IN HIM WAS LIFE

Passage: John 1:1-13

Key verse: 4

NIV

The Word Became Flesh

1 In the beginning was the Word,(A) and the Word was with God,(B) and the Word was God.(C) 2 He was with God in the beginning.(D) 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.(E) 4 In him was life,(F) and that life was the light(G) of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness,(H) and the darkness has not overcome[a] it.(I)

6 There was a man sent from God whose name was John.(J) 7 He came as a witness to testify(K) concerning that light, so that through him all might believe.(L) 8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.

9 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)

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Footnotes
  1. John 1:5 Or understood
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

The Word Became Flesh

1 (A)In the beginning was (B)the Word, and (C)the Word was with God, and (D)the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 (E)All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 (F)In him was life,[a] and (G)the life was the light of men. 5 (H)The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

6 There was a man (I)sent from God, whose name was (J)John. 7 He came as a (K)witness, to bear witness about the light, (L)that all might believe through him. 8 (M)He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.

9 (N)The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet (O)the world did not know him. 11 He came to (P)his own,[b] and (Q)his own people[c] (R)did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, (S)who believed in his name, (T)he gave the right (U)to become (V)children of God, 13 who (W)were born, (X)not of blood (Y)nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

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Footnotes
  1. John 1:4 Or was not any thing made. That which has been made was life in him
  2. John 1:11 Greek to his own things; that is, to his own domain, or to his own people
  3. John 1:11 People is implied in Greek
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

INTRODUCTION TO THE GOSPEL OF JOHN

John's Gospel was written by 'the disciple whom Jesus loved' (Jn 21:7,2

,24). He was an eye-witness to Jesus' life, death and resurrection (19:26; Acts 1:21,22). His purpose in writing this gospel is stated in John 2

:31: 'These are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing, you may have life in his name.'

John's Gospel is deductive. John announces in the prologue that Jesus is the eternal Word--God who was in the beginning, the Word through whom all things were made. He is God who became flesh and made his dwelling among us. There are 7 miracles or signs, and 7 'I Am's' that point to his divine Messiahship (Ch 2,4,5,6 (2),9,11; 6:35; 8:12; 1

:7,11; 11:25; 14:6;15:5).

Belief/unbelief is a major theme. In chapters 1-4 he shows what belief is; in chapters 5-12, he shows why people don't believe. Other themes are: darkness/light, life/death, witness or testimony, love, glory.

John's Gospel may be divided as follows:

1:1-18 - Prologue, The Eternal Word

1:19-4:54 - The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world

5:1-12:5

- The Word of Life accepted/rejected

13:1-17:26 - He loved his own to the end

18:1-2

:31 - Jesus' death and resurrection

21:1-25 - Epilogue--Feed my sheep; follow me

1. In the beginning was the Word (1-5)

The eternal Word is Jesus Christ. He is God. He is the One through whom all things were made. Life belongs to him (4). His life is the light that gives us direction and meaning. Man, cut off from God by sin, must live in darkness, a prisoner of fate, without hope in the world. God shined his light into the world by sending his one and only Son Jesus; the darkness of sin and death cannot overcome the light of Jesus.

2. The witness and the true light (6-9)

John the Baptist was sent to testify to Jesus so that people might believe and have life. John was the first witness; God still works through witnesses.

3. To those who receive him (1

-13)

The world he created, and even his own people, did not receive Jesus. But God works in all who receive Jesus. He gives them new birth into his family; he makes them children of God. This is God's miracle.

Prayer: Lord, my life belongs to you. You made me, and you redeemed me. Use me according to your will.

One Word: In him was life