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Prologue: Christ, the Eternal Word

In the beginning the Word already existed.
    The Word was with God,
    and the Word was God.
He existed in the beginning with God.
God created everything through him,
    and nothing was created except through him.
The Word gave life to everything that was created,[a]
    and his life brought light to everyone.
The light shines in the darkness,
    and the darkness can never extinguish it.[b]

God sent a man, John the Baptist,[c] to tell about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony. John himself was not the light; he was simply a witness to tell about the light. 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[d] and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness.[e] 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.[f] 17 For the law was given through Moses, but God’s unfailing love and faithfulness came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God. But the unique One, who is himself God,[g] is near to the Father’s heart. He has revealed God to us.

The Testimony of John the Baptist

19 This was John’s testimony when the Jewish leaders sent priests and Temple assistants[h] 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?”

“No,” he replied.

“Are you the Prophet we are expecting?”[i]

“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!’”[j]

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[k] 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

29 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.[l]

The First Disciples

35 The following day John was again standing with two of his disciples. 36 As 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?”

39 “Come and see,” he said. It was about four o’clock in the afternoon when they went with him to the place where he was staying, and they remained with him the rest of the day.

40 Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of these men who heard what John said and then followed Jesus. 41 Andrew went to find his brother, Simon, and told him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means “Christ”[m]).

42 Then Andrew brought Simon to meet Jesus. Looking intently at Simon, Jesus said, “Your name is Simon, son of John—but you will be called Cephas” (which means “Peter”[n]).

43 The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Come, follow me.” 44 Philip was from Bethsaida, Andrew and Peter’s hometown.

45 Philip went to look for Nathanael and told him, “We have found the very person Moses[o] and the prophets wrote about! His name is Jesus, the son of Joseph from Nazareth.”

46 “Nazareth!” exclaimed Nathanael. “Can anything good come from Nazareth?”

“Come and see for yourself,” Philip replied.

47 As they approached, Jesus said, “Now here is a genuine son of Israel—a man of complete integrity.”

48 “How do you know about me?” Nathanael asked.

Jesus replied, “I could see you under the fig tree before Philip found you.”

49 Then Nathanael exclaimed, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God—the King of Israel!”

50 Jesus asked him, “Do you believe this just because I told you I had seen you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this.” 51 Then he said, “I tell you the truth, you will all see heaven open and the angels of God going up and down on the Son of Man, the one who is the stairway between heaven and earth.[p]

Footnotes

  1. 1:3-4 Or and nothing that was created was created except through him. The Word gave life to everything.
  2. 1:5 Or and the darkness has not understood it.
  3. 1:6 Greek a man named John.
  4. 1:14a Greek became flesh.
  5. 1:14b Or grace and truth; also in 1:17.
  6. 1:16 Or received the grace of Christ rather than the grace of the law; Greek reads received grace upon grace.
  7. 1:18 Some manuscripts read But the one and only Son.
  8. 1:19 Greek and Levites.
  9. 1:21 Greek Are you the Prophet? See Deut 18:15, 18; Mal 4:5-6.
  10. 1:23 Isa 40:3.
  11. 1:26 Or in; also in 1:31, 33.
  12. 1:34 Some manuscripts read the Son of God.
  13. 1:41 Messiah (a Hebrew term) and Christ (a Greek term) both mean “anointed one.”
  14. 1:42 The names Cephas (from Aramaic) and Peter (from Greek) both mean “rock.”
  15. 1:45 Greek Moses in the law.
  16. 1:51 Greek going up and down on the Son of Man; see Gen 28:10-17. “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself.

