King James Version

John 1

John 1 opens with In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was God, and says the Word was made flesh in Jesus. It then tells how John the Baptist pointed to Jesus as the Lamb of God, and how Andrew, Simon Peter, Philip and Nathanael became his first followers.

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John 1 (KJV)

In the beginning was the Word v. 1-5

1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

2The same was in the beginning with God.

3All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

4In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

5And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

A man sent from God, whose name was John v. 6-13

6There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.

7The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.

8He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.

9That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.

10He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.

11He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

12But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

13Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

The Word was made flesh v. 14-18

14And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

15John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.

16And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.

17For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

18No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

John's answer to the priests and Levites v. 19-28

19And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou?

20And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ.

21And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No.

22Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself?

23He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.

24And they which were sent were of the Pharisees.

25And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet?

26John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not;

27He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe’s latchet I am not worthy to unloose.

28These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing.

Behold the Lamb of God v. 29-34

29The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

30This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me.

31And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.

32And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.

33And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.

34And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.

Andrew brings his brother Simon v. 35-42

35Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples;

36And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!

37And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.

38Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master,) where dwellest thou?

39He saith unto them, Come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day: for it was about the tenth hour.

40One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother.

41He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.

42And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone.

Philip and Nathanael v. 43-51

43The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me.

44Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.

45Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.

46And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.

47Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!

48Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.

49Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.

50Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these.

51And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.

What John 1 means

John's Gospel starts further back than any other: In the beginning, the same words that open Genesis. The Word was with God and was God, and all things were made by him. In him was life, and that life was the light of men, a light the darkness could not overcome or understand.

Verses 6 to 13 bring in John the Baptist, a man sent from God to bear witness of the Light. The Light came into the world he had made, and his own people did not receive him. But all who did receive him were given power to become the sons of God, born not of human descent but of God.

Verse 14 is the center of the chapter: the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us. The Word of verse 1 is now identified as a person, the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. Verse 17 sets him beside Moses: the law came by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. Verse 18 says no one has seen God, but the Son has made him known.

The rest of the chapter happens over a few days. Priests and Levites ask John who he is. He says he is not the Christ, not Elias, not that prophet, but the voice of one crying in the wilderness from Isaiah. The next day he sees Jesus and says, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world, and he testifies that he saw the Spirit descend on Jesus like a dove.

The next day two of John's disciples follow Jesus. One is Andrew, who first finds his brother Simon and tells him they have found the Messias. Jesus names Simon Cephas, a stone. Then Jesus calls Philip, and Philip brings Nathanael, who doubts that any good thing can come out of Nazareth. After Jesus tells Nathanael he saw him under the fig tree, Nathanael calls him the Son of God and the King of Israel. The chapter ends with Jesus promising greater things: heaven open and angels ascending and descending upon the Son of man.

Background and context

The Gospel of John is traditionally attributed to the apostle John, the son of Zebedee. The book does not name its author but says it was written by the disciple whom Jesus loved (John 21:20-24).

The John in this chapter is a different man: John the Baptist. The KJV says he was baptizing at Bethabara beyond Jordan. Unlike Matthew, Mark and Luke, John's Gospel does not narrate Jesus' baptism directly; it has John the Baptist tell what he saw.

Key verses

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

John 1:1 · KJV

And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

John 1:14 · KJV

The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

John 1:29 · KJV

But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

John 1:12 · KJV

Cross references

  • Genesis 1:1-3 The opening words of the Bible, which John 1:1 deliberately echoes, and the first light.In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
  • Colossians 1:16-17 Paul also says all things were created by him and for him.For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
  • 1 John 1:1 The same writer calls Jesus the Word of life, seen, heard and handled.That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;
  • Isaiah 40:3 The prophecy John the Baptist applies to himself in verse 23.The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
  • Malachi 4:5 The promise of Elijah's coming that lies behind the question, Art thou Elias?Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:
  • Isaiah 53:7 The servant brought as a lamb to the slaughter, one background for the Lamb of God.He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.
  • Matthew 3:16-17 Matthew's account of the Spirit descending like a dove at Jesus' baptism.And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
  • Genesis 28:12 Jacob's dream of angels ascending and descending, which Jesus echoes in verse 51.And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it.
Quick quiz

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Common questions

Who is the Word in John 1?

Verse 14 says the Word was made flesh, and verse 17 names Jesus Christ, so the Word is Jesus, who was with God and was God from the beginning.

What does John 1:1 mean?

It says the Word existed in the beginning, was with God, and was God. Christians have read it as a central statement that Jesus is eternal and divine.

Who were the first disciples in John 1?

Andrew and another disciple of John the Baptist followed Jesus first. Andrew brought his brother Simon Peter, then Jesus called Philip, and Philip brought Nathanael.

What does Lamb of God mean?

John the Baptist called Jesus the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. It points to the sacrificial lambs of Israel's worship and the servant in Isaiah 53 led as a lamb to the slaughter.

Is the John in John 1 the same as the writer?

No. The John sent from God in this chapter is John the Baptist. The Gospel itself is traditionally attributed to the apostle John.

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