The Word Became Flesh
1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was with God in the beginning. 3Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome1:5 Or understood it.
6There was a man sent from God whose name was John. 7He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. 8He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.
9The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. 10He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
14The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
15(John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ ”) 16Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. 17For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and1:18 Some manuscripts but the only Son, who is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.
John the Baptist Denies Being the Messiah
19Now this was John’s testimony when the Jewish leaders1:19 The Greek term traditionally translated the Jews (hoi Ioudaioi) refers here and elsewhere in John’s Gospel to those Jewish leaders who opposed Jesus; also in 5:10, 15,16; 7:1,11,13; 9:22; 18:14,28,36; 19:7,12,31,38; 20:19. in Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. 20He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, “I am not the Messiah.”
21They asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?”
He said, “I am not.”
“Are you the Prophet?”
He answered, “No.”
22Finally they said, “Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”
23John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, “I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’ ”1:23 Isaiah 40:3
24Now the Pharisees who had been sent 25questioned him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”
26“I baptize with1:26 Or in; also in verses 31 and 33 (twice) water,” John replied, “but among you stands one you do not know. 27He is the one who comes after me, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.”
28This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
John Testifies About Jesus
29The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ 31I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.”
32Then John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. 33And I 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 come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ 34I have seen and I testify that this is God’s Chosen One.”1:34 See Isaiah 42:1; many manuscripts is the Son of God.
John’s Disciples Follow Jesus
35The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. 36When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!”
37When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. 38Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, “What do you want?”
They said, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?”
39“Come,” he replied, “and you will see.”
So they went and saw where he was staying, and they spent that day with him. It was about four in the afternoon.
40Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. 41The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ). 42And he brought him to Jesus.
Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which, when translated, is Peter1:42 Cephas (Aramaic) and Peter (Greek) both mean rock.).
Jesus Calls Philip and Nathanael
43The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, “Follow me.”
44Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. 45Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”
46“Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked.
“Come and see,” said Philip.
47When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, “Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.”
48“How do you know me?” Nathanael asked.
Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.”
49Then Nathanael declared, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel.”
50Jesus said, “You believe1:50 Or Do you believe…? because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that.” 51He then added, “Very truly I tell you,1:51 The Greek is plural. you1:51 The Greek is plural. will see ‘heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on’1:51 Gen. 28:12 the Son of Man.”
Neno Alifanyika Mwili
11:1 1Yn 1:2; Yn 17:5; Flp 2:6; Isa 55:11Hapo mwanzo alikuwako Neno, huyo Neno alikuwa pamoja na Mungu, naye Neno alikuwa Mungu. 21:2 Ufu 1:8; Mwa 1:1Tangu mwanzo huyo Neno alikuwa pamoja na Mungu.
31:3 Kol 1:16; Ebr 1:2Vitu vyote viliumbwa kwa yeye, wala pasipo yeye hakuna chochote kilichoumbwa ambacho kimeumbwa. 41:4 1Yn 5:20; Ufu 1:8; Yn 12:46Ndani yake ndimo ulimokuwa uzima na huo uzima ulikuwa nuru ya watu. 51:5 Yn 3:19Nuru hungʼaa gizani nalo giza halikuishinda.
61:6 Mt 3:1Alikuja mtu mmoja aliyetumwa kutoka kwa Mungu, jina lake Yohana. 71:7 Yn 3:26; 5:33; 3:15Alikuja kama shahidi apate kuishuhudia hiyo nuru, ili kwa kupitia kwake watu wote waweze kuamini. 81:8 Yn 1:20Yeye mwenyewe hakuwa ile nuru, bali alikuja kuishuhudia hiyo nuru. 91:9 1Yn 2:8; Isa 49:6Kwamba nuru halisi, imwangaziayo kila mtu ilikuwa inakuja ulimwenguni.
101:10 Yn 1:3; Ebr 1:2; 11; 3Huyo Neno alikuwako ulimwenguni na ingawa ulimwengu uliumbwa kupitia kwake, haukumtambua. 111:11 Lk 19:14; Mdo 3:26; 13:46Alikuja kwa walio wake, lakini wao hawakumpokea. 121:12 Isa 56:5; Rum 8:15; Gal 3:26; 2Pet 1:4; 1Yn 3:1Bali wote waliompokea, aliwapa uwezo wa kufanyika watoto wa Mungu, ndio wale waliaminio jina lake. 131:13 Tit 3:5; Yak 1:18Hawa ndio wasiozaliwa kwa damu, wala kwa mapenzi ya mwili au kwa mapenzi ya mtu, bali kwa mapenzi ya Mungu.
