English · ASV

John 1

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The Word Was God 1–5

1
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ​
2
The same was in the beginning with God. ​
3
All things were made through him; and without him was not anything made that hath been made. ​
4
In him was life; and the life was the light of men. ​
5
And the light shineth in the darkness; and the darkness apprehended it not. ​

John the Baptist Sent as a Witness 6–13

6
There came a man, sent from God, whose name was John. ​
7
The same came for witness, that he might bear witness of the light, that all might believe through him. ​
8
He was not the light, but came that he might bear witness of the light.
9
There was the true light, even the light which lighteth every man, coming into the world. ​
10
He was in the world, and the world was made through him, and the world knew him not.
11
He came unto his own, and they that were his own received him not. ​
12
But as many as received him, to them gave he the right to become children of God, even to them that believe on his name: ​
13
who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

The Word Becomes Flesh 14–18

14
And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father), full of grace and truth. ​
15
John beareth witness of him, and crieth, saying, This was he of whom I said, He that cometh after me is become before me: for he was before me. ​
16
For of his fulness we all received, and grace for grace.
17
For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. ​
18
No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him. ​

John Testifies to the Authorities 19–28

19
And this is the witness of John, when the Jews sent unto him from Jerusalem priests and Levites to ask him, Who art thou? ​
20
And he confessed, and denied not; and he confessed, I am not the Christ.
21
And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elijah? And he saith, I am not. Art thou the prophet? And he answered, No. ​
22
They said therefore unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself?
23
He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said Isaiah the prophet. ​
24
And they had been sent from the Pharisees.
25
And they asked him, and said unto him, Why then baptizest thou, if thou art not the Christ, neither Elijah, neither the prophet?
26
John answered them, saying, I baptize in water: in the midst of you standeth one whom ye know not, ​
27
even he that cometh after me, the latchet of whose shoe I am not worthy to unloose.
28
These things were done in Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

Behold, the Lamb of God 29–34

29
On the morrow he seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold, the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world! ​
30
This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man who is become before me: for he was before me.
31
And I knew him not; but that he should be made manifest to Israel, for this cause came I baptizing in water.
32
And John bare witness, saying, I have beheld the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven; and it abode upon him. ​
33
And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize in water, he said unto me, Upon whomsoever thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and abiding upon him, the same is he that baptizeth in the Holy Spirit.
34
And I have seen, and have borne witness that this is the Son of God. ​

Jesus Gathers His First Disciples 35–51

35
Again on the morrow John was standing, and two of his disciples;
36
and he looked upon Jesus as he walked, and saith, Behold, the Lamb of God!
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And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.
38
And Jesus turned, and beheld them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? And they said unto him, Rabbi (which is to say, being interpreted, Teacher), where abidest thou? ​
39
He saith unto them, Come, and ye shall see. They came therefore and saw where he abode; and they abode with him that day: it was about the tenth hour. ​
40
One of the two that heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother.
41
He findeth first his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messiah (which is, being interpreted, Christ). ​
42
He brought him unto Jesus. Jesus looked upon him, and said, Thou art Simon the son of John: thou shalt be called Cephas (which is by interpretation, Peter). ​
43
On the morrow he was minded to go forth into Galilee, and he findeth Philip: and Jesus saith unto him, Follow me.
44
Now Philip was from Bethsaida, of the city of Andrew and Peter.
45
Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. ​
46
And Nathanael said unto him, Can any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see. ​
47
Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!
48
Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee. ​
49
Nathanael answered him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art King of Israel. ​
50
Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee underneath the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these.
51
And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye shall see the heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man. ​

Bible text: American Standard Version (1901) · Public domain

Study Notes for John 1

Verse 1

In the beginning was the Word — These are the opening words of Gen 1:1. 'Word' is logos, the spoken word; the heavens were made 'by the word of the LORD' (Ps 33:6), and 'The Word of God' is Christ's name in Rev 19:13. 'Was' (en) is the same verb in all three clauses: the Word existed, was 'with God', and 'was God'.

Verse 2

The same was in the beginning with God — 'The same' gathers the three clauses of v.1 into one statement about the Word. Christ asks the Father to glorify him 'with the glory which I had with thee before the world was' (John 17:5).

Verse 3

All things were made by him — 'Made' is ginomai, to come to be, three times in this verse. The Word 'was' in v.1; everything else came to be through him. Only in v.14 does the Word himself 'become' (the same verb) flesh. 'By him were all things created' (Col 1:16); 'by whom are all things' (1 Cor 8:6).

