Gospels

Coming of Christ
1 In the beginning was the Word,+ and the Word was with God,+ and the Word was a god.*+ 2  This one was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came into existence through him,+ and apart from him not even one thing came into existence.What has come into existence 4  by means of him was life, and the life was the light of men.+ 5  And the light is shining in the darkness,+ but the darkness has not overpowered it. 6 There came a man who was sent as a representative of God; his name was John.+ 7  This man came as a witness, in order to bear witness about the light,+ so that people of all sorts might believe through him. 8 He was not that light,+ but he was meant to bear witness about that light. 9 The true light that gives light to every sort of man was about to come into the world.+ 10  He was in the world,+ and the world came into existence through him,+ but the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own home, but his own people did not accept him. 12 However, to all who did receive him, he gave authority to become God’s children,+ because they were exercising faith in his name.+ 13  And they were born, not from blood or from a fleshly will or from man’s will, but from God.+  14  So the Word became flesh+ and resided among us, and we had a view of his glory, a glory such as belongs to an only-begotten son+ from a father; and he was full of divine favor* and truth. 15 (John bore witness about him, yes, he cried out: “This was the one of whom I said, ‘The one coming behind me has advanced in front of me, for he existed before me.’”)+ 16  For we all received from his fullness, even undeserved kindness upon undeserved kindness. 17 Because the Law was given through Moses,+ the undeserved kindness+ and the truth came to be through Jesus Christ.+ 18  No man has seen God at any time;+ the only-begotten god+ who is at the Father’s side*+ is the one who has explained Him.+  19

John the Baptist
This is the witness John gave when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him: “Who are you?”+ 20 And he admitted it and did not deny it, saying: “I am not the Christ.” 21  And they asked him: “What, then? Are you E·li′jah?”+ He replied: “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?”+ And he answered: “No!” 22 So they said to him: “Who are you? Tell us so that we may give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” 23 He said: “I am a voice of someone crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make the way of Jehovah* straight,’+ just as Isaiah the prophet said.”+ 24  Now those sent were from the Pharisees. 25 So they questioned him and said to him: “Why, then, do you baptize if you are not the Christ or E·li′jah or the Prophet?” 26  John answered them: “I baptize in water. One is standing among you whom you do not know, 27 the one coming behind me, the lace of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.”+ 28  These things took place in Beth′a·ny across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.+  29  The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and he said: “See, the Lamb+ of God who takes away the sin+ of the world!+ 30  This is the one about whom I said: ‘Behind me there comes a man who has advanced in front of me, for he existed before me.’+ 31  Even I did not know him, but the reason why I came baptizing in water was so that he might be made manifest to Israel.”+ 32  John also bore witness, saying: “I viewed the spirit coming down as a dove out of heaven, and it remained upon him.+ 33  Even I did not know him, but the very One who sent me to baptize in water said to me: ‘Whoever it is upon whom you see the spirit coming down and remaining,+ this is the one who baptizes in holy spirit.’+ 34 And I have seen it, and I have given witness that this one is the Son of God.”+

First disciples
35 Again the next day, John was standing with two of his disciples, 36 and as he looked at Jesus walking, he said: “See, the Lamb+ of God!” 37  When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. 38 Then Jesus turned, and seeing them following, he said to them: “What are you looking for?” They said to him: “Rabbi (which means, when translated, “Teacher”), where are you staying?” 39  He said to them: “Come, and you will see.” So they went and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day; it was about the tenth hour.* 40  Andrew,+ the brother of Simon Peter, was one of the two who heard what John said and followed Jesus. 41 He first found his own brother Simon and said to him: “We have found the Mes·si′ah”+ (which means, when translated, “Christ”), 42  and he led him to Jesus. When Jesus looked at him, he said: “You are Simon,+ the son of John; you will be called Ce′phas” (which is translated “Peter”).+ 43  The next day he wanted to leave for Gal′i·lee. Jesus then found Philip+ and said to him: “Be my follower.” 44 Now Philip was from Beth·sa′i·da, from the city of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip found Na·than′a·el+ and said to him: “We have found the one of whom Moses, in the Law, and the Prophets wrote: Jesus, the son of Joseph,+ from Naz′a·reth.” 46  But Na·than′a·el said to him: “Can anything good come out of Naz′a·reth?” Philip said to him: “Come and see.” 47  Jesus saw Na·than′a·el coming toward him and said about him: “See, truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.”+ 48  Na·than′a·el said to him: “How do you know me?” Jesus answered him: “Before Philip called you, while you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” 49  Na·than′a·el responded: “Rabbi, you are the Son of God, you are King of Israel.”+ 50  Jesus answered him: “Do you believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree? You will see things greater than these.” 51 He then said to him: “Most truly I say to you men, you will see heaven opened up and the angels of God ascending and descending to the Son of man.”+