Introduction to an account of Jesus
In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God.
God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him.
The Word gave life to everything that was created,[a] and his life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.[b]
God sent a man, John the Baptist,[c] to tell about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony. John himself was not the light; he was simply a witness to tell about the light. The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.
He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.
So the Word became human[d] and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness.[e] And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.
John testified about him when he shouted to the crowds, “This is the one I was talking about when I said, ‘Someone is coming after me who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before me.’”
From his abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another.[f] For the law was given through Moses, but God’s unfailing love and faithfulness came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. But the unique One, who is himself God,[g] is near to the Father’s heart. He has revealed God to us.
Gospel of John, Chapter 1, verses 1-18. [New Living Translation – NLT]
Notice the 7 footnotes given in NLT re specifics:
a. Or and nothing that was created was created except through him. The Word gave life to everything.
b. Or and the darkness has not understood it.
c. Greek a man named John.
d. Greek became flesh.
e. Or grace and truth; also in 1:17.
f. Or received the grace of Christ rather than the grace of the law; Greek reads received grace upon grace.
g. Some manuscripts read But the one and only Son.
New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Note re footnotes
By their footnotes the publishers of the NLT version above honour the other possible translations and the literal meanings, as well as a textual variant. (For myself, regarding note [f], I prefer the Greek. That choice leads inevitably to interpretation – a topic for another day maybe.)
This is a brief post to set the scene and indicate something of the approach I will take.
HOWEVER, although I will post many pages of Bible translations, despite their value and importance I will not include footnotes. The inclusion of them would be very difficult and disruptive.
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
