New International Reader s Version - NIrV - 1996
John 1
1
In the beginning, the Word was already there. The Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Reference
Parallel theme
John 17:5
Colossians 1:17
Revelation 22:13
Revelation 1:8
References God
Genesis 1:1
John 1:2
Philippians 2:6
Isaiah 9:6
Word
Revelation 19:13
John 1:14
2
He was with God in the beginning.
3
All things were made through him. Nothing that has been made was made without him.
Reference
Creation
Revelation 4:11
Psalm 33:6
John 1:10
Isaiah 45:18
Isaiah 45:12
Ephesians 3:9
Genesis 1:1
Parallel theme
1 Corinthians 8:6
Genesis 1:26
Psalm 102:25
4
Life was in him, and that life was the light for all people.
Reference
Light
John 8:12
John 12:46
John 9:5
Ephesians 5:14
John 12:35
Parallel theme
John 5:26
John 11:25
John 14:6
1 John 5:11
Colossians 3:4
6
A man came who was sent from God. His name was John.
Reference
Parallel theme
Malachi 3:1
John 3:28
John 1:33
Luke 1:76
Matthew 11:10
References John
Acts 13:24
Luke 1:13
7
He came to give witness about that light. He gave witness so that all people could believe.
Reference
Faith
Acts 19:4
John 1:12
Light
John 1:9
Parallel theme
John 1:36
Titus 2:11
2 Peter 3:9
Ephesians 3:9
Witness
John 1:15
10
The Word was in the world that was made through him. But the world did not recognize him.
Reference
Creation
Hebrews 11:3
Parallel theme
John 17:25
1 John 3:1
1 Corinthians 2:8
1 Corinthians 1:21
Matthew 11:27
John 1:18
John 1:5
Acts 14:17
John 5:17
12
Some people did accept him. They believed in his name. He gave them the right to become children of God.
Reference
Faith
Galatians 3:26
John 3:18
John 20:31
Parallel theme
Matthew 10:40
Colossians 2:6
Isaiah 56:5
References God
Romans 8:14
1 John 3:1
Galatians 4:6
Hosea 1:10
13
To be a child of God has nothing to do with human parents. Children of God are not born because of human choice or because a husband wants them to be born. They are born because of what God does.
Reference
Parallel theme
James 1:18
Titus 3:5
References God
1 John 3:9
1 Peter 1:23
1 Peter 1:3
1 John 5:4
1 John 4:7
Philippians 2:13
1 Corinthians 3:6
1 John 5:1
14
The Word became a human being. He made his home with us. We have seen his glory. It is the glory of the one and only Son. He came from the Father. And he was full of grace and truth.
Reference
Glory
1 Timothy 3:16
Isaiah 40:5
Hebrews 1:3
Parallel theme
1 John 4:9
John 6:51
Colossians 1:19
1 Corinthians 15:47
Word
John 1:1
Galatians 4:4
Romans 8:3
15
John gives witness about him. He cries out and says, "This was the one I was talking about. I said, 'He who comes after me is more important than I am. He is more important because he existed before I was born.' "
Reference
Parallel theme
Matthew 3:11
Colossians 1:17
Micah 5:2
John 17:5
Hebrews 13:8
Isaiah 9:6
John 8:58
References John
Luke 3:16
17
Moses gave us the law. Jesus Christ has given us grace and truth.
Reference
Grace
Romans 6:14
John 1:14
Parallel theme
Genesis 22:18
References Moses
Deuteronomy 5:1
Truth
John 14:6
John 8:32
Word
Hebrews 9:22
John 7:19
Acts 28:23
Galatians 3:17
18
No one has ever seen God. But God, the one and only Son, is at the Father's side. He has shown us what God is like.
Reference
Parallel theme
Matthew 11:27
Luke 10:22
1 Timothy 6:16
John 17:26
References God
Colossians 1:15
John 6:46
1 John 4:12
1 John 4:9
1 John 4:20
1 John 5:20
19
The Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask John who he was. John gave witness to them.
Reference
20
He did not try to hide the truth. He spoke to them openly. He said, "I am not the Christ."
21
They asked him, "Then who are you? Are you Elijah?" He said, "I am not." "Are you the Prophet we've been expecting?" they asked. "No," he answered.
Reference
22
They asked one last time, "Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?"
23
John replied, using the words of Isaiah the prophet. John said, "I'm the messenger who is calling out in the desert, 'Make the way for the Lord straight.' "--(Isaiah 40:3)
Reference
25
asked him, "If you are not the Christ, why are you baptizing people? Why are you doing that if you aren't Elijah or the Prophet we've been expecting?"
