The Beginning
(Hebrews 11:1–3)

1IN the beginning was the WORD, and the WORD, was with God, and the WORD was God. 2He was in the beginning with God. 3All things were made by him, and without him not one thing was made that now exists. 4In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness comprehends it not.

The Witness of John

6There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7This man came as a witness, to testify of the Light, that all through him might believe. 8He was not the Light; but he came to testify of the Light.

9He was the true Light, which, coming into the world, gives light to every man. 10He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. 11He came to his own country, and his own people received him not. 12But as many as received him, to them he gave the privilege of be coming the children of God, even to those who believe on his name; 13who were begotten, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

The Word Became Flesh

14And the WORD became flesh, and tabernacled among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and of truth. 15John testified of him, and cried, saying: This is he of whom I said: He that comes after me, is now before me, for he existed before me. 16And from his fullness have we all received, even grace for grace; 17for the law was given through Moses, but the grace and the truth came through Jesus Christ. 18No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he has revealed him.

The Mission of John the Baptist
(Matthew 3:1–12; Mark 1:1–8; Luke 3:1–20)

19And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him: Who are you? 20And he confessed, and did not deny; and he confessed: I am not the Christ. 21And they asked him: What then? Are you Elijah? And he said: I am not. Are you the prophet? And he answered: No. 22They then said to him: Who are you? that we may give an answer to those who sent us; what say you of yourself? 23He said: I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord; as said the prophet Isaiah.

24And those who were sent were of the Pharisees; 25and they asked him, and said to him: Why, then, do you immerse, if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the prophet? 26John answered them, saying: I immerse in water; but there stands one among you whom you know not. 27He it is, who, though he comes after me, is now before me; the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to loose. 28These things were done in Bethany, beyond the Jordan, where John was immersing.

Jesus the Lamb of God
(Matthew 3:13–17; Mark 1:9–11; Luke 3:21–22)

29The next day John saw Jesus coming to him, and said: Behold the Lamb of God, that takes away the sin of the world. 30This is he of whom I said, After me comes a man who is now before me, for he existed before me. 31And I knew him not; but that he might be made manifest to Israel, for this reason I have come immersing in water. 32And John testified, saying: I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. 33And I knew him not; but he that sent me to immerse in water, said to me, On whom you shall see the Spirit descending and remaining, this is he that immerses in the Holy Spirit. 34And I saw, and do testify that this is the Son of God.

The First Disciples
(Matthew 4:18–22; Mark 1:16–20; Luke 5:1–11)

35Again the next day, John was standing with two of his disciples. 36And looking on Jesus as he walked, he said: Be hold the Lamb of God. 37And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. 38And Jesus turned, and saw them following, and said to them: 39What do you seek? They said to him: Rabbi, (which, when translated, is called Teacher,) where abidest thou? 40He said to them: Come and see. They went and saw where he abode; and they remained with him that day; for it was about the tenth hour. 41One of the two that heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter. 42He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him: We have found the Messiah; (which, when translated, is the Christ;)

Jesus Calls Philip and Nathanael

43and he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looking on him, said: You are Simon, the son of Jonah; you shall be called Cephas (which, when translated, is Rock). 44The day following, Jesus wished to go into Galilee; and he found Philip, and said to him: Follow me. 45Now, Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 46Philip found Nathaniel, and said to him: We have found him of whom Moses in the law and the prophets did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. 47And Nathaniel said to him: Can any thing good come out of Nazareth? Philip said to him: Come and see. 48Jesus saw Nathaniel coming to him, and said of him: Be hold, an Israelite in truth, in whom there is no guile. 49Nathaniel said to him: How knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said to him: Before Philip called you, while you were under the fig-tree, I saw you. 50Nathaniel answered and said to him: Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel. 51Jesus answered and said to him: Do you believe, be cause I said to you, I saw you under the fig-tree? You shall see greater things than these. And he said to him: Verily, verily I say to you, From this time you shall see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.