John 1
Bible in Basic English (BBE)
1 Ref From the first he was the Word, and the Word was in relation with God and was God.
2 This Word was from the first in relation with God.
3 Ref All things came into existence through him, and without him nothing was.
4 Ref What came into existence in him was life, and the life was the light of men.
5 Ref And the light goes on shining in the dark; it is not overcome by the dark.
6 Ref There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
7 Ref He came for witness, to give witness about the light, so that all men might have faith through him.
8 Ref He himself was not the light: he was sent to give witness about the light.
9 Ref The true light, which gives light to every man, was then coming into the world.
10 Ref He was in the world, the world which came into being through him, but the world had no knowledge of him.
11 Ref He came to the things which were his and his people did not take him to their hearts.
12 Ref To all those who did so take him, however, he gave the right of becoming children of God--that is, to those who had faith in his name:
13 Ref Whose birth was from God and not from blood, or from an impulse of the flesh and man's desire.
14 Ref And so the Word became flesh and took a place among us for a time; and we saw his glory--such glory as is given to an only son by his father--saw it to be true and full of grace.
15 Ref John gave witness about him, crying, This is he of whom I said, He who is coming after me is put over me because he was in existence before me.
King James Version (KJV)
1 Ref In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 The same was in the beginning with God.
3 Ref All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
4 Ref In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
5 Ref And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
6 Ref There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
7 Ref The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.
8 Ref He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.
9 Ref That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
10 Ref He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
11 Ref He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
12 Ref But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
13 Ref Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
14 Ref And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
15 Ref John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.