Bible Verse Lookup
Jn 1,18
Chapter 1
Prologue
In the beginning was the Word.
And the Word was with God
and the Word was God.
He was in the beginning with God.
All things came into being through him,
and without him nothing came to be.
What came to be,
through him was life;
And this life was the light of all people,
light that shines in darkness,
light that darkness could not overcome.
A man came, sent by God; his name was John.
He came to bear witness, as a witness to introduce the light, so that all might believe through him.
He was not the light,
but a witness to introduce the light;
for the light was coming into the world,
the true light that enlightens everyone.
He was in the world
and through him, the world was made,
but the world did not know him.
He came to what was his own,
yet his own people did not accept him.
But to all who received him,
he empowers to become children of God,
for they believe in his name.
These are born, but not of blood
or the will of the flesh, nor by the will of man,
but of God.
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us;
and we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s only Son,
full of grace and truth.
John bore witness to him openly saying, “This is the one who comes after me, but he is already ahead of me, for he was before me.”
From his fullness we have all received,
grace upon grace.
For God had given us the law through Moses,
but grace and truth
came through Jesus Christ.
No one has ever seen God,
The only Son, God,
who is at the Father’s side,
has made him know.
Testimony of John the Baptist
This was John’s testimony when the Jews sent priests and Levites to ask him:
“Who are you?”
John acknowledged the truth and refused to deny it. He stated:
“I am not the Messiah.”
They asked him:
“Then who are you? Elijah?”
He answered:
“I am not.”
They said:
“Are you the Prophet?”
And he answered:
“No.”
So they said to him:
“Tell us who you are so that we can give some answer to those who sent us. How do you see yourself?”
John said, quoting the prophet Isaiah:
“I am the voice of one
crying out in the wilderness:
Make straight the way of the LORD!”
Those who were sent were Pharisees;
and they asked John another question: “Then why are you baptizing if you are not the Messiah, Elijah, or the Prophet?”
John answered:
“I baptize you with water, but among you stands one you do not recognize;
although he comes after me, I am not worthy to untie the strap of his sandal.”
This took place in Bethabara beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
The next day, John saw Jesus coming toward him and said:
“There is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! :
It is he whom I said: A man who comes after me is already ahead of me because he was before me.
I myself did not know him, but I came baptizing to prepare the way for him, so that he might be revealed in Israel.
John also gave this testimony:
“I saw the Spirit come down on him like a dove from heaven and rest on him.
I didn’t know him myself, but God, who sent me to baptize, told me, ‘You will see the Spirit come down and rest on the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’
Yes, I have seen it! And I declare that this is the Chosen One of God!”
Jesus Calls His First Disciples
The next day, John was once again standing there with two of his disciples.
As Jesus passed by, John looked at him and said:
“There is the Lamb of God.”
Hearing this, the two disciples started to follow Jesus.
He turned and saw them following him, then asked:
“What are you looking for?”
They replied:
“Rabbi (which means Teacher), where are you staying?”
Jesus said:
“Come and see.”
So they went to see where he stayed and spent the rest of that day with him. It was about four o’clock in the afternoon.
Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, was one of the two who heard what John said and followed Jesus.
Early the next morning, he found his brother Simon and told him:
“We have found the Messiah” (which is translated Anointed),
and he brought Simon to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said:
“You are Simon, son of John, but you shall be called Cephas” (which is translated Peter).
The following day, Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him:
“Follow me.”
Philip was from Bethsaida, the hometown of Andrew and Peter.
Philip found Nathanael and said to him:
“We have found the one Moses wrote about in the law and the prophets: he is Jesus, son of Joseph, from Nazareth.”
Nathanael asked:
“Can anything good come from Nazareth?”
Philip responded:
“Come and see.”
When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him:
“Here comes an Israelite, a true one; there is nothing false in him.”
Nathanael asked him:
“How do you know me?”
Jesus answered:
“Before Philip called you, you were under the fig tree, and I saw you.”
Nathanael responded:
“Master, you are the Son of God! You are the king of Israel!”
