John 1 (BHT-ATN)

“The Word Became a Real Man”

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 This one was in the beginning with God. 3 Through him were created all things, and apart from him not one thing came into existence that has come into existence. 4 He was the very source of life itself,+ and that life was the light for mankind;+ 5 the light shines in the darkness,+ and the darkness can never+ overcome+ it.

6 A man sent by God appeared on the scene, whose name was John. 7 This man came as a witness, to bear solemn testimony on behalf of the light, so that all might place their faith in it because of his testimony.+ 8 John himself+ wasn’t the light; no, he came in order to bear witness on behalf of the light. 9 The one about whom John testified was+ the true light that gives light to every human being by his coming into the world.+

10 He was right here in the world. And the world: It was through him that it came into existence. Yet the world didn’t recognize him. 11 It was to his very own homeland+ that he came, and yet his own people refused to accept him. 12 As for all who did accept him, however, he granted them the right to become children of God—those who place their faith in his name, 13 children+ conceived+ not by human parents,+ nor as a result of human desire,+ nor because of human decision,+ but by God.

14 The Word became a real man, lowly and mortal,+ and tabernacled among us; we witnessed his glory,+ the glory belonging to the matchless+ Son who came from the presence of the Father,+ and who was full of steadfast mercy and faithfulness.+ 15 John bore solemn witness on his behalf, crying out,+ “This is the one I was talking about when I said, ‘The one who is coming after me ranks higher than me, because he existed before me.’ ” 16 From the fullness of his divine life and nature,+ you see, we, all of us, have received indeed one gracious and merciful gift+ after another. 17 For as for Torah, it was through Moses that it was given; as for steadfast mercy and faithfulness,+ it is through Jesus the Messiah that they have been shown.+ 18 God no one has seen at any time. The matchless Son, himself God,+ who is in direct and closest fellowship with the Father+—he has made him fully known.

“This Was John’s Testimony”

19 This was John’s testimony when the Jewish authorities+ in Jerusalem sent some priests and Levites to ask him+ who he was: 20 “I am not the Messiah.” This he openly acknowledged; he readily admitted it and was very open about it.+

21 “Well then, who are you?”+ they asked him. “Are you Elijah?”+

“I am not,” John+ replied.

“Are you the Prophet?”+

“No,” he answered.

22 “Who are you?” they asked him. “We need to give those who sent us an answer. What do you have to say about yourself?”

23 John+ said, “I am ‘a voice of one shouting in the wilderness, “Make straight the way for the LORD!” ’+—just as Isaiah the prophet said.” 24 (Those who had been sent belonged to the religious party called the Pharisees.+)

25 In response they said, “Why in the world then are you baptizing, if you aren’t the Messiah or Elijah or the Prophet?”

26 “I,” replied John, “have been baptizing with+ water. Among ᵖyou stands someone whom ᵖyou don’t recognize— 27 the one who is coming after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.”

28 As for these events, Bethany was where they took place, on the other side of the Jordan River, where John was baptizing.

“Look! The Lamb of God, Who Is Going to Do Away with the Sin of the World!”

29 The next day John+ saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look! The Lamb of God, who is going to do away with+ the sin of the world!+ 30 This is the one I was talking about when I said, ‘After me is coming a man who ranks higher than me, because he existed before me.’ 31 I myself didn’t recognize him. Yet it was for this reason that I came baptizing with water: To make him known+ to Israel.” 32 John also gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit descending like a dove from heaven,+ and it remained on him. 33 I myself didn’t recognize him. The one who sent me to baptize with water, however, he, to me, said, ‘The one toward whom ˢyou see the Spirit descending and on whom he remains, this is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 I am a witness to these events and solemnly declare: This man is the Son of God.”

“We’ve Found the Messiah!”

35 The next day John was standing there again with two of his disciples. 36 “Look!” he said, looking straight at Jesus as he walked by. “The Lamb of God!” 37 The two disciples heard John say this+ and began to follow Jesus.

38 Jesus, then, when he turned around and saw them following, asked them, “What are ᵖyou looking for?”

“Rabbi,” they replied (the word “Rabbi”+ means “Teacher”), “where are ˢyou staying?”

39 “Come and ᵖyou will see,” he replied.

So they went and saw where he was staying, and they stayed the rest of that day with him. It was about four in the afternoon.+

40 Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who had heard what John had said+ and followed Jesus.+ 41 This man went and found, before he did anything else, his own brother, Simon. “We’ve found the Messiah!” he said to him. (The word “Messiah” means “Anointed One.”) 42 He brought Simon+ to Jesus. Jesus, looking straight at him, said, “You are Simon, the son of John. You will be called Kefa+” (which in Greek is “Peter,” meaning “Rock”+).

“You Are the Son of God! You Are the Very King of Israel!”

