The Beginning (Genesis 1:1–2; Hebrews 11:1–3)
2 DBY He was in the beginning with God. BSB BSB: He was with God in the beginning.
4 DBY In him was life, and the life was the light of men. BSB BSB: In Him was life, and that life was the light of men.
5 DBY And the light appears in darkness, and the darkness apprehended it not. BSB BSB: The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
The Witness of John 7 DBY He came for witness, that he might witness concerning the light, that all might believe through him. BSB BSB: He came as a witness to testify about the Light, so that through him everyone might believe.
8 DBY He was not the light, but that he might witness concerning the light. BSB BSB: He himself was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light.
9 DBY The true light was that which, coming into the world, lightens every man. BSB BSB: The true Light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.
10 DBY He was in the world, and the world had its being through him, and the world knew him not. BSB BSB: He was in the world, and though the world was made through Him, the world did not recognize Him.
11 DBY He came to his own, and his own received him not; BSB BSB: He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.
12 DBY but as many as received him, to them gave he the right to be children of God, to those that believe on his name; BSB BSB: But to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God—
13 DBY who have been born, not of blood, nor of flesh's will, nor of man's will, but of God. BSB BSB: children born not of blood, nor of the desire or will of man, but born of God.
The Word Became Flesh (Psalm 84:1–12)
15 DBY (John bears witness of him, and he has cried, saying, This was he of whom I said, He that comes after me is preferred before me, for he was before me;) BSB BSB: John testified concerning Him. He cried out, saying, “This is He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because He was before me.’”
16 DBY for of his fulness we all have received, and grace upon grace. BSB BSB: From His fullness we have all received grace upon grace.
17 DBY For the law was given by Moses: grace and truth subsists through Jesus Christ. BSB BSB: For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
The Mission of John the Baptist (Isaiah 40:1–5; Matthew 3:1–12; Mark 1:1–8; Luke 3:1–20)
19 DBY And this is the witness of John, when the Jews sent from Jerusalem priests and Levites that they might ask him, Thou, who art thou? BSB BSB: And this was John’s testimony when the Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him, “Who are you?”
20 DBY And he acknowledged and denied not, and acknowledged, I am not the Christ. BSB BSB: He did not refuse to confess, but openly declared, “I am not the Christ.”
22 DBY They said therefore to him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to those who sent us. What sayest thou of thyself? BSB BSB: So they said to him, “Who are you? We need an answer for those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”
23 DBY He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the path of the Lord, as said Esaias the prophet. BSB BSB: John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet: “I am a voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’”
24 DBY And they were sent from among the Pharisees. BSB BSB: Then the Pharisees who had been sent
25 DBY And they asked him and said to him, Why baptisest thou then, if thou art not the Christ, nor Elias, nor the prophet? BSB BSB: asked him, “Why then do you baptize, if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”
26 DBY John answered them saying, I baptise with water. In the midst of you stands, whom ye do not know, BSB BSB: “I baptize with water,” John replied, “but among you stands One you do not know.
27 DBY he who comes after me, the thong of whose sandal I am not worthy to unloose. BSB BSB: He is the One who comes after me, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.”
28 DBY These things took place in Bethany, across the Jordan, where John was baptising. BSB BSB: All this happened at Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
Jesus the Lamb of God (Matthew 3:13–17; Mark 1:9–11; Luke 3:21–22)
29 DBY On the morrow he sees Jesus coming to him, and says, Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. BSB BSB: The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
30 DBY He it is of whom I said, A man comes after me who takes a place before me, because he was before me; BSB BSB: This is He of whom I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because He was before me.’
31 DBY and I knew him not; but that he might be manifested to Israel, therefore have I come baptising with water. BSB BSB: I myself did not know Him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that He might be revealed to Israel.”
32 DBY And John bore witness, saying, I beheld the Spirit descending as a dove from heaven, and it abode upon him. BSB BSB: Then John testified, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove and resting on Him.
33 DBY And I knew him not; but he who sent me to baptise with water, he said to me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending and abiding on him, he it is who baptises with the Holy Spirit. BSB BSB: I myself did not know Him, but the One who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit descend and rest is He who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’
34 DBY And I have seen and borne witness that this is the Son of God. BSB BSB: I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.”
The First Disciples (Matthew 4:18–22; Mark 1:16–20; Luke 5:1–11)
35 DBY Again, on the morrow, there stood John and two of his disciples. BSB BSB: The next day John was there again with two of his disciples.
36 DBY And, looking at Jesus as he walked, he says, Behold the Lamb of God. BSB BSB: When he saw Jesus walking by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!”
37 DBY And the two disciples heard him speaking, and followed Jesus. BSB BSB: And when the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus.
38 DBY But Jesus having turned, and seeing them following, says to them, What seek ye? And they said to him, Rabbi (which, being interpreted, signifies Teacher), where abidest thou? BSB BSB: Jesus turned and saw them following. “What do you want?” He asked. They said to Him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are You staying?”
39 DBY He says to them, Come and see. They went therefore, and saw where he abode; and they abode with him that day. It was about the tenth hour. BSB BSB: “Come and see,” He replied. So they went and saw where He was staying, and spent that day with Him. It was about the tenth hour.
40 DBY Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, was one of the two who heard this from John and followed him. BSB BSB: Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard John’s testimony and followed Jesus.
41 DBY He first finds his own brother Simon, and says to him, We have found the Messias (which being interpreted is Christ). BSB BSB: He first found his brother Simon and told him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated as Christ).
42 DBY And he led him to Jesus. Jesus looking at him said, Thou art Simon, the son of Jonas; thou shalt be called Cephas (which interpreted is stone). BSB BSB: Andrew brought him to Jesus, who looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which is translated as Peter).
Jesus Calls Philip and Nathanael 43 DBY On the morrow he would go forth into Galilee, and Jesus finds Philip, and says to him, Follow me. BSB BSB: The next day Jesus decided to set out for Galilee. Finding Philip, He told him, “Follow Me.”
45 DBY Philip finds Nathanael, and says to him, We have found him of whom Moses wrote in the law, and the prophets, Jesus, the son of Joseph, who is from Nazareth. BSB BSB: Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the One Moses wrote about in the Law, the One the prophets foretold—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”
46 DBY And Nathanael said to him, Can anything good come out of Nazareth? Philip says to him, Come and see. BSB BSB: “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” Nathanael asked. “Come and see,” said Philip.
47 DBY Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and says of him, Behold one truly an Israelite, in whom there is no guile. BSB BSB: When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, He said of him, “Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is no deceit.”
48 DBY Nathanael says to him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said to him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig-tree, I saw thee. BSB BSB: “How do You know me?” Nathanael asked. Jesus replied, “Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree.”
49 DBY Nathanael answered and said to him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God, thou art the King of Israel. BSB BSB: “Rabbi,” Nathanael answered, “You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!”
50 DBY Jesus answered and said to him, Because I said to thee, I saw thee under the fig-tree, believest thou? Thou shalt see greater things than these. BSB BSB: Jesus said to him, “Do you believe just because I told you I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these.”
51 DBY And he says to him, Verily, verily, I say to you, Henceforth ye shall see the heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of man. BSB BSB: Then He declared, “Truly, truly, I tell you, you will all see heaven open and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”