THE FIRST BELIEVERS

Passage: John 1:35-42

Key verse: 39a

NIV

John’s Disciples Follow Jesus(A)

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

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”(D) (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).(E) 42 And he brought him to Jesus.

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

Read full chapter
Footnotes
  1. John 1:42 Cephas (Aramaic) and Peter (Greek) both mean rock.
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

Jesus Calls the First Disciples

35 The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, 36 and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, (A)the Lamb of God!” 37 The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. 38 Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, (B)“What are you seeking?” And they said to him, (C)“Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?” 39 He said to them, “Come and you will see.” So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour.[a] 40 (D)One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus[b] was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. 41 He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found (E)the Messiah” (which means Christ). 42 He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of (F)John. You shall be called (G)Cephas” (which means (H)Peter[c]).

Read full chapter
Footnotes
  1. John 1:39 That is, about 4 p.m.
  2. John 1:40 Greek him
  3. John 1:42 Cephas and Peter are from the word for rock in Aramaic and Greek, respectively
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

1. Come and see (35-39a)

What does it mean to believe in Jesus? The first believers received John the Baptist's testimony, then went to see for themselves. Jesus saw them following and asked, 'What do you want?' They wanted to know Jesus, so they asked his address. Knowing Jesus is different from knowing about him. Jesus wanted to know them too, so he said, 'Come and you will see.' Believing in Jesus means to know him and to have a personal relationship with him.

2. We have found the Messiah (39b-42)

Andrew was looking for the Messiah--the one whom God had promised to send as Savior. His interest in Jesus was not academic; he wanted to commit his life to the true Messiah. The first thing he did after discovering that Jesus is the Christ was to bring his brother to Jesus. Jesus saw what Simon could become and gave him a new name, 'Cephas.' He would become a rock of faith.

Prayer: Lord, help me to have a growing personal relationship with you. Give me Andrew's bring-someone-to-Jesus faith.

One Word: A personal relationship with Jesus