Neno Alifanyika Mwili

Hapo mwanzo, kabla ya kuwapo kitu kingine cho chote, aliku wapo Neno. Huyo Neno alikuwa pamoja na Mungu, naye alikuwa Mungu. Tangu mwanzo Neno amekuwa na Mungu. Vitu vyote viliumbwa na yeye, wala hakuna cho chote kilichoumbwa ambacho hakukiumba. Uzima ulikuwa ndani yake na uzima huo ndio ulikuwa nuru ya watu. Nuru hiyo huangaza gizani na giza haliwezi kamwe kuizima.

Mtu mmoja aitwaye Yohana alitumwa na Mungu awaambie watu kuhusu hiyo nuru, ili kwa ushuhuda wake wapate kuamini. Yohana mwenyewe hakuwa ile nuru. Yeye alitumwa kuishuhudia hiyo nuru. Nuru halisi ambayo inawaangazia watu wote ilikuwa inakuja ulim wenguni. 10 Neno alikuwepo ulimwenguni, lakini japokuwa aliumba ulimwengu, watu wa ulimwengu hawakumtambua! 11 Alikuja nyumbani kwake, lakini watu wake hawakumpokea! 12 Bali wote waliompokea na kumwamini aliwapa haki ya kufanywa watoto wa Mungu. 13 Hawa hawakuwa watoto wa Mungu kwa kuzaliwa kwa njia ya asili, wala kwa mapenzi au mipango ya watu bali wamezaliwa na Mungu mwenyewe.

14 Neno akawa mwanadamu akaishi kati yetu akiwa amejaa utu kufu na kweli. Tuliona utukufu wake, utukufu wa Mwana pekee wa Baba. 15 Yohana alishuhudia habari zake, akatangaza: “Huyu ndiye yule niliyewaambia kuwa, ‘Yeye ajaye baada yangu ni mkuu kuliko mimi kwa kuwa alikuwapo kabla sijazaliwa.”’ 16 Na kutokana na ukamilifu wake, sisi sote tumepokea neema tele. 17 Musa alitule tea sheria kutoka kwa Mungu, lakini Yesu Kristo ametuletea neema na kweli. 18 Hakuna mtu aliyemwona Mungu wakati wo wote. Lakini Mwanae pekee, ambaye ana uhusiano wa karibu sana na Baba yake, amemdhihirisha Mungu kwetu.

Ujumbe Wa Yohana Mbatizaji

19 Viongozi wa Wayahudi waliwatuma makuhani na Walawi wakam wulize Yohana, “Wewe ni nani?” 20 Yohana akawajibu wazi wazi pasipo kuficha, “Mimi siye Kristo.” 21 Wakamwuliza, “Wewe ni nani basi? Wewe ni Eliya ?” Akajibu, “Hapana, mimi siye.” “Wewe ni yule Nabii?” Akajibu, “Hapana.” 22 Ndipo wakasema, “Basi tuambie wewe ni nani ili tupate jibu la kuwapelekea wale waliotutuma. Tueleze, wewe hasa ni nani?”

23 Akawajibu kwa kutumia maneno ya nabii Isaya, “Mimi ni sauti ya mtu anayeita kwa sauti kuu nyikani, ‘Nyoosheni njia ata kayopita Bwana.”’ 24 Baadhi ya wale waliotumwa na Mafarisayo 25 walimwuliza, “Kama wewe si Kristo, wala Eliya na wala si yule Nabii, kwa nini unabatiza watu?”

26 Yohana akawajibu, “Mimi ninabatiza kwa maji, lakini kati yenu yupo mtu msiyemjua. 27 Yeye anakuja baada yangu, lakini mimi sistahili hata kumvua viatu vyake.”

28 Mambo haya yalitokea Bethania, kijiji kilichoko ng’ambo mashariki ya mto wa Yordani, ambapo Yohana alikuwa akibatiza watu.

