Introduction^(A)

1 Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled^[a] among us, ² just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first^(B) were eyewitnesses^(C) and servants of the word.^{(D) 3} With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account^(E) for you, most excellent^(F) Theophilus,^{(G) 4} so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.^(H)

The Word Became Flesh

1 In the beginning was the Word,^(A) and the Word was with God,^(B) and the Word was God.^{(C) 2} He was with God in the beginning.^{(D) 3} Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.^{(E) 4} In him was life,^(F) and that life was the light^(G) of all mankind. ⁵ The light shines in the darkness,^(H) and the darkness has not overcome^[a] it.^(I)

⁶ There was a man sent from God whose name was John.^{(J) 7} He came as a witness to testify^(K) concerning that light, so that through him all might believe.^{(L) 8} He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.

⁹ The true light^(M) that gives light to everyone^(N) was coming into the world. ¹⁰ He was in the world, and though the world was made through him,^(O) the world did not recognize him. ¹¹ He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.^{(P) 12} Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed^(Q) in his name,^(R) he gave the right to become children of God^(S)— ¹³ children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.^(T)

¹⁴ The Word became flesh^(U) and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory,^(V) the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace^(W) and truth.^(X)

¹⁵ (John testified^(Y) concerning him. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’”)^{(Z) 16} Out of his fullness^(AA) we have all received grace^(AB) in place of grace already given. ¹⁷ For the law was given through Moses;^(AC) grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.^{(AD) 18} No one has ever seen God,^(AE) but the one and only Son, who is himself God and^[b](AF) is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.

John the Baptist Denies Being the Messiah

¹⁹ Now this was John’s^(AG) testimony when the Jewish leaders^[c](AH) in Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. ²⁰ He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, “I am not the Messiah.”^(AI)

²¹ They asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?”^(AJ)

He said, “I am not.”

“Are you the Prophet?”^(AK)

He answered, “No.”

²² Finally they said, “Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”

²³ John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, “I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness,^(AL) ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’”^[d](AM)

²⁴ Now the Pharisees who had been sent ²⁵ questioned him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”

²⁶ “I baptize with^[e] water,”^(AN) John replied, “but among you stands one you do not know. ²⁷ He is the one who comes after me,^(AO) the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.”^(AP)

²⁸ This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan,^(AQ) where John was baptizing.

John Testifies About Jesus

²⁹ The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God,^(AR) who takes away the sin of the world!^{(AS) 30} This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’^{(AT) 31} I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.”

³² Then John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him.^{(AU) 33} And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water^(AV) told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’^{(AW) 34} I have seen and I testify that this is God’s Chosen One.”^[f](AX)

John’s Disciples Follow Jesus^(AY)

³⁵ The next day John^(AZ) was there again with two of his disciples. ³⁶ When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!”^(BA)

³⁷ When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. ³⁸ Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, “What do you want?”

They said, “Rabbi”^(BB) (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?”

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

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

⁴⁰ Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. ⁴¹ The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ).^{(BC) 42} And he brought him to Jesus.

Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called^(BD) Cephas” (which, when translated, is Peter^[g]).^(BE)

Jesus Calls Philip and Nathanael

⁴³ The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip,^(BF) he said to him, “Follow me.”^(BG)

⁴⁴ Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida.^{(BH) 45} Philip found Nathanael^(BI) and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law,^(BJ) and about whom the prophets also wrote^(BK)—Jesus of Nazareth,^(BL) the son of Joseph.”^(BM)

⁴⁶ “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?”^(BN) Nathanael asked.

“Come and see,” said Philip.

⁴⁷ When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, “Here truly is an Israelite^(BO) in whom there is no deceit.”^(BP)

⁴⁸ “How do you know me?” Nathanael asked.

Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.”

⁴⁹ Then Nathanael declared, “Rabbi,^(BQ) you are the Son of God;^(BR) you are the king of Israel.”^(BS)

⁵⁰ Jesus said, “You believe^[h] because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that.” ⁵¹ He then added, “Very truly I tell you,^[i] you^[j] will see ‘heaven open,^(BT) and the angels of God ascending and descending^(BU) on’^[k] the Son of Man.”^(BV)

John Testifies About Jesus

²⁹ The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God,^(A) who takes away the sin of the world!^{(B) 30} This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’^{(C) 31} I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.”

Joseph Accepts Jesus as His Son

¹⁸ This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about^[a]: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit.^{(A) 19} Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet^[b] did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce^(B) her quietly.

²⁰ But after he had considered this, an angel^(C) of the Lord appeared to him in a dream^(D) and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. ²¹ She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus,^[c](E) because he will save his people from their sins.”^(F)

²² All this took place to fulfill^(G) what the Lord had said through the prophet: ²³ “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”^[d](H) (which means “God with us”).

²⁴ When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel^(I) of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. ²⁵ But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.^(J)

The Birth of Jesus

2 In those days Caesar Augustus^(A) issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world.^{(B) 2} (This was the first census that took place while^[a] Quirinius was governor of Syria.)^{(C) 3} And everyone went to their own town to register.

⁴ So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem^(D) the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. ⁵ He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him^(E) and was expecting a child. ⁶ While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, ⁷ and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.