141:14 1Yn 1:1-2; 4:2; Yn 14:6Neno alifanyika mwili, akakaa miongoni mwetu, nasi tukauona utukufu wake, utukufu kama wa Mwana pekee atokaye kwa Baba, amejaa neema na kweli.
151:15 Yn 1:32; 3:32; 5:33; Mt 3:11; Mk 1:7; Lk 3:16; Yn 1:27, 30; 3:31; 8:58; Kol 1:17Yohana alishuhudia habari zake, akapaza sauti, akisema, “Huyu ndiye yule niliyewaambia kwamba, ‘Yeye ajaye baada yangu ni mkuu kuniliko mimi, kwa kuwa alikuwepo kabla yangu.’ ” 161:16 Kol 1:19; 2:9Kutokana na ukamilifu wake, sisi sote tumepokea neema juu ya neema. 171:17 Kum 32:46Kwa kuwa sheria ilitolewa kwa mkono wa Mose, lakini neema na kweli imekuja kupitia Yesu Kristo. 18Hakuna mtu yeyote aliyemwona Mungu wakati wowote, ila ni Mungu Mwana pekee, aliye kifuani mwa Baba ndiye ambaye amemdhihirisha.
Ushuhuda Wa Yohana Mbatizaji
(Mathayo 3:1-12; Marko 1:1-8; Luka 3:1-18)
191:19 Yn 7:1; 10:24Huu ndio ushuhuda wa Yohana wakati Wayahudi walipowatuma makuhani na Walawi kutoka Yerusalemu kumuuliza, “Wewe ni nani?” 201:20 Yn 3:28; Lk 3:15-16Yohana alikiri waziwazi pasipo kuficha akasema, “Mimi si Kristo.”1:20 Kristo maana yake ni Masiya, yaani Aliyetiwa mafuta.
211:21 Kum 18:15; Mt 11:4Wakamuuliza, “Wewe ni nani basi? Je, wewe ni Eliya?”
Yeye akajibu, “Hapana, mimi siye.”
“Je, wewe ni yule Nabii?”
Akajibu, “Hapana.”
22Ndipo wakasema, “Basi tuambie wewe ni nani ili tupate jibu la kuwapelekea wale waliotutuma. Wewe wasemaje juu yako mwenyewe?”
231:23 Mt 3:1; Isa 40:3Akawajibu kwa maneno ya nabii Isaya, akisema, “Mimi ni sauti ya mtu aliaye nyikani, ‘Yanyoosheni mapito ya Bwana.’ ”
24Basi walikuwa wametumwa watu kutoka kwa Mafarisayo 251:25 Mt 21:25wakamuuliza, “Kama wewe si Kristo, wala si Eliya na wala si yule Nabii, kwa nini basi unabatiza?”
261:26 Mt 3:11; Mk 1:7, 8Yohana akawajibu, “Mimi ninabatiza kwa maji,1:26 Hapa tafsiri zingine zinasema ndani ya maji. lakini katikati yenu yupo mtu msiyemjua. 271:27 Yn 3:26; Mdo 13:25Yeye ajaye baada yangu, sistahili hata kufungua kamba za viatu vyake.”
281:28 Yn 3:26; 10:40Mambo haya yote yalitukia huko Bethania, ngʼambo ya Mto Yordani, mahali Yohana alipokuwa akibatiza.
Yesu Mwana-Kondoo Wa Mungu
291:29 Mwa 22:8; Ufu 5:6Siku iliyofuata, Yohana alimwona Yesu akimjia akasema, “Tazama, Mwana-Kondoo wa Mungu aichukuaye dhambi ya ulimwengu! 301:30 Yn 15:27Huyu ndiye yule niliyewaambia kwamba, ‘Mtu anakuja baada yangu ambaye ni mkuu kuniliko mimi, kwa kuwa alikuwepo kabla yangu.’ 311:31 Mal 3:1; Mt 3:6; Lk 1:17, 76, 77; 3:3, 4Mimi mwenyewe sikumfahamu, lakini sababu ya kuja nikibatiza kwa maji ni ili yeye apate kufunuliwa kwa Israeli.”
