing, for a prophet in his own country hath not honour, or worship.]

⁴⁵ Therefore when he came into Galilee, men of Galilee received him, when they had seen all things that he had done in Jerusalem in the feast day; for also they had come to the feast day.

⁴⁶ Therefore he came again into the Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine. And there was a little king, whose son was sick at Capernaum. [Therefore he came again into Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine. And some little king was, whose son was sick at Capernaum.]

⁴⁷ When this had heard, that Jesus should come from Judaea into Galilee, he went to him, and prayed him, that he should come down, and heal his son; for he began to die.

⁴⁸ Therefore Jesus said to him, But ye see tokens and great wonders, ye believe not.

⁴⁹ The little king saith to him, Lord, come down, before that my son die.

⁵⁰ Jesus saith to him, Go, thy son liveth. The man believed to the word, that Jesus said to him, and he went.

⁵¹ And now when he came down [Soothly now him coming down], the servants came to meet him, and told to him, and said [saying], That his son lived.

⁵² And he asked of them the hour, in which he was amended. And they said to him, For yesterday in the seventh hour the fever left him.

⁵³ Therefore the father knew, that that hour it was, in which Jesus said to him, Thy son liveth; and he believed, and all his house.

⁵⁴ Jesus did again this second token, when he came from Judaea into Galilee.