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John 1:1-4
Contemporary English Version
John 1:1-4
Contemporary English Version
The Word of Life
1 In the beginning was the one
who is called the Word.
The Word was with God
and was truly God.
2 From the very beginning
the Word was with God.
3 And with this Word,
God created all things.
Nothing was made
without the Word.
Everything that was created
4 received its life from him,
and his life gave light
to everyone.
John 1:1-4
Living Bible
John 1:1-4
Living Bible
1 1-2 Before anything else existed,[a] there was Christ, with God. He has always been alive and is himself God. 3 He created everything there is—nothing exists that he didn’t make. 4 Eternal life is in him, and this life gives light to all mankind.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- John 1:1 Before anything else existed, literally, “In the beginning.” Christ, literally, “the Word,” meaning Christ, the wisdom and power of God and the first cause of all things; God’s personal expression of himself to men.
John 1:1-4
New Living Translation
John 1:1-4
New Living Translation
Prologue: Christ, the Eternal Word
1 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,[a]
and his life brought light to everyone.
Footnotes
- 1:3-4 Or and nothing that was created was created except through him. The Word gave life to everything.
John 1:1-4
New International Version
John 1:1-4
New International Version
The Word Became Flesh
1 In the beginning was the Word,(A) and the Word was with God,(B) and the Word was God.(C) 2 He was with God in the beginning.(D) 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.(E) 4 In him was life,(F) and that life was the light(G) of all mankind.
John 1:10
Contemporary English Version
John 1:10
Contemporary English Version
10 The Word was in the world,
but no one knew him,
though God had made the world
with his Word.
John 1:10
Living Bible
John 1:10
Living Bible
10 But although he made the world, the world didn’t recognize him when he came.
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John 1:10
New Living Translation
John 1:10
New Living Translation
10 He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him.
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John 1:10
New International Version
John 1:10
New International Version
10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him,(A) the world did not recognize him.
John 1:14
Contemporary English Version
John 1:14
Contemporary English Version
14 The Word became
a human being
and lived here with us.
We saw his true glory,
the glory of the only Son
of the Father.
From him the complete gifts
of undeserved grace and truth
have come down to us.
John 1:14
Living Bible
John 1:14
Living Bible
14 And Christ[a] became a human being and lived here on earth among us and was full of loving forgiveness and truth. And some of us have seen his glory—the glory of the only Son of the heavenly Father!
Read full chapterFootnotes
- John 1:14 Christ, literally, “the Word.” loving forgiveness, literally, “grace.” seen his glory, see Matthew 17:2. the only Son of the heavenly Father, literally, “his unique Son.”
John 1:14
New Living Translation
John 1:14
New Living Translation
John 1:14
New International Version
John 1:14
New International Version
14 The Word became flesh(A) and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory,(B) the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace(C) and truth.(D)
John 1:18
Contemporary English Version
John 1:18
Contemporary English Version
18 No one has ever seen God. The only Son, who is truly God and is closest to the Father, has shown us what God is like.
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John 1:18
Living Bible
John 1:18
Living Bible
18 No one has ever actually seen God, but, of course, his only Son has, for he is the companion of the Father and has told us all about him.
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John 1:18
New Living Translation
John 1:18
New Living Translation
18 No one has ever seen God. But the unique One, who is himself God,[a] is near to the Father’s heart. He has revealed God to us.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 1:18 Some manuscripts read But the one and only Son.
John 1:18
New International Version
John 1:18
New International Version
18 No one has ever seen God,(A) but the one and only Son, who is himself God and[a](B) is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.
Footnotes
- John 1:18 Some manuscripts but the only Son, who
John 8:56-59
Contemporary English Version
John 8:56-59
Contemporary English Version
56 Your father Abraham was really glad to see me.”
57 “You are not even 50 years old!” they said. “How could you have seen Abraham?”
58 Jesus answered, “I tell you for certain that even before Abraham was, I was, and I am.”[a] 59 The people picked up stones to kill Jesus, but he hid and left the temple.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 8.58 I am: See the note at 8.24.
John 8:56-59
Living Bible
John 8:56-59
Living Bible
56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day. He knew I was coming and was glad.”