43 The next day Jesus+ decided to set out for the district+ of Galilee. Jesus found Philip and said to him, “Come along with me as a disciple.”+ 44 (Philip was from Bethsaida, the hometown of Andrew and Peter.) 45 Philip found Nathaniel and told him, “We’ve found the very one about whom Moses wrote in the Torah,+ and about whom the prophets+ also wrote—Jesus, the son of Joseph, from Nazareth!”

46 “From Nazareth can there come anything good?” Nathaniel asked him.

“Come and see!” replied Philip.

47 Jesus saw Nathaniel coming toward him and said of him, “Here is a true Israelite, ‘in whose heart+ there is no deceit.’+”

48 “ How do you know what sort of a person I am?” Nathaniel asked him. Then Jesus said something remarkable to Nathaniel+: “It was while ˢyou were under the fig tree that I saw you, even before Philip called out for you to come.”

49 “Rabbi,” Nathaniel replied, “you are the Son of God!+ You are the very King of Israel!”

50 “Do ˢyou believe simply because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree?” Jesus asked him. “ˢYou will see even greater things than these!” 51 Then he said to him, “Amen, amen, I solemnly tell all of ᵖyou this: ᵖYou will see heaven+ opened and the ‘angels of God ascending and descending upon’+ the Son of Man.”+

