Scripture
Prologue: Christ, the Eternal Word
1In the beginning the Word already existed.
The Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
2He existed in the beginning with God.
3God created everything through him,
and nothing was created except through him.
4The Word gave life to everything that was created,[1]
and his life brought light to everyone.
5The light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness can never extinguish it.[2]
6God sent a man, John the Baptist,[3] 7to tell about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony. 8John himself was not the light; he was simply a witness to tell about the light. 9The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.
10He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. 11He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. 12But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. 13They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.
14So the Word became human[4] and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness.[5] And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.
15John testified about him when he shouted to the crowds, “This is the one I was talking about when I said, ‘Someone is coming after me who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before me.’”
16From his abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another.[6] 17For the law was given through Moses, but God’s unfailing love and faithfulness came through Jesus Christ. 18No one has ever seen God. But the unique One, who is himself God,[7] is near to the Father’s heart. He has revealed God to us.
Translation notes (7)
- 1:3-4 Or and nothing that was created was created except through him. The Word gave life to everything.
- 1:5 Or and the darkness has not understood it.
- 1:6 Greek a man named John.
- 1:14a Greek became flesh.
- 1:14b Or grace and truth; also in 1:17.
- 1:16 Or received the grace of Christ rather than the grace of the law; Greek reads received grace upon grace.
- 1:18 Some manuscripts read But the one and only Son.
14So the Word became human[1] and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness.[2] And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.
Translation notes (2)
- 1:14a Greek became flesh.
- 1:14b Or grace and truth; also in 1:17.
Do you remember thinking when you were a teenager that there was no way the adults in your life could relate to what you were going through? I certainly do. As an adult, understand how much that line of thinking was untrue. The adults in my life were once teenagers, just like I was once a teenager, and they could relate to what I was facing. Similarly, when you think about Jesus, He is not unfamiliar with the challenges you have faced. When He came to earth, He became fully human, along with being fully God, which means that He can fully relate to us and knows what it is like to be human.
John tells us that Jesus became fully human while remaining fully God as well. “The Word,” he says, existed from the beginning. This is undoubtedly true because He is God. Jesus, John teaches us, was involved in creation and “gave life to everything” (verse 4). However, several verses down, John explains that something new happened. “The Word became human and made his home among us.” (verse 14). This means that Jesus came to earth and became one of us while being fully God. He knew what it was like to be sad, angry, sick, and everything in between. He knows what it is like to be human, and He can relate to all of our struggles.
This news that Jesus became flesh and dwelt among us means that we are not alone. We are not alone when we are struggling. We are not alone in our pain. We are not alone in our joy and celebration. May you find immense peace and comfort in this truth today.
Moving toward action
Jesus knows what it means to be human. He knows the struggles, fears, hardships, challenges, and everything else you face. So take some time today to talk to Him and pray. Tell Him about what you are going through. Be honest about your hardships. Tell Him your struggles, remembering that He can relate. Thank Him that He is a God who understands what it is like to be human.
Going Deeper
John 1:1-18 (NLT)
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