BSB · Scripture
John 1
Berean Standard Bible
Selected: verse 1–18. The whole chapter is included for context.
Section headings and translator notes come from the publisher; they are reading aids, distinct from the Bible text.
The Beginning
Verse1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (selected verse)
Verse2He was with God in the beginning. (selected verse)
Verse3Through Him all things were made, and without Him nothing was made that has been made. (selected verse)
Verse4In Him was life, and that life was the light of men. (selected verse)
Verse5The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (selected verse)
The Witness of John
Verse6There came a man who was sent from God. His name was John. (selected verse)
Verse7He came as a witness to testify about the Light, so that through him everyone might believe. (selected verse)
Verse8He himself was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light. (selected verse)
Verse9The true Light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. (selected verse)
Verse10He was in the world, and though the world was made through Him, the world did not recognize Him. (selected verse)
Verse11He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. (selected verse)
Verse12But to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God— (selected verse)
Verse13children born not of blood, nor of the desire or will of man, but born of God. (selected verse)
The Word Became Flesh
Verse14The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (selected verse)
Verse15John testified concerning Him. He cried out, saying, “This is He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because He was before me.’” (selected verse)
Verse16From His fullness we have all received grace upon grace. (selected verse)
Verse17For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. (selected verse)
Verse18No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is Himself God and is at the Father’s side, has made Him known. (selected verse)
The Mission of John the Baptist
Verse19And this was John’s testimony when the Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him, “Who are you?”
Verse20He did not refuse to confess, but openly declared, “I am not the Christ.”
Verse21“Then who are you?” they inquired. “Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” He answered, “No.”
Verse22So they said to him, “Who are you? We need an answer for those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”
Verse23John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet: “I am a voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’”
Verse24Then the Pharisees who had been sent
Verse25asked him, “Why then do you baptize, if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”
Verse26“I baptize with water,” John replied, “but among you stands One you do not know.
Verse27He is the One who comes after me, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.”
Verse28All this happened at Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
Jesus the Lamb of God
Verse29The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
Verse30This is He of whom I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because He was before me.’
Verse31I myself did not know Him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that He might be revealed to Israel.”
Verse32Then John testified, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove and resting on Him.
Verse33I myself did not know Him, but the One who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit descend and rest is He who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’
Verse34I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God. ”
The First Disciples
Verse35The next day John was there again with two of his disciples.
Verse36When he saw Jesus walking by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!”
Verse37And when the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus.
Verse38Jesus turned and saw them following. “What do you want?” He asked. They said to Him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are You staying?”
Verse39“Come and see,” He replied. So they went and saw where He was staying, and spent that day with Him. It was about the tenth hour.
Verse40Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard John’s testimony and followed Jesus.
Verse41He first found his brother Simon and told him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated as Christ).
Verse42Andrew brought him to Jesus, who looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which is translated as Peter).
Jesus Calls Philip and Nathanael
Verse43The next day Jesus decided to set out for Galilee. Finding Philip, He told him, “Follow Me.”
Verse44Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the same town as Andrew and Peter.
Verse45Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the One Moses wrote about in the Law, the One the prophets foretold—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”
Verse46“Can anything good come from Nazareth?” Nathanael asked. “Come and see,” said Philip.
Verse47When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, He said of him, “Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is no deceit.”
Verse48“How do You know me?” Nathanael asked. Jesus replied, “Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree.”
Verse49“Rabbi,” Nathanael answered, “You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!”
Verse50Jesus said to him, “Do you believe just because I told you I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these.”
Verse51Then He declared, “Truly, truly, I tell you, you will all see heaven open and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”
Translator notes (10)
- Verse 5: Or comprehended
- Verse 14: Or and tabernacled among us
- Verse 14: Or the Only Begotten or the Unique One
- Verse 18: Or but the only begotten God, who; BYZ and TR but the only begotten Son, who
- Verse 18: Greek in the Father’s bosom
- Verse 23: Isaiah 40:3 (see also LXX)
- Verse 26: Or in; also in verse 31 and twice in 33
- Verse 34: SBL the Chosen One of God
- Verse 39: That is, about four in the afternoon
- Verse 51: See Genesis 28:12.