Mwana Kondoo Wa Mungu

29 Kesho yake Yohana alimwona Yesu akimjia akasema, “Tazameni! Huyu ndiye Mwana-Kondoo wa Mungu anayeondoa dhambi ya ulimwengu! 30 Huyu ndiye niliyewaambia kwamba, ‘Yeye ajaye baada yangu ni mkuu kuliko mimi kwa maana alikuwapo kabla sijazaliwa.’ 31 Mimi mwenyewe sikumfahamu, lakini nimekuja nikibatiza kwa maji kusudi apate kufahamika kwa watu wa Israeli.”

32 Kisha Yohana akatoa ushuhuda huu: “Nilimwona Roho akish uka kutoka mbinguni kama hua, akakaa juu yake. 33 Mimi nisingem tambua, lakini Mungu ambaye alinituma nibatize watu kwa maji ali kuwa ameniambia kwamba, ‘Yule mtu utakayemwona Roho akimshukia kutoka mbinguni na kukaa juu yake, huyo ndiye atakayebatiza kwa Roho Mtakatifu.’ 34 Mimi nimeona jambo hili na ninashuhudia kuwa huyu ndiye Mwana wa Mungu.”

Wanafunzi Wa Kwanza Wa Yesu

35 Kesho yake, Yohana alikuwapo pale pamoja na wanafunzi wake wawili. 36 Alipomwona Yesu akipita, alisema, “Tazameni! Mwana-Kondoo wa Mungu!” 37 Wale wanafunzi wawili walipomsikia Yohana akisema haya, walimfuata Yesu. 38 Yesu akageuka akawaona wakimfuata akawauliza, “Mnataka nini?” Wakamwambia, “Rabi’ 39 Yesu akawajibu, “Njooni mkapaone!” Ilikuwa yapata saa kumi jioni. Basi wakaenda wakaona alipokuwa anaishi, wakashinda naye siku hiyo.

40 Mmojawapo wa hao wanafunzi wawili waliomfuata Yesu baada ya kusikia maneno ya Yohana, alikuwa ni Andrea, ndugu yake Simoni Petro. 41 Mara baada ya haya Andrea alikwenda kumtafuta ndugu yake akamwambia, “Tumemwona Masihi,” yaani Kristo. 42 Andrea akampeleka Simoni kwa Yesu. Yesu akamtazama, akasema, “Wewe ni Simoni mwana wa Yohana; sasa utaitwa Kefa.” Tafsiri ya Kefa kwa Kigiriki ni Petro, maana yake ‘Mwamba’.

Yesu Anawaita Filipo Na Nathanaeli

43 Kesho yake Yesu aliamua kwenda Galilaya. Akakutana na Filipo, akamwambia, “Nifuate.” 44 Filipo alikuwa mwenyeji wa Bethsaida, mji ambapo Andrea na Petro walikuwa wanaishi. 45 Fil ipo naye akamtafuta Nathanaeli akamwambia, “Tumekutana na Yesu wa Nazareti mwana wa Yusufu, ambaye Musa katika Torati na pia Manabii waliandika habari zake.” 46 Nathanaeli akajibu, “Je, inawezekana kitu cho chote chema kikatoka Nazareti?” Filipo akamwambia, “Njoo ukajionee mwenyewe.” 47 Yesu alipomwona Nathanaeli anakaribia, akasema, “Huyu ni Mwisraeli halisi. Hana udanganyifu wo wote.” 48 Nathanaeli akamwuliza, “Umenifaha muje? ” Yesu akamjibu, “Nilikuona wakati ulipokuwa chini ya mtini, kabla hata Filipo hajakuita.” 49 Nathanaeli akamwambia, “Mwalimu, wewe ni Mwana wa Mungu! Wewe ni Mfalme wa Israeli!” 50 Yesu akamwambia, “Unaamini kwa kuwa nimekuambia kwamba nili kuona chini ya mtini? Basi utaona mambo makuu zaidi kuliko hilo!” 51 Ndipo akawaambia, “Ninawaambia hakika, mtaona mbingu ikifunguka, na malaika wa Mungu wakienda mbinguni na kushuka juu yangu mimi Mwana wa Adamu.”

