1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 This one was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him there was not one thing made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. 6 There was a man who was sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify about the light, that all might believe through him. 8 John was not the light, but came that he might testify about the light. 9 The true light, which gives light to all men, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, and the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own, and his own did not receive him. 12 But to as many as received him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God. 13 These were not born of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 14 The Word became flesh and lived among us. We have seen his glory, glory as of the one and only who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 John testified about him and cried out, saying, “This was the one of whom I said, 'He who comes after me is greater than I am, for he was before me.'” 16 For from his fullness we have all received grace after grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses. Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18◆ No one has seen God at any time. The one and only God, who is at the side of the Father, he has made him known. 19 This is the testimony of John when the Jews sent priests and Levites to him from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” 20 He confessed—he did not deny, but confessed—”I am not the Christ.” 21 So they asked him, “What are you then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” They said, “Are you the prophet?” He answered, “No.” 22 Then they said to him, “Who are you, so that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?” 23 He said, “I am a voice, crying in the wilderness: 'Make the way of the Lord straight,' just as Isaiah the prophet said.” 24 Now some from the Pharisees were sent, 25 and they asked him and said to him, “Why do you baptize then if you are not the Christ nor Elijah nor the prophet?” 26 John answered them, saying, “I baptize with water. But among you stands someone you do not know. 27 He is the one who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.” 28 These things were done in Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing. 29 The next day John saw Jesus coming to him and said, “Look, there is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is the one of whom I said, 'The one who comes after me is more than me, for he was before me.' 31 I did not know him, but it was so that he could be revealed to Israel that I came baptizing with water.” 32 John testified, saying, “I saw the Spirit descending like a dove from heaven, and it stayed upon him. 33 I did not recognize him, but he who sent me to baptize in water said to me, 'Upon whom you shall see the Spirit descending and remaining on him, he is the one baptizing in the Holy Spirit.' 34 I have both seen and testified that this is the Son of God.” 35 Again, the next day, as John was standing with two of his disciples, 36 they saw Jesus walking by, and John said, “Look, the Lamb of God!” 37 His two disciples heard him say this and they followed Jesus. 38 Then Jesus turned and saw them following him and said to them, “What do you want?” They replied, “Rabbi (which translated means teacher), where are you staying?” 39 He said to them, “Come and see.” Then they came and saw where he was staying; they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour. 40 One of the two who heard John speak and then followed Jesus was Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter. 41 He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which translated is: Christ). 42 He brought him to Jesus, and Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which is translated Peter). 43 The next day, when Jesus wanted to leave to go to Galilee, he found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” 44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip found Nathaniel and said to him, “He of whom Moses wrote in the law, and the prophets, we have found him: Jesus son of Joseph, from Nazareth.” 46 Nathaniel said to him, “Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” 47 Jesus saw Nathaniel coming to him and said about him, “See, a true Israelite, in whom is no deceit!” 48 Nathaniel said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” 49 Nathaniel replied, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” 50 Jesus replied and said to him, “Because I said to you, 'I saw you underneath the fig tree,' do you believe? You will see greater things than this.” 51 Then he said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see the heavens opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.”
John 1 Unlocked Literal Bible
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
People & places in this chapter
From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.
People
Andrew
Simon Peter's brother, a disciple of John the Baptist who first followed Jesus and brought Peter to him, from Bethsaida, and one of the Twelve.
Cited in the guide: Matthew 10:2; Mark 3:18; John 1:40
Jesus
The Son of God, conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary (Matthew 1:18; Luke 1:35): the promised Son of David and Son of Abraham, 'the Word became flesh.' Joseph,…
Cited in the guide: Matt. 1:1, 16-17; Luke 3:23-38; John 1:14; Rom. 1:3
Jonah
The father of Simon Peter, named Jonah in Matthew 16:17 and John in John 1:42 and 21:15.
