The Word of the Lord

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John 1

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God1.
2 This2 was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were·​·made by Him, and without Him was· not one thing ·made that was·​·made.
4 In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.
5 And the Light appears in the darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not.
6 There was a man sent from God; his name was John.
7 He came for testimony, that he might testify concerning the Light, that all might believe through him.
8 He was not that Light, but was sent that he might testify concerning the Light.
9 He was the true Light, which enlightens every man who comes into the world.
10 He was in the world, and the world was·​·made by Him, and the world knew Him not.
11 He came to His·​·own, and His·​·own took· Him not ·in.3
12 But as·​·many·​·as received Him, to them He gave authority to become the children of God, to those who believe in His name,
13 who were·​·born, not of bloods4, nor of the will of flesh, nor of the will of a man, but of God.
14 And the Word was·​·made flesh, and dwelt·​·in·​·a·​·tabernacle among us, and we observed His glory, the glory as of the only·​·begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
15 John testified about Him, and cried·​·out, saying, This was He of whom I said, He who comes after me was before me, because He was prior·​·to me.
16 And of His fullness have we all received, and grace for grace,
17 for the Law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came·​·to·​·be by Jesus Christ.
18 No·​·one has ever seen God; the only·​·begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has brought· Him ·forth·​·to·​·view.
19 And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent from Jerusalem priests and Levites that they might ask him, Who art thou?
20 And he professed, and denied not, and professed, I am not the Christ.
21 And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elijah? And he says, I am not. Art thou the Prophet?5 And he answered, No.
22 Then they said to him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to those who sent us; what sayest thou concerning thyself?
23 He declared, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make·​·straight the way of the Lord,6 even·​·as Isaiah the prophet said.
24 And they who were sent were from the Pharisees.
25 And they asked him, and said to him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou art not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?
26 John answered them, saying, I baptize in water, but in·​·the·​·midst of·​·you stands one whom you know not.
27 He it is who, coming behind me, was in·​·front·​·of me, of whom I am not worthy that I should loose the strap of His shoe.
28 These·​·things were·​·done in Bethabara, across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
29 On·​·the·​·morrow John looks·​·at Jesus coming to him and says, See, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
30 He it is about whom I said, Behind me comes a Man who was in·​·front·​·of me, for He was prior·​·to me.
31 And·​·I knew Him not; but that He should be made·​·manifest to Israel, on·​·account·​·of this I have come baptizing with water.
32 And John testified, saying, I observed the Spirit descending as a dove out·​·of heaven, and it remained upon Him.
33 And·​·I knew Him not, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, On whomever thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining upon Him, He it is who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.
34 And·​·I have seen and have testified that this is the Son of God.
35 Again on·​·the·​·morrow, John stood, and two of his disciples.
36 And looking·​·at Jesus walking, he says, See, the Lamb of God!
37 And the two disciples heard him speaking, and they followed Jesus.
38 And Jesus, turning and observing them following, says to them, What do you seek? And they said to Him, Rabbi (which is to say, being translated, Teacher), where stayest Thou?
39 He says to them, Come and see. They came and saw where He stayed, and they stayed with Him that day, and it was about the tenth hour.
40 One of the two who heard from John and followed Him was Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter.
41 he first finds his·​·own brother Simon and says to him, We have found the Messiah (which is, being translated, the Christ)7.
42 And he led him to Jesus, and Jesus, looking·​·at him, said, Thou art Simon the son of Jonah. Thou shalt be called Kephas (which is, being·​·translated, Peter)8.
43 On·​·the·​·morrow, Jesus willed to go·​·out into Galilee, and He finds Philip, and says to him, Follow Me.
44 And Philip was from Bethsaida, of the city of Andrew and Peter.
45 Philip finds Nathanael and says to him, We have found Him of whom Moses wrote in the Law, and also the Prophets, Jesus, the son of Joseph, from Nazareth.
46 And Nathanael said to him, Can anything good be from Nazareth? Philip says to him, Come and see.
47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming to Him, and says about him, See, truly an Israelite in whom is no deceit.
48 Nathanael says to Him, Whence knowest Thou me? Jesus answered and said to him, Before Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig·​·tree, I saw thee.
49 Nathanael answered and says to Him, Rabbi, Thou art the Son of God; Thou art the King of Israel!
50 Jesus answered and said to him, Because I said to thee, I saw thee underneath the fig·​·tree, believest thou? Thou shalt see greater things than these.
51 And He says to him, Amen, amen, I say to you, Henceforth you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.

1The Latin follows the Greek word order: “God was the Word.” But Greek syntax appears to make “the Word” the subject. Both readings are true.

2In the Greek “This” could be “He,” but in the Heavenly Doctrine, it is clearly referring to the Word (see AC 2803:3 and elsewhere).

3that is, “He came to what were His own, and they who were His own took Him not in”

4Explaining Genesis 4:10-11, the Arcana Coelestia comments, “‘Bloods’ are mentioned in the plural, because all unjust and abominable things gush forth from hatred” (n. 374:3).

5=Deuteronomy 18:15-18

6=Isaiah 40:3

7The Hebrew word חישמ (Messiah) and the Greek word Χριστος (Christos) both mean “Anointed.”

8Aramaic אפיכ (Kephas) and Greek Πετρος (Petros) both mean “Rock.”