Sunday, November 30, 2003

John 1:1-19 (NRSV)

Read John 1:1-19 on biblegateway.com

Chapter 1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Verse ²He was in the beginning with God. Verse ³All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being Verse ⁴in him was life, and the life was the light of all people.

Verse ⁵The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. Verse ⁶There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. Verse ⁷He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. Verse ⁸He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. Verse ⁹The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. Verse ¹⁰He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. Verse ¹¹He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. Verse ¹²But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, Verse ¹³who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God. Verse ¹⁴And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father's only son, full of grace and truth.

Verse ¹⁵(John testified to him and cried out, "This was he of whom I said, 'He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he was before me.'") Verse ¹⁶From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. Verse ¹⁷The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. Verse ¹⁸No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father's heart, who has made him known.

Verse ¹⁹This is the testimony given by John when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?"