Cited in the guide: Matthew 16:17; John 1:42; John 21:15
Nathanael
Brought to Jesus by Philip, called by Jesus a true Israelite in whom there is no deceit, who confessed Him Son of God and King of Israel, and later fished with the disciples; he…
Cited in the guide: John 1:45; John 1:47; John 1:49
Philip
Found by Jesus and told 'Follow Me', from Bethsaida, the town of Andrew and Peter, who brought Nathanael to Jesus and is listed among the Twelve.
Cited in the guide: Matthew 10:3; John 1:43; John 1:44
Places
Bethsaida
Bethsaida lay near the Jordan's inflow to the Sea of Galilee. Its precise site is debated (et-Tell and el-Araj are candidates; approximate location). Jesus rebuked it for unbelief.
Cited in the guide: Mark 8:22; John 1:44; Luke 9:10
Nazareth
A small agricultural village never named in the Old Testament. Jesus spent his childhood and early life here before beginning his public ministry.
Cited in the guide: Luke 2:39-40; Matthew 2:23; John 1:46
Cross references (50)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Genesis 1:1; John 17:5; Revelation 19:13; Colossians 1:17; John 1:14
- 3 Colossians 1:16–17; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Revelation 4:11; Psalm 33:6; Genesis 1:26
- 4 John 8:12; John 12:46; John 5:26; 1 John 1:5–7; John 9:5
- 5 John 3:19–20; John 12:36–40; 1 Corinthians 2:14; Job 24:13–17; John 1:10
- 6 Malachi 3:1; John 3:28; Isaiah 40:3–5; John 1:33; Acts 13:24
- 7 Acts 19:4; John 5:33–35; John 1:12; John 1:32–34; John 1:36
- 8 John 1:20; John 3:28; Acts 19:4
- 9 John 12:46; John 1:4; 1 John 2:8; Isaiah 49:6; John 1:7
- 10 John 17:25; 1 John 3:1; 1 Corinthians 2:8; 1 Corinthians 1:21; Matthew 11:27
- 11 Luke 19:14; Isaiah 53:2–3; John 3:32; Acts 7:51–52; Luke 20:13–15
- 12 Galatians 3:26; Romans 8:14; 1 John 3:1; 2 Corinthians 6:17–18; Galatians 4:6
- 13 1 John 3:9; James 1:18; 1 Peter 1:23; 1 Peter 1:3; John 3:5–8
- 14 1 John 4:9; 1 Timothy 3:16; Galatians 4:4; John 1:1; Isaiah 40:5
- 15 Matthew 3:11; Colossians 1:17; John 1:29–34; John 3:26–36; John 1:1–2
- 16 Colossians 1:19; Romans 5:2; Ephesians 2:5–10; Ephesians 4:7–13; Colossians 2:9–10
- 17 Romans 6:14; John 14:6; Romans 3:19–26; Romans 5:20–21; John 1:14
- 18 Colossians 1:15; John 6:46; Matthew 11:27; Luke 10:22; 1 John 4:12
- 19 John 10:24; Luke 3:15–18; Acts 19:4; Acts 13:25; John 5:33–36
- 20 Matthew 3:11–12; Mark 1:7–8; Luke 3:15–17; John 3:28–36
- 21 Deuteronomy 18:15–18; Malachi 4:5; Matthew 11:14; John 1:25; Matthew 17:10–12
- 22 2 Samuel 24:13
- 23 Isaiah 40:3–5; Mark 1:3; Matthew 3:3; Luke 1:76–79; John 3:28
- 24 Matthew 23:13–15; Luke 11:39–44; Luke 11:53; John 3:1–2; Luke 7:30
- 25 Deuteronomy 18:18; Deuteronomy 18:15; John 1:20–22; Acts 5:28; Matthew 21:23
- 26 Acts 1:5; Luke 3:16; John 1:10–11; Mark 1:8; Matthew 3:11
- 27 Luke 3:16; Mark 1:7; Matthew 3:11; John 1:30; John 1:15
- 28 John 10:40; John 3:23; Judges 7:24; John 3:26
- 29 Isaiah 53:7; 1 John 2:2; 1 Peter 1:19; 1 John 3:5; 2 Corinthians 5:21
- 30 John 1:27; John 1:15; Luke 3:16
- 31 Malachi 3:1; Luke 1:17; John 1:33; John 1:7; Mark 1:3–5
- 32 Luke 3:22; Mark 1:10; Matthew 3:16; John 1:7; John 5:32
- 33 Acts 1:5; Matthew 3:11; Luke 3:16; Titus 3:5–6; Acts 19:2–6
- 34 Psalm 2:7; John 1:49; Matthew 4:3; 1 John 5:20; Psalm 89:26–27
- 35 Malachi 3:16; John 3:25–26
- 36 John 1:29; 1 Peter 1:19–20; Isaiah 65:1–2; Hebrews 12:2; Isaiah 45:22
