The Bible in Basic English BBE
New International Version NIV
1 From the first he was the Word, and the Word was in relation with God and was God.
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In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 This Word was from the first in relation with God.
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He was with God in the beginning.
3 All things came into existence through him, and without him nothing was.
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Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.
4 What came into existence in him was life, and the life was the light of men.
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In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.
5 And the light goes on shining in the dark; it is not overcome by the dark.
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The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
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There was a man sent from God whose name was John.
7 He came for witness, to give witness about the light, so that all men might have faith through him.
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He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe.
8 He himself was not the light: he was sent to give witness about the light.
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He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.
9 The true light, which gives light to every man, was then coming into the world.
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The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.
10 He was in the world, the world which came into being through him, but the world had no knowledge of him.
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He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him.
11 He came to the things which were his and his people did not take him to their hearts.
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He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.
12 To all those who did so take him, however, he gave the right of becoming children of God--that is, to those who had faith in his name:
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Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—
13 Whose birth was from God and not from blood, or from an impulse of the flesh and man's desire.
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children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
14 And so the Word became flesh and took a place among us for a time; and we saw his glory--such glory as is given to an only son by his father--saw it to be true and full of grace.
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The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
15 John gave witness about him, crying, This is he of whom I said, He who is coming after me is put over me because he was in existence before me.
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(John testified 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.’ ”)
16 From his full measure we have all been given grace on grace.
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Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given.
17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and the true way of life are ours through Jesus Christ.
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For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
18 No man has seen God at any time; the only Son, who is on the breast of the Father, he has made clear what God is.
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No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.