Day 452 of 730

¹In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

²The same was in the beginning with God.

³All things were made through him. Without him was not anything made that has been made.

⁴In him was life, and the life was the light of men.

⁵The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness hasn't overcome it.

⁶There came a man, sent from God, whose name was John.

⁷The same came as a witness, that he might testify about the light, that all might believe through him.

⁸He was not the light, but was sent that he might testify about the light.

⁹The true light that enlightens everyone was coming into the world.

¹⁰He was in the world, and the world was made through him, and the world did not recognize him.

¹¹He came to his own, and those who were his own did not receive him.

¹²But as many as received him, to them he gave the right to become God's children, to those who believe in his name:

¹³who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

¹⁴The Word became flesh, and lived among us. We saw his glory, such glory as of the one and only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth.

¹⁵John testified about him. He shouted out, saying, "This was he of whom I said, 'He who comes after me has surpassed me, for he was before me.'"

¹⁶For of his fullness we all received, and grace upon grace.

¹⁷For the Law was given through Moses, grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.

¹⁸No one has seen God at any time. The one and only Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he has declared him.

¹⁹This is John's testimony, when the Jewish leaders sent to him priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?"

²⁰He confessed, and did not deny, but he confessed, "I am not the Messiah."

²¹They asked him, "What then? Are you Elijah?" He said, "I am not." "Are you the prophet?" He answered, "No."

²²They said therefore to him, "Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?"

²³He said, "I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, 'Make straight the way of the Lord,' as Isaiah the prophet said."

²⁴The ones who had been sent were from the Pharisees.

²⁵They asked him, "Why then do you baptize, if you are not the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?"

²⁶John answered them, "I baptize in water, but among you stands one whom you do not know.

²⁷He is the one who comes after me, whose sandal strap I'm not worthy to loosen."

²⁸These things were done in Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

²⁹The next day, he saw Jesus coming to him, and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

³⁰This is he of whom I said, 'After me comes a man who is preferred before me, for he was before me.'

³¹I did not know him, but for this reason I came baptizing in water: that he would be revealed to Israel."

³²John testified, saying, "I have seen the Spirit descending like a dove out of heaven, and it remained on him.

³³I did not recognize him, but he who sent me to baptize in water, he said to me, 'On whomever you will see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he who baptizes in the Holy Spirit.'

³⁴I have seen, and have testified that this is the Son of God. "

³⁵Again, the next day, John was standing with two of his disciples,

³⁶and he looked at Jesus as he walked, and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God!"

³⁷The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.

³⁸Jesus turned, and saw them following, and said to them, "What are you looking for?" They said to him, "Rabbi" (which is to say, being interpreted, Teacher), "where are you staying?"

³⁹He said to them, "Come, and you will see." They came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day. It was about the tenth hour.

⁴⁰One of the two who heard John, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother.

⁴¹He first found his own brother, Simon, and said to him, "We have found the Messiah!" (which is, being interpreted, Christ).

⁴²He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him, and said, "You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas" (which is by interpretation, Peter).

⁴³On the next day, he was determined to go out into Galilee, and he found Philip. Jesus said to him, "Follow me."

⁴⁴Now Philip was from Bethsaida, of the city of Andrew and Peter.

⁴⁵Philip found Nathanael, and said to him, "We have found him, of whom Moses in the Law, and the Prophets, wrote: Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph."

⁴⁶Nathanael said to him, "Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see."

⁴⁷Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and said about him, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!"

⁴⁸Nathanael said to him, "How do you know me?" Jesus answered him, "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you."

⁴⁹Nathanael answered him, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are King of Israel!"

⁵⁰Jesus answered him, "Because I told you, 'I saw you underneath the fig tree,' do you believe? You will see greater things than these!"

⁵¹He said to him, "Truly, truly, I tell you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man."

¹Why do the nations rage, and the peoples plot a vain thing?

²The kings of the earth take a stand, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his Anointed, saying,

³"Let's break their bonds apart, and cast their cords from us."

⁴He who sits in the heavens will laugh. The Lord will have them in derision.

⁵Then he will speak to them in his anger, and terrify them in his wrath:

⁶"Yet I have set my king on my holy hill of Zion."

⁷I will tell of the decree. The Lord said to me, "You are my son. Today I have become your father.

⁸Ask of me, and I will give the nations for your inheritance, the uttermost parts of the earth for your possession.

⁹You shall rule them with a rod of iron. You shall dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel."

¹⁰Now therefore be wise, you kings. Be instructed, you judges of the earth.

¹¹Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling.

¹²Kiss the son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath will soon be kindled. Blessed are all those who take refuge in him.

¹An unfriendly man pursues selfishness, and defies all sound judgment.

²A fool has no delight in understanding, but only in revealing his own opinion.

³When wickedness comes, contempt also comes, and with shame comes disgrace.

⁴The words of a man's mouth are like deep waters. The fountain of wisdom is like a flowing brook.

⁵To be partial to the faces of the wicked is not good, nor to deprive the innocent of justice.

⁶A fool's lips come into strife, and his mouth invites beatings.

⁷A fool's mouth is his destruction, and his lips are a snare to his soul.

⁸The words of a gossip are like dainty morsels: they go down into a person's innermost parts.

⁹One who is slack in his work is brother to him who is a master of destruction.

¹⁰The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous run to him, and are safe.

¹¹The rich man's wealth is his strong city, like an unscalable wall in his own imagination.

¹²Before destruction the heart of man is proud, but before honor is humility.

¹³He who gives answer before he hears, that is folly and shame to him.

¹⁴A man's spirit will sustain him in sickness, but a crushed spirit, who can bear?

¹⁵The heart of the discerning gets knowledge. The ear of the wise seeks knowledge.

¹⁶A man's gift makes room for him, and brings him before great men.

¹⁷He who pleads his cause first seems right; until another comes and questions him.

¹⁸The lot settles disputes, and keeps strong ones apart.

¹⁹A brother offended is more difficult than a fortified city; and disputes are like the bars of a castle.

²⁰A man's stomach is filled with the fruit of his mouth. With the harvest of his lips he is satisfied.

²¹Death and life are in the power of the tongue; those who love it will eat its fruit.

²²Whoever finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor of the Lord.

²³The poor plead for mercy, but the rich answer harshly.

²⁴A man of many companions may be ruined, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.