Chapter 1

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  2 He was in the beginning with God.  3 All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him not one thing came into being which has come into being.  4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.  5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.

  6 There came a man sent from God, whose name was John.  7 He came for a testimony that he might testify concerning the light, that all might believe through him.  8 He was not the light, but came that he might testify concerning the light.  9 This was the true light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man.  10 He was in the world, and the world came into being through Him, yet the world did not know Him.  11 He came to His own, yet those who were His own did not receive Him.  12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the authority to become children of God, to those who believe into His name,  13 who were begotten not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

  14 And the Word became flesh and tabernacled among us (and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only Begotten from the Father), full of grace and reality.  15 John testified concerning Him and cried out, saying, This was He of whom I said, He who is coming after me has become ahead of me, because He was before me.  16 For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace.  17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and reality came through Jesus Christ.  18 No one has ever seen God; the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.

  19 And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent to him priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who are you?  20 And he confessed and did not deny, and he confessed, I am not the Christ.  21 And they asked him, What then? Are you Elijah? And he said, I am not. Are you the Prophet? And he answered, No.  22 They said then to him, Who are you, that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?  23 He said, I am a voice of one crying in the wilderness, “Make straight the way of the Lord!” as Isaiah the prophet said.  24 And those who had been sent were of the Pharisees.  25 And they asked him and said to him, Why then are you baptizing if you are not the Christ nor Elijah nor the Prophet?  26 John answered them, saying, I baptize in water; but among you stands One whom you do not know,  27 He who is coming after me, the thong of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.  28 These things took place in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.