Prólogo: Cristo, la Palabra eterna

En el principio la Palabra ya existía.
    La Palabra estaba con Dios,
    y la Palabra era Dios.
El que es la Palabra existía en el principio con Dios.
Dios creó todas las cosas por medio de él,
    y nada fue creado sin él.
La Palabra le dio vida a todo lo creado,[a]
    y su vida trajo luz a todos.
La luz brilla en la oscuridad,
    y la oscuridad jamás podrá apagarla.[b]

Dios envió a un hombre llamado Juan el Bautista[c] para que contara acerca de la luz, a fin de que todos creyeran por su testimonio. Juan no era la luz; era solo un testigo para hablar de la luz. Aquel que es la luz verdadera, quien da luz a todos, venía al mundo.

10 Vino al mismo mundo que él había creado, pero el mundo no lo reconoció. 11 Vino a los de su propio pueblo, y hasta ellos lo rechazaron; 12 pero a todos los que creyeron en él y lo recibieron, les dio el derecho de llegar a ser hijos de Dios. 13 Ellos nacen de nuevo, no mediante un nacimiento físico como resultado de la pasión o de la iniciativa humana, sino por medio de un nacimiento que proviene de Dios.

14 Entonces la Palabra se hizo hombre[d] y vino a vivir entre nosotros. Estaba lleno de amor inagotable y fidelidad.[e] Y hemos visto su gloria, la gloria del único Hijo del Padre.

15 Juan dio testimonio de él cuando clamó a las multitudes: «A él me refería yo cuando decía: “Alguien viene después de mí que es muy superior a mí porque existe desde mucho antes que yo”».

16 De su abundancia, todos hemos recibido una bendición inmerecida tras otra.[f] 17 Pues la ley fue dada por medio de Moisés, pero el amor inagotable de Dios y su fidelidad vinieron por medio de Jesucristo. 18 Nadie ha visto jamás a Dios; pero el Único, que es Dios,[g] está íntimamente ligado al Padre. Él nos ha revelado a Dios.

El testimonio de Juan el Bautista

19 Este fue el testimonio que dio Juan cuando los líderes judíos enviaron sacerdotes y ayudantes del templo[h] desde Jerusalén para preguntarle:

—¿Quién eres?

20 Él dijo con toda franqueza:

—Yo no soy el Mesías.

21 —Bien. Entonces, ¿quién eres?—preguntaron—. ¿Eres Elías?

—No—contestó.

—¿Eres el Profeta que estamos esperando?[i]

—No.

22 —Entonces, ¿quién eres? Necesitamos alguna respuesta para los que nos enviaron. ¿Qué puedes decirnos de ti mismo?

23 Juan contestó con las palabras del profeta Isaías:

«Soy una voz que clama en el desierto:
    “¡Abran camino para la llegada del Señor!”»[j].

24 Entonces los fariseos que habían sido enviados 25 le preguntaron:

—Si no eres el Mesías, ni Elías, ni el Profeta, ¿con qué derecho bautizas?

26 Juan les dijo:

—Yo bautizo con[k] agua, pero aquí mismo, en medio de la multitud, hay alguien a quien ustedes no reconocen. 27 Aunque su servicio viene después del mío, yo ni siquiera soy digno de ser su esclavo, ni de desatar las correas de sus sandalias.

28 Ese encuentro ocurrió en Betania, una región situada al oriente del río Jordán, donde Juan estaba bautizando.

Jesús, el Cordero de Dios

29 Al día siguiente, Juan vio que Jesús se le acercaba y dijo: «¡Miren! ¡El Cordero de Dios, que quita el pecado del mundo! 30 A él me refería cuando yo decía: “Después de mí, vendrá un hombre que es superior a mí porque existe desde mucho antes que yo”. 31 No lo reconocí como el Mesías, aunque estuve bautizando con agua para que él fuera revelado a Israel».

32 Entonces Juan dio testimonio: «Vi al Espíritu Santo descender del cielo como una paloma y reposar sobre él. 33 Yo no sabía que era el Mesías, pero cuando Dios me envió a bautizar con agua, me dijo: “Aquel, sobre quien veas que el Espíritu desciende y reposa, es el que bautizará con el Espíritu Santo”. 34 Vi que eso sucedió con Jesús, por eso doy testimonio de que él es el Elegido de Dios[l]».