- 37 Romans 10:17; John 1:43; Revelation 22:17; Zechariah 8:21; John 4:39–42
- 38 John 18:7; John 3:2; John 1:49; Proverbs 8:34; John 18:4
- 39 Luke 24:29; Matthew 11:28–30; John 6:37; John 4:40; John 1:46
- 40 Mark 1:16–20; Matthew 4:18–22; John 1:40–42; Luke 5:2–11; Matthew 10:2
- 41 John 4:25; John 1:45; Acts 13:32–33; Isaiah 2:3–5; Psalm 89:20
- 42 1 Corinthians 3:22; John 21:15–17; 1 Corinthians 15:5; 1 Corinthians 1:12; Matthew 16:17–18
- 43 Matthew 9:9; Isaiah 65:1; John 14:8; Matthew 4:18–21; John 12:21
- 44 John 12:21; Matthew 11:21; Mark 6:45; Luke 10:13; Mark 8:22
- 45 Deuteronomy 18:18–22; Micah 5:2; Luke 24:27; Matthew 2:23; Luke 24:44
- 46 John 7:52; John 7:41–42; John 4:29; 1 Thessalonians 5:21; Luke 12:57
- 47 Revelation 14:5; Psalm 32:2; Psalm 73:1; Romans 9:4; John 8:39
- 48 Isaiah 65:24; Matthew 6:6; Psalm 139:1–2; John 2:25; Revelation 2:18–19
- 49 Zephaniah 3:15; Matthew 27:42; Zechariah 9:9; Luke 19:38; Matthew 2:2
- 50 John 20:29; John 11:40; Luke 1:45; Matthew 25:29; Matthew 13:12
- 51 Genesis 28:12; Acts 7:56; Luke 22:43; Mark 1:10; Matthew 16:27–28
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
Why does my Bible say something different?
- John 1:18: “the only-begotten Son” or “the only-begotten God”?
The Patriarchal Text, the KJV and most manuscripts read “the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father.” The oldest papyri and great codices read “only-begotten God.” Both readings come from the early centuries, and both confess the same Christ. Neither reading favours a lower view of the Son.
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
The section of the Gospel which has been read, most dearly beloved brethren, looketh for the pure eye of the heart. For from John's Gospel we have understood our Lord Jesus Christ according to His Divinity for the creating of the whole creation, and according to His Humanity for the recovery of the creature fallen.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 6 (1888)
It is fitting, brethren, that as far as possible we should treat of the text of Holy Scripture, and especially of the Holy Gospel, without omitting any portion, that both we ourselves may derive nourishment according to our capacity, and may minister to you from that source from which we have been nourished.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 7 (1888)
Were John about to converse with us, and to say to us words of his own, we needs must describe his family, his country, and his education. But since it is not he, but God by him, that speaks to mankind, it seems to me superfluous and distracting to enquire into these matters.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 14 (1889)
And he expresses himself thus: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God; the same was in the beginning with God." Having first of all distinguished these three--God, the Beginning, and the Word --he again unites them, that he may exhibit the production of each of them, that is, of the …
"For Thou wilt light my candle; the Lord my God will enlighten my darkness; and "of His fulness have all we received," for "that was the true Light which lighted every man that cometh into the world;" for in Thee there is "no variableness, neither shadow of turning."
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 1 (1886)