Reference
26
"I baptize people with water," John replied. "But One is standing among you whom you do not know.
Reference
Baptism
Acts 1:5
Mark 1:8
Matthew 3:11
Luke 3:16
Acts 11:16
Parallel theme
John 8:19
1 John 3:1
John 17:25
John 17:3
John 16:3
28
This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan River. That was where John was baptizing.
Reference
📍 Bethany 2
29
The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him. John said, "Look! The Lamb of God! He takes away the sin of the world!
Reference
30
This is the One I was talking about. I said, 'A man who comes after me is more important than I am. That's because he existed before I was born.'
Reference
31
I did not know him. But God wants to make it clear to Israel who this person is. That's the reason I came baptizing with water."
Reference
32
Then John told them, "I saw the Holy Spirit come down from heaven like a dove. The Spirit remained on Jesus.
Reference
33
I would not have known him. But the One who sent me to baptize with water told me, 'You will see the Spirit come down and remain on someone. He is the One who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.'
Reference
Holy
Acts 1:5
Matthew 3:11
Luke 3:16
Acts 2:4
Parallel theme
John 1:31
Spirit
John 3:34
1 Corinthians 12:13
John 3:5
34
I have seen it happen. I give witness that this is the Son of God."
Reference
Parallel theme
Psalm 2:7
1 John 2:23
References God
Matthew 4:3
John 1:49
Revelation 2:18
1 John 5:20
Romans 1:4
John 20:31
Hebrews 7:3
1 John 3:8
35
The next day John was again with two of his disciples.
38
Then Jesus turned around and saw them following. He asked, "What do you want?" They said, "Rabbi, where are you staying?" Rabbi means Teacher.
Reference
Parallel theme
John 1:49
Psalm 27:4
Proverbs 8:34
John 3:26
John 6:25
Acts 10:29
References Jesus
John 3:2
John 18:7
John 18:4
John 12:21
39
"Come," he replied. "You will see." So they went and saw where he was staying. They spent the rest of the day with him. It was about four o'clock in the afternoon.
Reference
40
Andrew was Simon Peter's brother. Andrew was one of the two disciples who heard what John had said. He had also followed Jesus.
41
The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon. He told him, "We have found the Messiah." Messiah means Christ.
Reference
42
And he brought Simon to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, "You are Simon, son of John. You will be called Cephas." Cephas means Peter (or rock).
Reference
People
43
The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, "Follow me."
Reference
Parallel theme
Isaiah 65:1
John 14:8
1 John 4:19
Matthew 10:3
John 1:28
References Jesus
Matthew 9:9
John 12:21
John 6:5
45
Philip found Nathanael and told him, "We have found the One that Moses wrote about in the Law. The prophets also wrote about him. He is Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph."
Reference
Parallel theme
Micah 5:2
Isaiah 7:14
Zechariah 9:9
Isaiah 9:6
Isaiah 53:2
Zechariah 6:12
Prophecy
Matthew 2:23
Word
Luke 24:27
Luke 24:44
Luke 4:22
46
"Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?" Nathanael asked. "Come and see," said Philip.
Reference
47
Jesus saw Nathanael approaching. Here is what Jesus said about him. "He is a true Israelite. There is nothing false in him."
Reference
48
"How do you know me?" Nathanael asked. Jesus answered, "I saw you while you were still under the fig tree. I saw you there before Philip called you."
Reference
49
Nathanael replied, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God. You are the King of Israel."
Reference
Kingdom
Zechariah 9:9
Zephaniah 3:15
Matthew 2:2
Matthew 27:42
Matthew 21:5
Matthew 27:11
Luke 19:38
Isaiah 9:7
Parallel theme
John 1:38
References God
John 1:34
50
Jesus said, "You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that."
Reference
51
Then he said to the disciples, "What I'm about to tell you is true. You will see heaven open. You will see the angels of God going up and coming down on the Son of Man."
Reference
Parallel theme
Luke 22:43
Mark 14:62
Mark 1:10
Acts 10:11
Luke 3:21
References God
Genesis 28:12
Acts 7:56
Matthew 3:16
Ezekiel 1:1
Luke 2:13
Chapter Summary
John 1 introduces Jesus as the eternal Word of God who existed before creation, entered human history as a human being, and became the source of life, light, grace, and truth, while also introducing John the Baptist and the first disciples who begin recognizing Jesus as the Messiah and Son of God.
The chapter opens with one of the strongest declarations about Jesus' identity in the entire Bible.