57 The Jewish leaders: “You aren’t even fifty years old—sure, you’ve seen Abraham!”
58 Jesus: “The absolute truth is that I was in existence before Abraham was ever born!”
59 At that point the Jewish leaders picked up stones to kill him. But Jesus was hidden from them, and walked past them and left the Temple.
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John 8:56-59
New Living Translation
John 8:56-59
New Living Translation
56 Your father Abraham rejoiced as he looked forward to my coming. He saw it and was glad.”
57 The people said, “You aren’t even fifty years old. How can you say you have seen Abraham?[a]”
58 Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, before Abraham was even born, I am![b]” 59 At that point they picked up stones to throw at him. But Jesus was hidden from them and left the Temple.
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John 8:56-59
New International Version
John 8:56-59
New International Version
56 Your father Abraham(A) rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it(B) and was glad.”
57 “You are not yet fifty years old,” they said to him, “and you have seen Abraham!”
58 “Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born,(C) I am!”(D) 59 At this, they picked up stones to stone him,(E) but Jesus hid himself,(F) slipping away from the temple grounds.
Philippians 2:6-7
Contemporary English Version
Philippians 2:6-7
Contemporary English Version
6 Christ was truly God.
But he did not try to remain[a]
equal with God.
7 Instead he gave up everything[b]
and became a slave,
when he became
like one of us.
Philippians 2:6-7
Living Bible
Philippians 2:6-7
Living Bible
6 who, though he was God, did not demand and cling to his rights as God, 7 but laid aside his mighty power and glory, taking the disguise of a slave and becoming like men.[a]
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Philippians 2:7 becoming like men, literally, “made in the likeness of men.”
Philippians 2:6-7
New Living Translation
Philippians 2:6-7
New Living Translation
6 Though he was God,[a]
he did not think of equality with God
as something to cling to.
7 Instead, he gave up his divine privileges[b];
he took the humble position of a slave[c]
and was born as a human being.
When he appeared in human form,[d]
Philippians 2:6-7
New International Version
Philippians 2:6-7
New International Version
Colossians 1:16-19
Contemporary English Version
Colossians 1:16-19
Contemporary English Version
16 Everything was created by him,
everything in heaven
and on earth,
everything seen and unseen,
including all forces
and powers,
and all rulers
and authorities.
All things were created
by God's Son,
and everything was made
for him.
17 God's Son was before all else,
and by him everything
is held together.
18 (A) He is the head of his body,
which is the church.
He is the very beginning,
the first to be raised
from death,
so that he would be
above all others.
19 God himself was pleased
to live fully in his Son.
Colossians 1:16-19
Living Bible
Colossians 1:16-19
Living Bible
16 Christ himself is the Creator who made everything in heaven and earth, the things we can see and the things we can’t; the spirit world with its kings and kingdoms, its rulers and authorities; all were made by Christ for his own use and glory. 17 He was before all else began and it is his power that holds everything together. 18 He is the Head of the body made up of his people—that is, his Church—which he began; and he is the Leader of all those who arise from the dead,[a] so that he is first in everything; 19 for God wanted all of himself to be in his Son.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Colossians 1:18 he is the Leader of all those who arise from the dead, literally, “he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead.”
Colossians 1:16-19
New Living Translation
Colossians 1:16-19
New Living Translation
16 for through him God created everything
in the heavenly realms and on earth.
He made the things we can see
and the things we can’t see—
such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world.
Everything was created through him and for him.
17 He existed before anything else,
and he holds all creation together.
18 Christ is also the head of the church,
which is his body.
He is the beginning,
supreme over all who rise from the dead.[a]
So he is first in everything.
19 For God in all his fullness
was pleased to live in Christ,
Footnotes
- 1:18 Or the firstborn from the dead.
Colossians 1:16-19
New International Version
Colossians 1:16-19
New International Version
16 For in him all things were created:(A) things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities;(B) all things have been created through him and for him.(C) 17 He is before all things,(D) and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head(E) of the body, the church;(F) he is the beginning and the firstborn(G) from among the dead,(H) so that in everything he might have the supremacy. 19 For God was pleased(I) to have all his fullness(J) dwell in him,
Contemporary English Version (CEV) 
Copyright © 1995 by American Bible Society For more information about CEV, visit www.bibles.com and www.cev.bible.
Living Bible (TLB)
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.