Los primeros discípulos

35 Al día siguiente, Juan estaba otra vez allí con dos de sus discípulos. 36 Al pasar Jesús, Juan lo miró y declaró: «¡Miren! ¡Ahí está el Cordero de Dios!». 37 Cuando los dos discípulos de Juan lo oyeron, siguieron a Jesús.

38 Jesús miró a su alrededor y vio que ellos lo seguían.

—¿Qué quieren?—les preguntó.

Ellos contestaron:

—Rabí (que significa “Maestro”), ¿dónde te hospedas?

39 —Vengan y vean—les dijo.

Eran como las cuatro de la tarde cuando lo acompañaron al lugar donde se hospedaba, y se quedaron el resto del día con él.

40 Andrés, hermano de Simón Pedro, era uno de estos hombres que, al oír lo que Juan dijo, siguieron a Jesús. 41 Andrés fue a buscar a su hermano Simón y le dijo: «Hemos encontrado al Mesías» (que significa «Cristo»[m]).

42 Luego Andrés llevó a Simón, para que conociera a Jesús. Jesús miró fijamente a Simón y le dijo: «Tu nombre es Simón hijo de Juan, pero te llamarás Cefas» (que significa «Pedro»[n]).

43 Al día siguiente, Jesús decidió ir a Galilea. Encontró a Felipe y le dijo: «Ven, sígueme». 44 Felipe era de Betsaida, el pueblo natal de Andrés y Pedro.

45 Felipe fue a buscar a Natanael y le dijo:

—¡Hemos encontrado a aquel de quien Moisés[o] y los profetas escribieron! Se llama Jesús, el hijo de José, de Nazaret.

46 —¡Nazaret!—exclamó Natanael—. ¿Acaso puede salir algo bueno de Nazaret?

—Ven y compruébalo tú mismo—le respondió Felipe.

47 Mientras ellos se acercaban, Jesús dijo:

—Aquí viene un verdadero hijo de Israel, un hombre totalmente íntegro.

48 —¿Cómo es que me conoces?—le preguntó Natanael.

—Pude verte debajo de la higuera antes de que Felipe te encontrara—contestó Jesús.

49 Entonces Natanael exclamó:

—Rabí, ¡tú eres el Hijo de Dios, el Rey de Israel!

50 Jesús le preguntó:

—¿Crees eso solo porque te dije que te había visto debajo de la higuera? Verás cosas más grandes que esta.

51 Y agregó: «Les digo la verdad, todos ustedes verán el cielo abierto y a los ángeles de Dios subiendo y bajando sobre el Hijo del Hombre, quien es la escalera entre el cielo y la tierra[p]».

Footnotes

  1. 1:3-4 O y nada de lo que fue creado, fue creado sino por medio de él. La Palabra dio vida a todo.
  2. 1:5 O y la oscuridad no la ha entendido.
  3. 1:6 En griego un hombre llamado Juan.
  4. 1:14a En griego se hizo carne.
  5. 1:14b O de gracia y verdad; similar en 1:17.
  6. 1:16 O recibido la gracia de Cristo en lugar de la gracia de la ley; en griego dice recibido gracia sobre gracia.
  7. 1:18 Algunos manuscritos dicen pero el único Hijo.
  8. 1:19 En griego y levitas.
  9. 1:21 En griego ¿Eres tú el Profeta? Ver Dt 18:15, 18; Ml 4:5-6.
  10. 1:23 Is 40:3.
  11. 1:26 O en; también en 1:31, 33.
  12. 1:34 Algunos manuscritos dicen el Hijo de Dios.
  13. 1:41 Tanto Mesías (término hebreo) como Cristo (término griego) significan «ungido».
  14. 1:42 Tanto el nombre Cefas (del arameo) como el nombre Pedro (del griego) significan «roca».
  15. 1:45 En griego Moisés en la ley.
  16. 1:51 En griego subiendo y bajando sobre el Hijo del Hombre; ver Gn 28:10-17. «Hijo del Hombre» es un título que Jesús empleaba para referirse a sí mismo.