The Word Became Flesh

In the beginning was the Word,(A) and the Word was with God,(B) and the Word was God.(C) He was with God in the beginning.(D) Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.(E) In him was life,(F) and that life was the light(G) of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness,(H) and the darkness has not overcome[a] it.(I)

There was a man sent from God whose name was John.(J) He came as a witness to testify(K) concerning that light, so that through him all might believe.(L) He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.

The true light(M) that gives light to everyone(N) was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him,(O) the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.(P) 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed(Q) in his name,(R) he gave the right to become children of God(S) 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.(T)

14 The Word became flesh(U) and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory,(V) the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace(W) and truth.(X)

15 (John testified(Y) concerning him. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’”)(Z) 16 Out of his fullness(AA) we have all received grace(AB) in place of grace already given. 17 For the law was given through Moses;(AC) grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.(AD) 18 No one has ever seen God,(AE) but the one and only Son, who is himself God and[b](AF) is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.

John the Baptist Denies Being the Messiah

19 Now this was John’s(AG) testimony when the Jewish leaders[c](AH) in Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. 20 He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, “I am not the Messiah.”(AI)

21 They asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?”(AJ)

He said, “I am not.”

“Are you the Prophet?”(AK)

He answered, “No.”

22 Finally they said, “Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”

23 John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, “I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness,(AL) ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’”[d](AM)

24 Now the Pharisees who had been sent 25 questioned him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”

26 “I baptize with[e] water,”(AN) John replied, “but among you stands one you do not know. 27 He is the one who comes after me,(AO) the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.”(AP)

28 This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan,(AQ) where John was baptizing.

John Testifies About Jesus

29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God,(AR) who takes away the sin of the world!(AS) 30 This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’(AT) 31 I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.”

32 Then John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him.(AU) 33 And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water(AV) told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’(AW) 34 I have seen and I testify that this is God’s Chosen One.”[f](AX)

John’s Disciples Follow Jesus(AY)

35 The next day John(AZ) was there again with two of his disciples. 36 When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!”(BA)

37 When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. 38 Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, “What do you want?”

They said, “Rabbi”(BB) (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?”

39 “Come,” he replied, “and you will see.”

So they went and saw where he was staying, and they spent that day with him. It was about four in the afternoon.

40 Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. 41 The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ).(BC) 42 And he brought him to Jesus.

Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called(BD) Cephas” (which, when translated, is Peter[g]).(BE)

Jesus Calls Philip and Nathanael

43 The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip,(BF) he said to him, “Follow me.”(BG)

44 Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida.(BH) 45 Philip found Nathanael(BI) and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law,(BJ) and about whom the prophets also wrote(BK)—Jesus of Nazareth,(BL) the son of Joseph.”(BM)

46 “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?”(BN) Nathanael asked.

“Come and see,” said Philip.

47 When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, “Here truly is an Israelite(BO) in whom there is no deceit.”(BP)

48 “How do you know me?” Nathanael asked.

Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.”

49 Then Nathanael declared, “Rabbi,(BQ) you are the Son of God;(BR) you are the king of Israel.”(BS)

50 Jesus said, “You believe[h] because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that.” 51 He then added, “Very truly I tell you,[i] you[j] will see ‘heaven open,(BT) and the angels of God ascending and descending(BU) on’[k] the Son of Man.”(BV)

Footnotes

  1. John 1:5 Or understood
  2. John 1:18 Some manuscripts but the only Son, who
  3. John 1:19 The Greek term traditionally translated the Jews (hoi Ioudaioi) refers here and elsewhere in John’s Gospel to those Jewish leaders who opposed Jesus; also in 5:10, 15, 16; 7:1, 11, 13; 9:22; 18:14, 28, 36; 19:7, 12, 31, 38; 20:19.
  4. John 1:23 Isaiah 40:3
  5. John 1:26 Or in; also in verses 31 and 33 (twice)
  6. John 1:34 See Isaiah 42:1; many manuscripts is the Son of God.
  7. John 1:42 Cephas (Aramaic) and Peter (Greek) both mean rock.
  8. John 1:50 Or Do you believe … ?
  9. John 1:51 The Greek is plural.
  10. John 1:51 The Greek is plural.
  11. John 1:51 Gen. 28:12