John 1:1-28
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Prologue
1 In the beginning(A) was the Word,[a](B)
and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.(C)
2 He was with God in the beginning.(D)
3 All things were created(E) through Him,(F)
and apart from Him not one thing was created
that has been created.
4 Life was in Him,[b](G)
and that life was the light(H) of men.
5 That light shines(I) in the darkness,
yet the darkness did not overcome[c] it.(J)
6 There was a man named John(K)
who was sent from God.
7 He came as a witness
to testify about the light,
so that all might believe through him.[d]
8 He was not the light,
but he came to testify(L) about the light.
9 The true light,(M) who gives light to everyone,
was coming into the world.[e](N)
10 He was in the world,
and the world was created(O) through Him,
yet the world did not recognize Him.
11 He came to His own,[f]
and His own people[g] did not receive Him.
12 But to all who did receive(P) Him,(Q)
He gave them the right(R) to be[h] children(S) of God,(T)
to those who believe(U) in His name,(V)
13 who were born,(W)
not of blood,[i]
or of the will(X) of the flesh,(Y)
or of the will of man,[j]
but of God.(Z)
14 The Word(AA) became flesh[k](AB)
and took up residence[l] among us.
We observed His glory,(AC)
the glory as the One and Only(AD) Son[m] from the Father,
full of grace and truth.
15 (John testified concerning Him and exclaimed,
“This was the One of whom I said,
‘The One coming after me(AE) has surpassed me,(AF)
because He existed before me.’”)(AG)
16 Indeed, we have all received grace(AH) after grace
from His fullness,
17 for the law was given through Moses,(AI)
grace and truth(AJ) came through Jesus Christ.
18 No one has ever seen God.[n]
The One and Only(AK) Son[o]—
the One who is at the Father’s(AL) side[p]—
He has revealed Him.(AM)
John the Baptist’s Testimony
19 This is John’s testimony when the Jews from Jerusalem(AN) sent priests(AO) and Levites(AP) to ask him, “Who are you?”
20 He did not refuse to answer, but he declared: “I am not the Messiah.”(AQ)
21 “What then?” they asked him. “Are you Elijah?”(AR)
“I am not,” he said.
“No,” he answered.
22 “Who are you, then?” they asked. “We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What can you tell us about yourself?”
23 He said, “I am a voice of one crying out in the wilderness: Make straight the way of the Lord(AT)[r]—just as Isaiah(AU) the prophet said.”
24 Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.(AV) 25 So they asked him, “Why then do you baptize if you aren’t the Messiah, or Elijah, or the Prophet?”
26 “I baptize with[s] water,”(AW) John answered them. “Someone stands among you, but you don’t know Him. 27 He is the One coming after me,[t](AX) whose sandal strap I’m not worthy to untie.”
28 All this happened in Bethany[u] across the Jordan,[v](AY) where John was baptizing.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- John 1:1 The Word (Gk Logos) is a title for Jesus as the communication and the revealer of God the Father; Jn 1:14,18; Rv 19:13.
- John 1:4 Other punctuation is possible: . . . not one thing was created. What was created in Him was life
- John 1:5 Or grasp, or comprehend, or overtake; Jn 12:35
- John 1:7 Or through it (the light)
- John 1:9 Or The true light who comes into the world gives light to everyone, or The true light enlightens everyone coming into the world.
- John 1:11 The same Gk adjective is used twice in this verse: the first refers to all that Jesus owned as Creator (to His own); the second refers to the Jews (His own people).
- John 1:11 The same Gk adjective is used twice in this verse: the first refers to all that Jesus owned as Creator (to His own); the second refers to the Jews (His own people).
- John 1:12 Or become
- John 1:13 Lit bloods; the pl form of blood occurs only here in the NT. It may refer either to lineal descent (that is, blood from one’s father and mother) or to the OT sacrificial system (that is, the various blood sacrifices). Neither is the basis for birth into the family of God.
- John 1:13 Or not of human lineage, or of human capacity, or of human volition
- John 1:14 The eternally existent Word (vv. 1-2) took on full humanity but without sin; Heb 4:15.
- John 1:14 Or and dwelt in a tent; lit and tabernacled; this word occurs only here in John. A related word, referring to the Festival of Tabernacles, occurs only in 7:2; Ex 40:34-38.
- John 1:14 Son is implied from the reference to the Father and from Gk usage.
- John 1:18 Since God is an infinite being, no one can see Him in His absolute essential nature; Ex 33:18-23.
- John 1:18 Other mss read God
- John 1:18 Lit is in the bosom of the Father
- John 1:21 Probably the Prophet in Dt 18:15
- John 1:23 Is 40:3
- John 1:26 Or in
- John 1:27 Other mss add who came before me
- John 1:28 Other mss read in Bethabara
- John 1:28 Another Bethany, near Jerusalem, was the home of Lazarus, Martha, and Mary; Jn 11:1.
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