Verse 4

In him was life — Zoe, life, and phos, light. The Son holds life as the Father does: 'as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself' (John 5:26). The light is 'of men', which takes in every nation; he says later, 'I am the light of the world' (John 8:12).

Verse 5

the darkness comprehended it not — Katalambano is to take hold of, and so to overcome or to grasp. John uses it of a woman 'taken' in adultery (John 8:3) and of 'lest darkness come upon you' (John 12:35). 'Shineth' is present tense: the light keeps shining, and the darkness has not mastered it.

Verse 6

There was a man sent from God — 'There was' is egeneto, 'came to be', the verb of creation in v.3: John has a beginning, where the Word 'was' (v.1). 'Sent' is apostello, the verb behind 'apostle'. He is the messenger promised in Mal 3:1, 'I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me'.

Verse 7

to bear witness of the Light — Martyria is witness and martyreo to testify, words that recur through this gospel; Christ says of John, 'he bare witness unto the truth' (John 5:33). The purpose is belief: 'that all men through him might believe', through John's testimony, not in John.

Verse 9

the true Light — Alethinos, true in the sense of real or genuine, set against John, who 'was not that Light' (v.8). 'Lighteth' (photizo) is to give light to. 'That cometh into the world' may be read with 'every man' or with the Light (cf. John 12:46); Isa 49:6 promises 'a light to the Gentiles'.

Verse 11

his own received him not — Idios, one's own, is used twice: he came to what is his, and his own people did not take him in. The rejection is foretold in Isa 53:3, 'He is despised and rejected of men', and runs through the gospel: 'no man receiveth his testimony' (John 3:32). The next verse speaks of those who did receive him: 'But as many as received him'.

Verse 12

the sons of God — 'Sons' here is tekna, children, the word of 1 John 3:1; the Son is huios (vv.18, 34). 'Power' is exousia, right or authority: the right is a gift. It belongs to those who 'received him', defined as those who 'believe on his name'.

Verse 14

dwelt among us — Skenoo, to pitch a tent, from the word for tabernacle. The glory that 'filled the tabernacle' (Ex 40:34) is now 'beheld' in the Word made flesh; the verb returns in John's writings only in Revelation (7:15; 21:3), 'he will dwell with them'. Monogenes, 'only begotten', is also John's word at v.18 and 3:16, 18.

Verse 15

he was before me — John comes first in time and in ministry, yet says the one who follows is 'preferred before me: for he was before me'. 'Before me' is protos mou, literally 'first of me'. 'Cried' (krazo) is a loud public cry. The same words recur at v.30; compare 'mightier than I' (Matt 3:11).

Verse 17

grace and truth came by Jesus Christ — This is the first place where this gospel names him 'Jesus Christ'. The law 'was given' (didomi) by Moses, but grace and truth 'came' (ginomai, the verb of vv.3, 14) by a person; they repeat 'full of grace and truth' (v.14). 'Ye are not under the law, but under grace' (Rom 6:14).

Verse 18

the only begotten Son — Monogenes again (v.14). 'Bosom' (kolpos) is the place of nearest closeness, used also of the disciple 'leaning on Jesus' bosom' (John 13:23). 'Declared' is exegeomai, to set forth; John uses it only here. 'No man hath seen God at any time' recalls Ex 33:20 and is repeated in 1 John 4:12.

Verse 19

the record of John — 'Record' is martyria, the witness of v.7. The delegation is 'priests and Levites' from Jerusalem, the temple's ministers, and 'the Jews' here are the authorities who sent them. John was of priestly family himself: his father Zacharias was 'a certain priest', his mother 'of the daughters of Aaron' (Luke 1:5).

Verse 21

Art thou Elias? — Elias is the Greek form of Elijah, promised 'before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD' (Mal 4:5). John says 'I am not', yet the angel said he would go 'in the spirit and power of Elias' (Luke 1:17), and Christ says 'Elias is come already' (Matt 17:12). 'That prophet' is the prophet like Moses of Deut 18:15, applied to Christ in Acts 3:22.

Verse 23

the voice of one crying in the wilderness — John answers in the words of Isa 40:3, which all four gospels apply to him (Matt 3:3; Mark 1:3; Luke 3:4). 'Esaias' is Isaiah. Where Isaiah has 'the way of the LORD', the gospel has 'the Lord', and the one who comes after the voice is named in v.29. 'Make straight' is euthuno.

