978-1-4964-6264-0 Single Pages - Flipbook - Page 25
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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
to
to
6 God sent a man, John the Baptist,* 7 to tell
about the light so that everyone might believe
because of his testimony. 8John himself was
not the light; he was simply a witness to tell
about the light. 9The 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. 11He 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. 13They 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 com
ing 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. 18No one has ever seen God. But
f
sa
1
The T
19
leaders
from
20
Messiah.”
“
Isa
25
jah
to baptiz
right
not
mine
untie the straps of his sandal.”
area
baptizing
Jesus
2
him
t
one
i
I
not
the unique One, who is himself God,* is near
to the Father’s heart. He has revealed God
to us.
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?”
one.
“No,” he replied.
“Are you the Prophet we are expecting?”*
“No.”
22 “Then who are you? We need an answer
tell for those who sent us. What do you have to
eve say about yourself?”
23 John replied in the words of the prophet
as
tell Isaiah:
light,
“I am a voice shouting in the wilderness,
into
‘Clear the way for the Lord’s
ted,
coming!’”*
came
24 Then the Pharisees who had been sent
him.
pted 25asked him, “If you aren’t the Messiah or Eli
children of jah or the Prophet, what right do you have
ysical to baptize?”
26 John told them, “I baptize with* water, but
lan,
right here in the crowd is someone you do
made not recognize. 27Though his ministry follows
ailing mine, I’m not even worthy to be his slave and
his untie the straps of his sandal.”
28 This encounter took place in Bethany, an
only
area east of the Jordan River, where John was
he baptizing.
as
com Jesus, the Lamb of God
for 29The next day John saw Jesus coming toward
him and said, “Look! The Lamb of God who
ed takes away the sin of the world! 30 He is the
For one I was talking about when I said, ‘A man
God’s is coming after me who is far greater than
ugh I am, for he existed long before me.’ 31 I did
But not recognize him as the Messiah, but I have
