The Deity and Pre-Incarnation of Jesus Christ 1 The Word was in the beginning; the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 All things were made by Him and nothing that was made came into being without Him. 4 In Him was Life, and the Life was the Light of men. 5 The Light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not overcome it. The Ministry of John the Baptist 6 There was a man sent from God whose name was John. 7 He came to be a witness, to tell about the Light, so that men through him might believe. 8 He was not the Light, but came to bear witness of the Light. Jesus, the Light of the World 9 The True Light, which enlightens every man, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world - the world that had come into being through Him - yet the world did not know Him. 11 He came to His own world, yet His own people did not welcome Him. 12 But to those who welcomed Him, to those believing on His name, He gave the right to be the children of God. 13 These are born, not of blood, nor the desires of the flesh, nor the will of man, but of God. 14 And the Word became Flesh and lived among us, and we saw His glory, a glory as of the Father's only Son, full of grace and truth. The Work and Testimony of John the Baptist 15 John bore witness about Him, and cried out, saying, "This is He of whom I spoke: 'The One who comes after me takes rank above me, for He was before Me.'" 16 Out of His fulness we have all received spiritual blessings, grace upon grace. 17 For the Law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God. The only born Son, who is in the intimate presence of the Father, has made Him known. 19 Now this is the witness of John, given when the Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask Him, "Who are you?" 20 He answered frankly. He did not refuse, but answered openly, "I am not the Christ." 21 "What then?" they asked him. "Are you Elijah?" He answered, "I am not." "Are you the prophet?" He answered, "No." 22 Therefore, they said to him, "Who are you? We must give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?" 23 He said, "I am a voice of one crying in the wilderness, 'Make straight the way of the Lord!' as the Prophet Isaiah said" (Isaiah 40:3). 24 Now those who had been sent were from among the Pharisees. 25 They questioned him again. "Why do you baptize," they asked him, "if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?" 26 "I baptize with water," John answered, "but among you stands One whom you do not know. 27 He it is who, though He comes after me, is put before me, whose shoe-string I am unworthy to untie." 28 These things happened in Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing. 29 The next day, upon seeing Jesus coming to him, he said, "See! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is He of whom I spoke, 'There comes a Man after me who is put before me, because He was before me.' 31 I myself did not know Him, but I have come baptizing with water that He might be made known to Israel." 32 Then John testified, "I saw the Spirit come down as a dove from heaven and rest on Him. 33 I did not know Him then, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, 'The One on whom you see the Spirit coming down and abiding, He is the One who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.' 34 I have seen and have borne witness that He is the Son of God." Andrew and Peter Called As Disciples 35 The next day John was standing with two of his disciples. 36 Then, seeing Jesus as He walked, he said, "See! He is the Lamb of God!" 37 The two disciples, having heard what he said, followed Jesus. 38 Then Jesus turned about and, seeing them come after Him, asked them, "What are you looking for?" They answered, "Rabbi (meaning Teacher), where are You staying?" 39 He said to them, "Come and see." So they followed Him and saw where He was living, and stayed with Him the rest of the day. It was then four o'clock in the afternoon. 40 Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, was one of the two who had heard John's remark and had followed Jesus. 41 He first sought out Simon, his own brother, and told him, "We have found the Messiah!" (which means the Christ, the Anointed One). 42 He led him to Jesus, and when Jesus looked at him He said, "You are Simon, the son of John. You shall be called Cephas, which means Peter - a Rock." Philip and Nathanael Called 43 The following day Jesus wished to set out for Galilee. Meeting Philip, He said to him, "Follow Me." 44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the town of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip met Nathanael and said to him, "We have found the One whom Moses wrote about in the Law, and whom the prophets wrote about - Jesus of Nazareth, son of Joseph." 46 "Nazareth?" said Nathanael. "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip replied, "Come and see!" 47 When Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him, He said to him, "See! There is a true Israelite, in whom there is no deceit." 48 "How do You know me?" asked Nathanael. Jesus answered, "I saw you under the fig tree before Philip talked to you." 49 Nathanael said to Him, "Teacher, You are the Son of God. You are the King of Israel." 50 Jesus answered and said to him, "Do you believe because I said to you that I had seen you under the fig tree? You shall see greater wonders than that!"