[1:1] In the beginning the Word already existed; the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
[1:2] From the very beginning the Word was with God.
[1:3] Through him God made all things; not one thing in all creation was made without him.
[1:4] The Word was the source of life, and this life brought light to people.
[1:5] The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has never put it out.
[1:6] God sent his messenger, a man named John,
[1:7] who came to tell people about the light, so that all should hear the message and believe.
[1:8] He himself was not the light; he came to tell about the light.
[1:9] This was the real light—the light that comes into the world and shines on all people.
[1:10] The Word was in the world, and though God made the world through him, yet the world did not recognize him.
[1:11] He came to his own country, but his own people did not receive him.
[1:12] Some, however, did receive him and believed in him; so he gave them the right to become God's children.
[1:13] They did not become God's children by natural means, that is, by being born as the children of a human father; God himself was their Father.
[1:14] The Word became a human being and, full of grace and truth, lived among us. We saw his glory, the glory which he received as the Father's only Son.
[1:15] John spoke about him. He cried out, “This is the one I was talking about when I said, ‘He comes after me, but he is greater than I am, because he existed before I was born.’”
[1:16] Out of the fullness of his grace he has blessed us all, giving us one blessing after another.
[1:17] God gave the Law through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
[1:18] No one has ever seen God. The only Son, who is the same as God and is at the Father's side, he has made him known.