321:32 Mt 3:16; Mk 1:10Kisha Yohana akatoa ushuhuda huu: “Nilimwona Roho akishuka kutoka mbinguni kama hua, akakaa juu yake. 331:33 Mk 1:4; Mt 3:11Mimi nisingemtambua, lakini yeye aliyenituma nibatize kwa maji alikuwa ameniambia, ‘Yule mtu utakayemwona Roho akimshukia na kukaa juu yake, huyo ndiye atakayebatiza kwa Roho Mtakatifu.’ 341:34 Mt 4:3Mimi mwenyewe nimeona jambo hili na ninashuhudia kuwa huyu ndiye Mwana wa Mungu.”
Wanafunzi Wa Kwanza Wa Yesu
351:35 Mt 3:1Siku iliyofuata, Yohana alikuwa huko tena pamoja na wanafunzi wake wawili. 361:36 Yn 1:29Alipomwona Yesu akipita, akasema, “Tazama, Mwana-Kondoo wa Mungu!”
37Wale wanafunzi wawili walipomsikia Yohana akisema haya, wakamfuata Yesu. 381:38 Mt 23:7Yesu akageuka, akawaona wakimfuata akawauliza, “Mnataka nini?”
Wakamwambia, “Rabi,” (maana yake Mwalimu), “Unaishi wapi?”
39Yesu akawajibu, “Njooni, nanyi mtapaona!”
Hivyo wakaenda na kupaona mahali alipokuwa anaishi, wakakaa naye siku ile, kwa kuwa ilikuwa yapata saa kumi.
401:40 Mt 4:18-22Andrea nduguye Simoni Petro, alikuwa mmoja wa wale wawili waliosikia yale Yohana aliyokuwa amesema, naye ndiye alimfuata Yesu. 411:41 Yn 4:25Kitu cha kwanza Andrea alichofanya ni kumtafuta Simoni nduguye na kumwambia, “Tumemwona Masiya” (yaani, Kristo). 421:42 Mwa 32:28; Mt 16:18Naye akamleta kwa Yesu.
Yesu akamwangalia na kusema, “Wewe ni Simoni mwana wa Yohana. Utaitwa Kefa” (ambalo limetafsiriwa Petro1:42 Petro kwa Kiyunani au Kefa kwa Kiaramu; maana yake ni Kipande cha mwamba.).
Yesu Awaita Filipo Na Nathanaeli
431:43 Mt 10:3; Yn 14:8-9; Mt 4:9Siku iliyofuata Yesu aliamua kwenda Galilaya. Akamkuta Filipo, akamwambia, “Nifuate.”
441:44 Yn 12:21Basi Filipo alikuwa mwenyeji wa Bethsaida, mji alikotoka Andrea na Petro. 451:45 Yn 21:2; Lk 24:27; Mt 2:23; Lk 3:23Filipo naye akamkuta Nathanaeli na kumwambia, “Tumemwona yeye ambaye Mose aliandika habari zake katika Sheria na ambaye pia manabii waliandika kumhusu, yaani, Yesu wa Nazareti, mwana wa Yosefu.”
461:46 Yn 7:41-42, 52Nathanaeli akauliza, “Nazareti! Je, kitu chochote chema chaweza kutoka Nazareti?” Filipo akamwambia, “Njoo uone.”
471:47 Za 32:2; Rum 9:4-6Yesu alipomwona Nathanaeli anakaribia, akanena habari zake akasema, “Tazama huyu ni Mwisraeli kweli kweli; hana hila ndani yake.”
48Nathanaeli akamuuliza, “Umenifahamuje?”
Yesu akamjibu, “Nilikuona ulipokuwa bado uko chini ya mtini, kabla hata Filipo hajakuita.”
491:49 Mt 23:7; 4:3; 2; 2; 27:42Nathanaeli akamwambia, “Rabi, wewe ni Mwana wa Mungu! Wewe ni Mfalme wa Israeli!”
50Yesu akamwambia, “Unaamini kwa kuwa nilikuambia nilikuona ulipokuwa bado uko chini ya mtini? Basi utaona mambo makuu zaidi kuliko hilo.” 511:51 Mt 3:16; 8:20; Mwa 28:12Ndipo akawaambia, “Amin, amin nawaambia, ninyi mtaona mbingu ikifunguka na malaika wa Mungu wakipanda na kushuka juu ya Mwana wa Adamu.”