Jesus answered:
“You believe because I said, ‘I saw you under the fig tree.’ But you will see greater things than that.”
And he said to him:
“Truly, I say to you, you will see the heavens opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.”

Commentaries
Prologue.
The Gospel of John begins with a solemn introduction that highlights the theological centerpiece of the book: Jesus Christ, the mystery of the incarnation, revealing God’s glory. It also shares the Johannine community’s testimony of faith in their Lord.
Pre-existence and Creative Activity of the Logos
(1-3). These first three verses affirm the pre-existence, transcendence, and eternity of the Logos (Word): Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of the Father. His divinity is also confirmed (1), which, along with Thomas’ confession – “My Lord and my God” (20:28) – creates an inclusion. Therefore, the Gospel begins and ends with the declaration of Jesus’ divinity.
Prologue.
The Gospel of John begins with a solemn introduction that highlights the theological centerpiece of the book: Jesus Christ, the mystery of the incarnation, revealing God’s glory. It also shares the Johannine community’s testimony of faith in their Lord.
Revelation and Rejection
(4-11). The logos is the source of life that shines and reveals itself: it is light. But the revelation of light is opposed by darkness, meaning those who reject his saving work. There is great drama in the history of salvation: the Word of salvation entered the world, but his own people did not accept him (11). For John, rejection is the greatest tragedy of humanity.
Revelation and Acceptance
(12-18). Those who embrace and accept the revelation of light gain the power to become children of God. Divine sonship is a gift. Verse 14 is the core of the prologue: “The Word became flesh”: in the person of Jesus, divinity shines through physically. God dwells among us. The body of Jesus has become God’s sanctuary for humanity. The divine presence, once connected to the tent in the desert, then to the temple in Jerusalem, now resides in the person of Jesus Christ. In him lives all the goodness and mercy of God, and these are stable, enduring, and everlasting.
Testimony of John the Baptist
Through this testimony, the evangelist provides a brief overview of Jesus’ personality.
Indirect Testimony
(19-28). Before the Jewish authorities, the Baptist confesses that he is not the Messiah, Elijah, or the prophet, but the voice crying in the wilderness; his testimony is prophetic: he prepares the way for the Lord.
Direct Testimony
(29-31). Before Israel, meaning before the chosen people, he calls Jesus the “Lamb of God.” This title reflects the theological unity of the Gospel and includes the following aspects: “Conquering Lamb”: an apocalyptic image representing the sovereign and messianic leader (Rev 5:11); “sacrificial Lamb”: an image of the Servant of the Lord who redeems through his death (Is 53:7-12); “liberating Passover Lamb”: Jesus offers himself up for the sins of the world, like the lamb of the Jewish Passover (Ex 12:46). Jesus on the cross, like the Passover lamb, will have none of his bones broken (19:36). How does Jesus take away the sin of humanity? By taking on human nature and offering himself on the cross through voluntary sacrifice and loving service. From the cross, he gives us the Holy Spirit (19:30), who purifies and forgives all our sins (20:22ff).
Baptism of Jesus
(32-34). The evangelist does not describe Jesus’ baptism but references it through John the Baptist’s testimony. The primary focus of the vision is the Spirit. Jesus is given a specific role: to baptize in the Spirit (33), a task that belongs to God, who will pour out His Spirit on the community (Is 32:15; 44:3; Ezk 36:25-29; Jl 3:1ff). Because the Spirit dwells permanently in Him, Jesus Christ is the great architect of the universal gift of the Spirit and the leader of a holy people.
Jesus Calls His First Disciples
After the resurrection, following Jesus means trusting in Him, continuing His work, and fulfilling His mission. These are the main features of this account:
1. Every call in the Church comes from Jesus (38ff; 42ff.47-51).
2. The power of testimony: the newly called disciples, in turn, invite others through their witness of messianic faith. Faith in Jesus is contagious; it cannot be contained or limited.
3. Joy in discovering Jesus as the Messiah. This joy that fills the apostles’ hearts is shown in the repeated use of the Greek verb ‘eurekamen’: “we have found him!”