Study Desk

In the beginning was the Logos, and the Logos was with God, and the Logos was God.

the same was in the beginning with God.

all things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made.

the Life was produc'd in him, and the Life was the Light of men.

and the Light shineth in darkness, but the darkness did not receive it.

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

he came as a witness, to represent what he knew of the light, that by his means all might be convinc'd.

he was not that Light, but was sent to testify of that light.

HE was the true Light who came into the world, to enlighten every man.

he was in the world, even the world that had been made by him, but the world knew him not.

he came unto his own, and his own received him not.

but to as many as received him, and believed on him, he granted the privilege of being the sons of God.

a birth which they had not from circumcision, nor from the constitution of the body, nor the institution of man, but from God.

The Logos became incarnate, and had his tabernacle among us, being full of grace and truth; and we contemplated his glory, such glory as the Monogenes derived from the father.

it was of him that John bare witness, when he made this declaration, "this was he of whom I said, he that cometh after me, was before me; for he did indeed exist before me."

and of his Plenitude have we all received, even abundant grace.

the law indeed was delivered by Moses, but grace and truth was the dispensation of Jesus Christ.

no man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten son, who is intimate with the father, hath made him known.

This is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem, to ask him, who he was.

he own'd it, and did not deny it; but made this protestation, I am not the Christ.

art thou then Elias? said they; and he answer'd, I am not. art thou a prophet? and he answer'd, no.

said they to him, who then art thou? that we may give an answer to those that sent us: what sayst thou of thy self?

"I am, said he, the voice of one crying in the wilderness, clear the way of the Lord," as said the prophet Esaias.

Now the messengers were of the sect of the Pharisees, and they asked him,

"why then do you baptize, if you are not the Christ, nor Elias, nor any other prophet?"

John answered them, I baptize with water: but there is one among you, whom ye know not; he it is who coming after me,

is preferred before me, the latchet of whose sandals I am not worthy to unloose.

these things were transacted at Bethabara, near Jordan, where John used to baptize.

The next day John saw Jesus coming to him, and said, "behold the lamb of God, who taketh away the sin of the world."

this is he of whom I said, after me cometh a man, who was before me: for he did indeed exist before me.

I knew him not: but therefore am I come baptizing with water, that he might be manifest to Israel.

and John testified, saying, I saw the spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.

I had not known him: but he that sent me to baptize with water, had told me, "upon whom thou shalt see the spirit descending and remaining on him, the same is he who baptizeth with the holy spirit."

this I saw, and testify'd, that he is the son of God.

The next day after, John was again there with two of his disciples:

and seeing Jesus as he walked, he said, "behold the lamb of God."

the two disciples hearing this, followed Jesus.

then Jesus turned about, and seeing them following, said, what do you seek? they answered him, rabbi, that is to say master, where do you dwell?

come, said he, and see. so they went and saw where he lodged, and abode with him that day: for it was about the tenth hour.

Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, was one of the two disciples, who had followed Jesus, after they had heard what John had said.

the first he met was his own brother Simon, to whom he said, "we have found the Messias," that is to say, the Christ.

and he brought him to Jesus. and when Jesus beheld him, he said, "thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas," which is by interpretation, a stone.

The day following Jesus having a mind to go into Galilee, met with Philip, and said to him, follow me.

now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.

Philip meeting with Nathanael, said to him, we have found him of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.

but Nathanael said to him, can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? come and see, said Philip.

Jesus seeing Nathanael coming, said of him, there's a true Israelite, in whom is no guile. how do you know me?

said Nathanael to him. before Philip called you, replied Jesus, I saw you under the fig-tree.

Nathanael answered, rabbi, thou art the son of God, thou art the king of Israel.

Jesus answered him, because thou believest what I said, that I saw thee under the fig-tree, thou shalt see greater things than these.

and he said to him, I declare unto you, hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending, and descending upon the son of man.