John describes Jesus as the Word, existing in the beginning with God and sharing God's divine nature.
Everything was created through Him, and in Him were life and light.
The light shines into the darkness, and the darkness cannot overcome it.
John then introduces John the Baptist, emphasizing that John is not the light himself but is a witness who has been sent to point people toward the true Light.
John the Baptist repeatedly directs attention away from himself and toward Jesus.
When questioned by religious leaders from Jerusalem, he refuses to claim that he is the Messiah, Elijah, or the expected Prophet.
Instead, he describes himself as the voice preparing the way for the Lord, echoing the prophetic language of Isaiah 40.
John explains that although he baptizes with water, someone much greater is already among them.
When Jesus appears, John identifies Him as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.
He then describes seeing the Spirit descend upon Jesus like a dove and remain upon Him, confirming Jesus as the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.
John concludes his testimony by declaring that Jesus is the Son of God.
The second major section of the chapter describes the beginning of Jesus' disciples.
Two of John's disciples hear him identify Jesus as the Lamb of God and begin following Jesus.
One of them is Andrew, who immediately finds his brother Simon and tells him that they have found the Messiah.
Andrew brings Simon to Jesus, and Jesus gives him the name Cephas, or Peter, meaning rock.
Jesus then calls Philip, who in turn finds Nathanael.
Philip tells Nathanael that they have found the person described by Moses and the prophets, but Nathanael initially questions whether anything good could come from Nazareth.
Philip does not argue with him but simply says, “Come and see.”
When Nathanael meets Jesus, Jesus demonstrates supernatural knowledge of him, causing Nathanael to declare that Jesus is the Son of God and King of Israel.
Jesus then promises that Nathanael will see even greater things, concluding with an image of heaven opening and angels ascending and descending on the Son of Man.
The imagery recalls Jacob's vision at Bethel, but John presents Jesus Himself as the ultimate connection between heaven and earth.
John 1 establishes the central message of the Gospel with extraordinary clarity: Jesus is the eternal Word who was with God and is divine, the Creator through whom all things were made, the Light who enters humanity's darkness, the Word who became flesh and lived among people, the Lamb who takes away sin, the Son of God who gives spiritual life, and the Messiah whom John the Baptist and the first disciples gradually recognize and follow.
The chapter opens with one of the strongest declarations about Jesus' identity in the entire Bible.
John describes Jesus as the Word, existing in the beginning with God and sharing God's divine nature.
Everything was created through Him, and in Him were life and light.
The light shines into the darkness, and the darkness cannot overcome it.
John then introduces John the Baptist, emphasizing that John is not the light himself but is a witness who has been sent to point people toward the true Light.
John the Baptist repeatedly directs attention away from himself and toward Jesus.
When questioned by religious leaders from Jerusalem, he refuses to claim that he is the Messiah, Elijah, or the expected Prophet.
Instead, he describes himself as the voice preparing the way for the Lord, echoing the prophetic language of Isaiah 40.
John explains that although he baptizes with water, someone much greater is already among them.
When Jesus appears, John identifies Him as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.
He then describes seeing the Spirit descend upon Jesus like a dove and remain upon Him, confirming Jesus as the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.
John concludes his testimony by declaring that Jesus is the Son of God.
The second major section of the chapter describes the beginning of Jesus' disciples.
Two of John's disciples hear him identify Jesus as the Lamb of God and begin following Jesus.
One of them is Andrew, who immediately finds his brother Simon and tells him that they have found the Messiah.
Andrew brings Simon to Jesus, and Jesus gives him the name Cephas, or Peter, meaning rock.
Jesus then calls Philip, who in turn finds Nathanael.
Philip tells Nathanael that they have found the person described by Moses and the prophets, but Nathanael initially questions whether anything good could come from Nazareth.
Philip does not argue with him but simply says, “Come and see.”
When Nathanael meets Jesus, Jesus demonstrates supernatural knowledge of him, causing Nathanael to declare that Jesus is the Son of God and King of Israel.
Jesus then promises that Nathanael will see even greater things, concluding with an image of heaven opening and angels ascending and descending on the Son of Man.
The imagery recalls Jacob's vision at Bethel, but John presents Jesus Himself as the ultimate connection between heaven and earth.
John 1 establishes the central message of the Gospel with extraordinary clarity: Jesus is the eternal Word who was with God and is divine, the Creator through whom all things were made, the Light who enters humanity's darkness, the Word who became flesh and lived among people, the Lamb who takes away sin, the Son of God who gives spiritual life, and the Messiah whom John the Baptist and the first disciples gradually recognize and follow.