Verse 26

I baptize with water — Baptizo is to immerse. John's baptism is 'with water' only; the one who follows 'shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost' (Mark 1:8; cf. Acts 1:5). 'There standeth one among you, whom ye know not', which means the unrecognised one already stands among them, as in v.10: 'the world knew him not'.

Verse 29

the Lamb of God — Amnos, a lamb, occurs only here, v.36, Acts 8:32 (quoting Isa 53:7) and 1 Pet 1:19. Abraham said 'God will provide himself a lamb' (Gen 22:8), and Israel took 'a lamb for an house' at the Passover (Ex 12:3). 'Taketh away' (airo) is to lift and carry off the sin 'of the world' (1 John 2:2).

Verse 32

it abode upon him — 'Abode' is meno, to remain, the verb of 'remaining on him' (v.33) and of 'dwellest' and 'abode' in vv.38, 39. The Spirit 'like a dove' is told also by Matt 3:16; Mark 1:10; Luke 3:22 ('in a bodily shape'). This gospel gives it only as the Baptist's own testimony.

Verse 34

the Son of God — The Baptist's testimony rests on sight: 'I saw, and bare record'. 'Son of God' is the title of Ps 2:7, 'Thou art my Son', and Nathanael takes it up in v.49. The gospel states its own purpose in the same words: 'that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God' (John 20:31).

Verse 38

What seek ye? — The first words Jesus speaks in this gospel are a question. 'Seek' is zeteo; he asks it again in the garden, 'Whom seek ye?' (John 18:4, 7). The disciples answer, 'where dwellest thou?', with meno, to remain (vv.32, 33). 'Rabbi' is glossed 'Master', as 'Messias' (v.41) and 'Cephas' (v.42) are glossed for the reader.

Verse 39

the tenth hour — The hours are counted from sunrise ('twelve hours in the day', John 11:9), so the tenth is about four in the afternoon (some read John by the Roman reckoning, ten in the morning). They 'abode with him that day' (meno again, vv.32, 38). 'Come and see' is what Philip says in turn to Nathanael (v.46).

Verse 41

the Messias — This is the Aramaic form of the Hebrew word for 'anointed', glossed 'the Christ' (Christos). It occurs in the New Testament only here and John 4:25. 'He first findeth' (v.40: Andrew, 'Simon Peter's brother') is followed by Philip's 'We have found him' (v.45): each one found goes to find another.

Verse 42

Cephas — This is the Aramaic name glossed 'A stone', Petros in Greek, 'Peter'; Christ confirms it later: 'thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church' (Matt 16:18). Paul uses Cephas (1 Cor 1:12; 3:22; 9:5; 15:5; Gal 2:9). 'Jona' is the father's name, 'Jonas' in John 21:15.

Verse 45

Moses in the law, and the prophets — Philip names the two parts of Scripture. Christ later 'beginning at Moses and all the prophets… expounded… in all the scriptures the things concerning himself' (Luke 24:27); the prophet like Moses is promised in Deut 18:18. 'Son of Joseph' is the common description (Luke 3:23, 'as was supposed').

Verse 46

Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? — Nazareth is a city of Galilee (Luke 1:26), named nowhere in the Old Testament. Nathanael himself was 'of Cana in Galilee' (John 21:2). Philip answers with the invitation Jesus gave in v.39, 'Come and see'. The objection recurs in Judea: 'out of Galilee ariseth no prophet' (John 7:52).

Verse 48

under the fig tree — Jesus' reply to Nathanael is knowledge of what no one told him: 'he knew what was in man' (John 2:25), as in Ps 139:1, 'thou hast searched me, and known me'. What Nathanael was doing is not stated. The fig tree is a place of rest in Scripture: 'every man under his vine and under his fig tree' (1 Kings 4:25; Mic 4:4).

Verse 49

Son of God… King of Israel — Two titles joined as in Ps 2:6–7, where the LORD sets 'my king upon my holy hill of Zion' and says 'Thou art my Son'. 'Son of God' repeats the Baptist (v.34). 'King of Israel' is what the crowd cries at the triumphal entry: 'Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord' (John 12:13).

Verse 51

Verily, verily — Amen, amen, the double assent by which Jesus opens a saying; it occurs 25 times in John, first here. 'Angels of God ascending and descending' is the sight Jacob saw at Bethel (Gen 28:12), which he called 'the house of God… the gate of heaven' (Gen 28:17); here it is 'upon the Son of man' (cf. Dan 7:13).