The Word Became Flesh

In the beginning was the Word,(A) and the Word was with God,(B) and the Word was God.(C) He was with God in the beginning.(D) Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.(E) In him was life,(F) and that life was the light(G) of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness,(H) and the darkness has not overcome[a] it.(I)

There was a man sent from God whose name was John.(J) He came as a witness to testify(K) concerning that light, so that through him all might believe.(L) He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.

The true light(M) that gives light to everyone(N) was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him,(O) the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.(P) 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed(Q) in his name,(R) he gave the right to become children of God(S) 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.(T)

14 The Word became flesh(U) and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory,(V) the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace(W) and truth.(X)

15 (John testified(Y) 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.’”)(Z) 16 Out of his fullness(AA) we have all received grace(AB) in place of grace already given. 17 For the law was given through Moses;(AC) grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.(AD) 18 No one has ever seen God,(AE) but the one and only Son, who is himself God and[b](AF) is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.

John the Baptist Denies Being the Messiah

19 Now this was John’s(AG) testimony when the Jewish leaders[c](AH) in Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. 20 He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, “I am not the Messiah.”(AI)

21 They asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?”(AJ)

He said, “I am not.”

“Are you the Prophet?”(AK)

He answered, “No.”

22 Finally they said, “Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”

23 John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, “I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness,(AL) ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’”[d](AM)

24 Now the Pharisees who had been sent 25 questioned him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”

26 “I baptize with[e] water,”(AN) John replied, “but among you stands one you do not know. 27 He is the one who comes after me,(AO) the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.”(AP)

28 This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan,(AQ) where John was baptizing.

John Testifies About Jesus

29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God,(AR) who takes away the sin of the world!(AS) 30 This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’(AT) 31 I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.”

32 Then John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him.(AU) 33 And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water(AV) told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’(AW) 34 I have seen and I testify that this is God’s Chosen One.”[f](AX)

John’s Disciples Follow Jesus(AY)

35 The next day John(AZ) was there again with two of his disciples. 36 When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!”(BA)

37 When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. 38 Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, “What do you want?”

They said, “Rabbi”(BB) (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.

40 Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. 41 The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ).(BC) 42 And he brought him to Jesus.

Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called(BD) Cephas” (which, when translated, is Peter[g]).(BE)

Jesus Calls Philip and Nathanael

43 The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip,(BF) he said to him, “Follow me.”(BG)

44 Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida.(BH) 45 Philip found Nathanael(BI) and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law,(BJ) and about whom the prophets also wrote(BK)—Jesus of Nazareth,(BL) the son of Joseph.”(BM)

46 “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?”(BN) Nathanael asked.

“Come and see,” said Philip.

47 When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, “Here truly is an Israelite(BO) in whom there is no deceit.”(BP)

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.”

49 Then Nathanael declared, “Rabbi,(BQ) you are the Son of God;(BR) you are the king of Israel.”(BS)

50 Jesus said, “You believe[h] because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that.” 51 He then added, “Very truly I tell you,[i] you[j] will see ‘heaven open,(BT) and the angels of God ascending and descending(BU) on’[k] the Son of Man.”(BV)

Footnotes

  1. John 1:5 Or understood
  2. John 1:18 Some manuscripts but the only Son, who
  3. John 1:19 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.
  4. John 1:23 Isaiah 40:3
  5. John 1:26 Or in; also in verses 31 and 33 (twice)
  6. John 1:34 See Isaiah 42:1; many manuscripts is the Son of God.
  7. John 1:42 Cephas (Aramaic) and Peter (Greek) both mean rock.
  8. John 1:50 Or Do you believe … ?
  9. John 1:51 The Greek is plural.
  10. John 1:51 The Greek is plural.
  11. John 1:51 Gen. 28:12