The Art of Life Bible - Flipbook - Page 35
John
Prologue: Christ, the Eternal Word
In the beginning the Word already existed.
The Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
2 He existed in the beginning with God.
3 God created everything through him,
and nothing was created except through him.
4 The Word gave life to everything
that was created,*
and his life brought light to everyone.
5 The light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness can never extinguish it.*
The Testimony of John the Baptist
19 This was John’s testimony when the Jewish leaders
sent priests and Temple assistants* from Jerusalem to
ask John, “Who are you?” 20 He came right out and said,
“I am not the Messiah.”
21 “Well then, who are you?” they asked. “Are you Elijah?”
“No,” he replied.
“Are you the Prophet we are expecting?”*
“No.”
22 “Then who are you? We need an answer for those
who sent us. What do you have to say about yourself?”
23 John replied in the words of the prophet Isaiah:
1
6 God sent a man, John the Baptist,* 7 to tell about the
light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony. 8 John himself was not the light; he was simply a
witness to tell about the light. 9 The one who is the true
light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the
world.
10 He came into the very world he created, but the
world didn’t recognize him. 11 He came to his own people,
and even they rejected him. 12 But to all who believed him
and accepted him, he gave the right to become children
of God. 13 They are reborn—not with a physical birth
resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that
comes from God.
14 So the Word became human* and made his home
among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness.*
And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one
and only Son.
15 John testified about him when he shouted to the
crowds, “This is the one I was talking about when I said,
‘Someone is coming after me who is far greater than I
am, for he existed long before me.’”
16 From his abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another.* 17 For the law was given
through Moses, but God’s unfailing love and faithfulness
came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God.
But the unique One, who is himself God,* is near to the
Father’s heart. He has revealed God to us.
“I am a voice shouting in the wilderness,
‘Clear the way for the Lord’s coming!’”*
24 Then the Pharisees who had been sent 25 asked him,
“If you aren’t the Messiah or Elijah or the Prophet, what
right do you have to baptize?”
26 John told them, “I baptize with* water, but right here
in the crowd is someone you do not recognize. 27 Though
his ministry follows mine, I’m not even worthy to be his
slave and untie the straps of his sandal.”
28 This encounter took place in Bethany, an area east
of the Jordan River, where John was baptizing.
Jesus, the Lamb of God
29 The next day John saw J esus coming toward him and
said, “Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of
the world! 30 He is the one I was talking about when I said,
‘A man is coming after me who is far greater than I am,
for he existed long before me.’ 31 I did not recognize him
as the Messiah, but I have been baptizing with water so
that he might be revealed to Israel.”
1:3-4 Or and nothing that was created was created except through him. The Word
gave life to everything.
1:5 Or and the darkness has not understood it.
1:6 Greek
a man named John.
1:14a Greek became flesh.
1:14b Or grace and truth; also in
1:17.
1:16 Or received the grace of Christ rather than the grace of the law; Greek
1:18 Some manuscripts read But the one and
reads received grace upon grace.
only Son.
1:19 Greek and Levites.
1:21 Greek Are you the Prophet? See Deut
18:15, 18; Mal 4:5-6. 1:23 Isa 40:3. 1:26 Or in; also in 1:31, 33.
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