Every Woman's Bible Journaling Edition, Filament Enabled - Book - Page 18
JOHN 1
1320
Prologue: Christ, the Eternal Word
In the beginning the Word already existed.
The Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
2 He existed in the beginning with God.
3 God created everything through him,
and nothing was created except through him.
4 The Word gave life to everything that was
created,*
and his life brought light to everyone.
5 The light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness can never extinguish it.*
1
6 God sent a man, John the Baptist,* 7 to tell about
the light so that everyone might believe because of
his testimony. 8 John himself was not the light; he
was simply a witness to tell about the light. 9 The one
who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was
coming into the world.
10 He came into the very world he created, but the
world didn’t recognize him. 11 He came to his own
people, and even they rejected him. 12 But to all who
believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to
become children of God. 13 They are reborn—not
with a physical birth resulting from human passion
or plan, but a birth that comes from God.
14 So the Word became human* and made his
home among us. He was full of unfailing love and
faithfulness.* And we have seen his glory, the glory
of the Father’s one and only Son.
15 John testified about him when he shouted to the
crowds, “This is the one I was talking about when I
said, ‘Someone is coming after me who is far greater
than I am, for he existed long before me.’”
16 From his abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another.* 17For the law was given
through Moses, but God’s unfailing love and faithfulness came through Jesus Christ. 18No one has ever
seen God. But the unique One, who is himself God,* is
near to the Father’s heart. He has revealed God to us.
The Testimony of John the Baptist
This was John’s testimony when the Jewish leaders
sent priests and Temple assistants* from Jerusalem
to ask John, “Who are you?” 20 He came right out and
said, “I am not the Messiah.”
21 “Well then, who are you?” they asked. “Are you
Elijah?”
19
“No,” he replied.
“Are you the Prophet we are expecting?”*
“No.”
22 “Then who are you? We need an answer for
those who sent us. What do you have to say about
yourself?”
23 John replied in the words of the prophet Isaiah:
“I am a voice shouting in the wilderness,
‘Clear the way for the Lord’s coming!’”*
24 Then the Pharisees who had been sent 25 asked
him, “If you aren’t the Messiah or Elijah or the
Prophet, what right do you have to baptize?”
26 John told them, “I baptize with* water, but right
here in the crowd is someone you do not recognize.
27 Though his ministry follows mine, I’m not even worthy to be his slave and untie the straps of his sandal.”
28 This encounter took place in Bethany, an area
east of the Jordan River, where John was baptizing.
Jesus, the Lamb of God
The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him
and said, “Look! The Lamb of God who takes away
the sin of the world! 30 He is the one I was talking
about when I said, ‘A man is coming after me who
is far greater than I am, for he existed long before
me.’ 31 I did not recognize him as the Messiah, but I
have been baptizing with water so that he might be
revealed to Israel.”
32 Then John testified, “I saw the Holy Spirit descending like a dove from heaven and resting upon
him. 33 I didn’t know he was the one, but when God
sent me to baptize with water, he told me, ‘The one
on whom you see the Spirit descend and rest is the
one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 I saw
this happen to Jesus, so I testify that he is the Chosen
One of God.*”
29
The First Disciples
The following day John was again standing with
two of his disciples. 36As Jesus walked by, John
looked at him and declared, “Look! There is the Lamb
of God!” 37 When John’s two disciples heard this, they
followed Jesus.
38 Jesus looked around and saw them following.
“What do you want?” he asked them.
They replied, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”),
“where are you staying?”
35
1:3-4 Or and nothing that was created was created except through him. The Word gave life to everything. 1:5 Or and the
darkness has not understood it. 1:6 Greek a man named John. 1:14a Greek became flesh. 1:14b Or grace and truth; also in
1:17. 1:16 Or received the grace of Christ rather than the grace of the law; Greek reads received grace upon grace. 1:18 Some
manuscripts read But the one and only Son. 1:19 Greek and Levites. 1:21 Greek Are you the Prophet? See Deut 18:15, 18;
Mal 4:5-6. 1:23 Isa 40:3. 1:26 Or in; also in 1:31, 33. 1:34 Some manuscripts read the Son of God.
1:12-14 The book of John speaks of God as Father more than
any other New Testament book. God’s fatherhood in both testaments emphasizes God’s authority and goodness, as well as his
relational attribute. But, seeing God as Father is not the only way
to understand our relationship with him. John also uses birth
as the metaphor for how God brings us into his family (see also
3:3-8). Therefore, we can also connect with God as a mother who
purposefully conceives us and gives birth to us. For women who
have abusive or absent fathers, John invites us to believe that
Jesus provides a way to join a new family, God’s family (see 14:18).
