John 1:1-28

American Standard Version

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² The same was in the beginning with God. ³ All things were made through him; and without him ^[a]was not anything made that hath been made. ⁴ In him was life; and the life was the light of men. ⁵ And the light shineth in the darkness; and the darkness ^[b]apprehended it not. ⁶ There came a man, sent from God, whose name was John. ⁷ The same came for witness, that he might bear witness of the light, that all might believe through him. ⁸ He was not the light, but came that he might bear witness of the light. ^9 [c]There was the true light, even the light which lighteth ^[d]every man, coming into the world. ¹⁰ He was in the world, and the world was made through him, and the world knew him not. ¹¹ He came unto ^[e]his own, and they that were his own received him not. ¹² But as many as received him, to them gave he the right to become children of God, even to them that believe on his name: ¹³ who were ^[f]born, not of ^[g]blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. ¹⁴ And the Word became flesh, and ^[h]dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, glory as of ^[i]the only begotten from the Father), full of grace and truth. ¹⁵ John beareth witness of him, and crieth, saying, ^[j]This was he of whom I said, He that cometh after me is become before me: for he was ^[k]before me. ¹⁶ For of his fulness we all received, and ^[l]grace for grace. ¹⁷ For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. ¹⁸ No man hath seen God at any time; ^[m]the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

¹⁹ And this is the witness of John, when the Jews sent unto him from Jerusalem priests and Levites to ask him, Who art thou? ²⁰ And he confessed, and denied not; and he confessed, I am not the Christ. ²¹ And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elijah? And he saith, I am not. Art thou the prophet? And he answered, No. ²² They said therefore unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself? ²³ He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as ^[n]said Isaiah the prophet. ^24 [o]And they had been sent from the Pharisees. ²⁵ And they asked him, and said unto him, Why then baptizest thou, if thou art not the Christ, neither Elijah, neither the prophet? ²⁶ John answered them, saying, I baptize ^[p]in water: in the midst of you standeth one whom ye know not, ²⁷ even he that cometh after me, the latchet of whose shoe I am not worthy to unloose. ²⁸ These things were done in ^[q]Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.