I. Prologue*

6* A man named John was sent from God.e 7He came for testimony,* to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him.f 8He was not the light, but came to testify to the light.g 9The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.h

12i But to those who did accept him he gave power to become children of God, to those who believe in his name, 13* j who were born not by natural generation nor by human choice nor by a man’s decision but of God.

15* John testified to him and cried out, saying, “This was he of whom I said,l ‘The one who is coming after me ranks ahead of me because he existed before me.’ ” 16From his fullness we have all received, grace in place of grace,* 17because while the law was given through Moses, grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.m 18No one has ever seen God. The only Son, God,* who is at the Father’s side, has revealed him.n

II. The Book of Signs

John the Baptist’s Testimony to Himself. 19* And this is the testimony of John. When the Jews* from Jerusalem sent priests and Levites [to him] to ask him, “Who are you?” 20* he admitted and did not deny it, but admitted,o “I am not the Messiah.” 21So they asked him, “What are you then? Are you Elijah?”* And he said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” He answered, “No.”p 22So they said to him, “Who are you, so we can give an answer to those who sent us? What do you have to say for yourself?” 23He said:

as Isaiah the prophet said.” 24Some Pharisees* were also sent. 25They asked him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Messiah or Elijah or the Prophet?”r 26John answered them, “I baptize with water;* but there is one among you whom you do not recognize,s 27the one who is coming after me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie.” 28This happened in Bethany across the Jordan,* where John was baptizing.

John the Baptist’s Testimony to Jesus. 29The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God,* who takes away the sin of the world.t 30* He is the one of whom I said,u ‘A man is coming after me who ranks ahead of me because he existed before me.’ 31I did not know him,* but the reason why I came baptizing with water was that he might be made known to Israel.” 32John testified further, saying, “I saw the Spirit come down like a dove* from the sky and remain upon him. 33I did not know him,v but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘On whomever you see the Spirit come down and remain, he is the one who will baptize with the holy Spirit.’w 34* x Now I have seen and testified that he is the Son of God.”

The First Disciples.y 35The next day John was there again with two of his disciples, 36and as he watched Jesus walk by, he said, “Behold, the Lamb of God.”* 37The two disciples* heard what he said and followed Jesus. 38Jesus turned and saw them following him and said to them, “What are you looking for?” They said to him, “Rabbi” (which translated means Teacher), “where are you staying?” 39He 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 four in the afternoon.* 40Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, was one of the two who heard John and followed Jesus. 41He first found his own brother Simon and told him, “We have found the Messiah”* (which is translated Anointed).z 42Then he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John;* you will be called Cephas” (which is translated Peter).a

43The next day he* decided to go to Galilee, and he found Philip. And Jesus said to him, “Follow me.” 44Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the town of Andrew and Peter. 45Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one about whom Moses wrote in the law, and also the prophets, Jesus son of Joseph, from Nazareth.”b 46But Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” 47Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Here is a true Israelite.* There is no duplicity in him.” 48* c Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree.” 49Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God;* you are the King of Israel.”d 50Jesus answered and said to him, “Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree?* You will see greater things than this.” 51And he said to him, “Amen, amen,* I say to you, you will see the sky opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”e