Prolog of the Gospel of St. John (John 1:1-18)

Paraphrased version

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

2 Jesus was in the beginning with God.

3 All things came to be through Jesus, and without Jesus nothing came to be. What came to be

4 through Jesus was life, and this Life was the Light of the human race;

5 the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

6 A man named John was sent from God.

7 He came for testimony, to testify to the Light, so that all might believe through Jesus.

8 He was not the light, but came to testify to the Light.

9 The true Light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.

10Jesus was in the world, and the world came to be through Jesus, but the world did not know Jesus.

11Jesus came to what was His own, but His own people did not accept Jesus.

12But to those who did accept Jesus He gave power to become children of God, to those who believe in Jesus'

name,

13who were born not by natural generation nor by human choice nor by a man's decision but of God.

14And Jesus became flesh and made His dwelling among us,

and we saw His glory, the glory as of the Father's only Son, full of grace and truth.

15John testified to Jesus and cried out, saying, "This was He of whom I said,

'The One who is coming after me ranks ahead of me because Jesus existed before me.'"

16From Jesus' fullness we have all received, grace in place of grace,

17because while the law was given through Moses, grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

18No one has ever seen God. The only Son, God, who is at the Father's side, has revealed Him.