+1:4Lit in him was life. ME (see translation and notes at Jn 5:26). Cf NLT, TEV. “Life” here doesn’t mean “alive,” but possessing the power to give life as the source of life. Trying to maintain some measure of consistency in translation here with Jn 5:26, so that the connection isn’t lost to English readers.+1:4Cf Ps 36:9.+1:5Cf Is 42:5-9; 49:1-6.+1:5Or did not overcome.+1:5Or comprehend. Cf 1 Co 2:8.+1:7Lit through him, or through it. ME. Cf NLT.+1:8Lit that man. Cf NET, NLT, TEV.+1:9Lit He was.+1:9Or The true light, which gives light to every human being, was coming into the world, or He was the true light that gives light to every human being coming into the world. Following the lead of the ISV in translation here. Cf Jn 6:14, 9:39, 11:27, 16:28.+1:11Or to his very own creation. Lit to his own things. ME (see NAC [Jn], 114; UBSHS [Jn], 18). Cf CJB, ISV, NCV, TEV.+1:13Lit who. Cf NET, NIV.+1:13For a discussion of the range of meaning possible with γεννάω ( gennaō), see notes at 1 Pt 1:3. Conception is primarily in view here, with the rest of the birth process also implied on some level. Cf also the translation and notes at Ga 4:21-30.+1:13Lit not of bloods. ME(I/F/H) (see NET Bible Notes, Jn 1:13).+1:13Lit nor from the will/desire of the flesh. ME (see UBSHS [Jn], 19). Translating “flesh” according to “Flesh” G (see FBT Chart). Cf NET.+1:13Or a husband’s decision.+1:14Lit The Word became flesh. ME (see translation and notes at Rm 8:3 and Php 2:6-8; FBT Chart, C, F, G, I, M, N). Translating “flesh” according to “Flesh” G, M (see FBT Chart).+1:14Cf, eg, Ex 40:34; Lv 16:2; Nu 9:15.+1:14Or unique, or only, or one-of-a-kind. For a brief discussion of the meaning of μονογενής ( monogenēs), see NET Bibles Notes, Jn 1:16. Cf ISV, NET. In Heb 11:17, the term is used of Isaac, who wasn’t Abraham’s only son, but his “unique” son in the sense that the covenant was to be confirmed with him and the promises to be fulfilled through his line (cf Gn 17:19, 21:12).+1:14Cf Jn 17:5.+1:14Lit full of grace and truth. ME (OTB) (see LALS, sv ἀλήθεια; Ibid, sv χάρις; NAC [Jn], 121; UBSHS [Jn], 22). Cf the LXX and the MT, eg, at Ge 24:27, 47:29; 2 Sa 2:6, 15:20; 2 Ch 32:1; Ne 9:33; Ps 26:3, 30:9, 35:6, 40:10, 54:5, 69:13, 88:11, 89:5, 92:2, 119:138.+1:15Lit and cried out, saying.+1:16Lit from his fullness. ME (see translation and notes at Eph 3:19; Col 2:9; BDAG, 829, sv 3.b.; NAC [Jn], 123; Robertson, Word Pictures, Jn 1:16; Vincent, Word Studies, 2:57). The UBSHS claims that here πλήρωμα ( plērōma) “is used in a nontechnical sense and refers back to the phrase grace and truth in verse 14” ( UBSHS [Jn], 25, italics original). I disagree. The reference in v 15 to the Son’s pre-existence in the preceding verse makes the “fullness of divine nature” interpretation just as plausible as a limited reference to “grace and truth” in v 14. True, this is only place where the term is used in John’s gospel. Still, this idea was clearly a part of the authoritative body of apostolic teaching that was passed on from church to church, and wasn’t just a part of Paul’s theology (cf 1 Co 11:2, 15:1-3; Ga 1:18, 2:6; Php 2:6-11; 2 Th 2:15; 1 Ti 3:16). “Steadfast love/grace” and “truth/faithfulness” are, of course, an important part of God’s nature, but “fullness” by definition isn’t limited to those aspects.+1:16Or blessing. Lit grace. ME (see L-N, 57.103, 88.66; translation and note at “faithfulness” in v 14 above). Cf NCV, NIV, NLT, TEV.+1:17Lit grace and truth. ME (see translation and note at v 14).+1:17Lit have become, or have been done. Cf UBSHS (Jn), 26. “Shown” is the verb typically used in English translations with these concepts in the OT (see, eg, most English translations at Ex 20:6 and Dt 5:10).+1:18Or The matchless/unique/only God. Following the NET in translation here. For a brief discussion of some of the textual and translational questions involved here, see NET Bible Notes, Jn 1:18.+1:18Lit who is at the bosom of the Father. ME(I/F) (see BDAG, 557, sv κόλπος 1; L-N, 34.18; NAC [Jn], 124). Cf NET.+1:19Lit the Jews. ME(H) (see BDAG, 478, sv Ἰουδαῖος, 2.e.β.; NAC [Jn], 126; NET Bible Notes, Jn 1:19; UBSHS [Jn], 29; translation and notes at Ac 9:22). Cf NCV, NET, NLT, TEV.+1:19Lit to ask, “Who are you?” Cf NIV.+1:20Lit and he openly acknowledged, and did not deny but openly acknowledged. ME (see UBSHS [Jn], 30). Cf CJB, NCV, NLT, TEV.+1:21Lit “What then?” ME. Cf CJB, NCV, NIV, NLT, TEV.+1:21Cf Ml 4:5.+1:21Lit he.+1:21Cf Dt 18:15-18.+1:23Lit he.+1:23Is 40:3+1:24Lit were part of the Pharisees, or were from the Pharisees. ME(H)/IT (see ANLEX, 397, sv Φαρισαῖος; L-N, 11.49; NET Bible Notes, Jn 1:24).+1:26Or in. So throughout Jn 1.+1:29Lit he.+1:29Or who is going to take away. Scholars are divided as to whether this statement is reflective of John the Baptist’s theology, or that of John himself. If the former is the situation, the cleansing is probably meant to be understood apocalyptically (for further discussion, see UBSHS [Jn], 36). John the Baptist’s messages in the other gospels are clearly apocalyptic in orientation (see Mt 3; Lk 3), and, since the Apostle John himself ascribes these words to John the Baptist, there is no reason to doubt that this is reflective of the John the Baptist’s own position. This interpretation is reflected in the translation.+1:29Cf Mt 3:9; Lk 3:8-9; Re 17:14.+1:31Cf CJB, TEV.+1:32Or from the sky.+1:37Lit heard him speaking. ME. Cf ESV, HCSB, ISV, NET, NIV, NRSV, RSV, TEV.+1:38Cf NCV, TEV.+1:39Lit The hour was about the tenth. ME(H). Cf ISV, NCV, NET, NLT.+1:40Lit heard from John. ME. Cf NET, NIV, NLT.+1:40Lit and followed him.+1:42Lit him.+1:42Κηφᾶς ( kēphas) (“Cephas” in many translations) is the Aramaic surname for Simon (see L-N, 93.211). Cf CJB.+1:42Lit which is translated Peter. ME/IT (see ESL, #4074; L-N, 93.296). Cf CJB, TEV.+1:43Lit he.+1:43IT (see L-N, 93.444).+1:43Lit follow me. ME(H) (see translation and notes at Mt 4:19).+1:45Cf Gn 3:15, 9:27, 12:1-3, 49:8-12; Ex 12:1-28; Lv 23:4-44; Nu 24:15-19; Dt 15:15-18, 16:1-8; Jn 19:36; 1 Co 5:7.+1:45Cf Is 4:2, 7:14, 9:1-7, 11:1-6, 24:21-25, 28:16, 30:19-26, 42:1-7, 49:1-6, 50:4-9, 52:13-53:12, 55:3-5, 61:1-3, 63:1-6; Jr 23:5-6, 30:9, 30:21, 33:14-16; Ezk 17:22-24, 21:25-27, 34:23-31, 37:15-28; Dn 7:13-14, 9:24-27; Ho 3:4-5; Jl 2:23; Am 9:11-15; Mic 2:12-13, 5:1-4; Hg 2:6-9, 2:21-23; Ac 3:8-10, 6:9-15, 9:9-10, 10:4, 11:4-14, 12:10, 13:7; Ml 3:1, 4:2.+1:47Lit in whom. ME. Cf CJB, NCV, NLT, and TEV at Jn 2:25; NIV and TEV at Jn 5:42.+1:47An allusion to Ps 32:2.+1:48Lit to him.+1:49Cf, eg, 2 Sa 7; 1 Ch 17; Ps 2, 89, 132.+1:51Or the sky.+1:51An allusion to Gn 28:12.+1:51Cf Gn 28:12; Dn 7:13-14.