Today Our Daily Bread John 1 ( English & Russian - Russian Comments later on)

John 1
Christ, the Eternal Word
1 In the beginning the Word already existed. He was with God, and he was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 He created everything there is. Nothing exists that he didn't make. 4 Life itself was in him, and this life gives light to everyone. 5 The light shines through the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.
6 God sent John the Baptist 7 to tell everyone about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony. 8 John himself was not the light; he was only a witness to the light. 9 The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was going to come into the world.
10 But although the world was made through him, the world didn't recognize him when he came. 11 Even in his own land and among his own people, he was not accepted. 12 But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. 13 They are reborn! This is not a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan--this rebirth comes from God.
14 So the Word became human and lived here on earth among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the only Son of the Father.
15 John pointed him out to the people. He shouted to the crowds, "This is the one I was talking about when I said, `Someone is coming who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before I did.' "
16 We have all benefited from the rich blessings he brought to us--one gracious blessing after another. 17 For the law was given through Moses; God's unfailing love and faithfulness came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God. But his only Son, who is himself God, is near to the Father's heart; he has told us about him.
The Testimony of John the Baptist
19 This was the testimony of John when the Jewish leaders sent priests and Temple assistants from Jerusalem to ask John whether he claimed to be the Messiah. 20 He flatly denied it. "I am not the Messiah," he said. 21 "Well then, who are you?" they asked. "Are you Elijah?" "No," he replied.
"Are you the Prophet?" "No." 22 "Then who are you? Tell us, so we can give an answer to those who sent us. What do you have to say about yourself?" 23 John replied in the words of Isaiah: "I am a voice shouting in the wilderness, `Prepare a straight pathway for the Lord's coming!' "24 Then those who were sent by the Pharisees 25 asked him, "If you aren't the Messiah or Elijah or the Prophet, what right do you have to baptize?" 26 John told them, "I baptize with water, but right here in the crowd is someone you do not know, 27 who will soon begin his ministry. I am not even worthy to be his slave." 28 This incident took place at Bethany, a village east of the Jordan River, where John was baptizing.
Jesus, the Lamb of God
29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look! There is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! 30 He is the one I was talking about when I said, `Soon a man is coming who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before I did.' 31 I didn't know he was the one, but I have been baptizing with water in order to point him out to Israel." 32 Then John said, "I saw the Holy Spirit descending like a dove from heaven and resting upon him. 33 I didn't know he was the one, but when God sent me to baptize with water, he told me, `When you see the Holy Spirit descending and resting upon someone, he is the one you are looking for. He is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.' 34 I saw this happen to Jesus, so I testify that he is the Son of God."
The First Disciples
35 The following day, John was again standing with two of his disciples. 36 As Jesus walked by, John looked at him and then declared, "Look! There is the Lamb of God!" 37 Then John's two disciples turned and followed Jesus. 38 Jesus looked around and saw them following. "What do you want?" he asked them. They replied, "Rabbi" (which means Teacher), "where are you staying?" 39 "Come and see," he said. It was about four o'clock in the afternoon when they went with him to the place, and they stayed there the rest of the day. 40 Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, was one of these men who had heard what John said and then followed Jesus. 41 The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother, Simon, and tell him, "We have found the Messiah" (which means the Christ). 42 Then Andrew brought Simon to meet Jesus. Looking intently at Simon, Jesus said, "You are Simon, the son of John--but you will be called Cephas" (which means Peter). 43 The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, "Come, be my disciple." 44 Philip was from Bethsaida, Andrew and Peter's hometown.
45 Philip went off to look for Nathanael and told him, "We have found the very person Moses and the prophets wrote about! His name is Jesus, the son of Joseph from Nazareth." 46 "Nazareth!" exclaimed Nathanael. "Can anything good come from there?" "Just come and see for yourself," Philip said.
47 As they approached, Jesus said, "Here comes an honest man--a true son of Israel." 48 "How do you know about me?" Nathanael asked. And Jesus replied, "I could see you under the fig tree before Philip found you." 49 Nathanael replied, "Teacher, you are the Son of God--the King of Israel!" 50 Jesus asked him, "Do you believe all this just because I told you I had seen you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this." 51 Then he said, "The truth is, you will all see heaven open and the angels of God going up and down upon the Son of Man."
New Living Translation (NLT)
~ Lena’s Comments ~
This is Jesus- Jesus is God, Jesus is Life, Jesus is Light, Jesus is Creator, Jesus IS, Was and will always be. He is eternal. Those who find Him and receive Him, also receive God’s Spirit, His life, His light, His creativity, and eternal life where there was eternal death.
God sent John. God sends men in the earth to tell men in the earth about Him. John’s name means," God is Gracious". We sing a song at church that says people cannot sing about things they have not seen. People cannot really speak of who they do not know, and that is the same as saying they cannot speak of what they have not seen for themselves. We have to see Him for ourselves in order to speak about Him. We have to have experienced His grace firsthand and KNOW in an intimate way of His grace extended towards us personally. When one knows this they become very grateful, almost to the point to indebtedness. The graciousness we experience cause us to be overwhelmed with appreciation, so much so that we are inclined to do His will, do follow and answer His call. We have become a "John", one who knows God’s grace and cannot help but be God’s grace towards others in the earth. Our faith is like a match or a candlelight. He has lit our flame and when we tell others we in turn light their flames and the whole earth becomes lit up by many, many lights lit for his truth. How will the world be able recognize Him? We will show them what he looks like, by learning who He is and being as he is. Then when he appears to their understanding they will know Him as truth and be able to receive Him. If no one has prepared the way for His appearing, when he comes to present Himself to their understanding they will not be able to recognize Him. John said, "See the one I was telling you about!" John was faithful to foretell His coming. Many times we are presenters to people, and demonstrators of who God is merely so that when they see Him they will recognize Him. We should see ourselves as preparers of the way to Christ. Sometimes merely paving a roadway, and at others times only clearing the way so a roadway can someday be laid there, making it clear enough to see where the roadway should be laid so they can at least begin to see what will be ahead. We want to be the chariots on the road brining people straight to the Kingdom, but if there’s no road it would be a very bumpy ride and it would be an unclear pathway because it would be very hard to see where they were going. Prayer is really this road clearer. If we do not pray and just jump into someone’s life expecting to harvest them into the understanding of who Christ is in the kingdom, we will probably be a bit discouraged, because the chariot won’t be able to move it’s wheels on that rocky overgrown ground. Also if we think of a person being Born into God’s kingdom, coming to know Christ, we must think of it as a birth that is about to happen. In the natural it takes conception, which happens through intimacy (which happens in prayer), THEN the seed must grow into a new being and that takes time, nourishment, incubation (again prayer) before it is even time for the birth. God thinks more in seasons, as we have His mind we also must think this way. He brings people into our lives for seasons and we are responsible as John was, for the season we are in with that person at that time. We may be a road clearer or a road paver or a demonstrator of the Way, and not a birther or harvester in that persons life at all. Being content would be to know this. We can only know this through prayer and our intimacy with Him. We can have joy in every part we play in the creation, development and birth of a soul. As in birth of a living person, each and every step is crucial for the next step of development, so it is with birthing in His kingdom.
PRAY and then be the voice crying in the wilderness, preparing the way of the Lord in whatever season you are in. be bold about the words you use. Tell people and declare in the atmosphere of earth that you are sent to prepare the way. I do not hesitate to tell someone I believe I met them on purpose, that God brought them into my life or I into theirs. I’ve prayed for them to come into my life, not for harvest alone, but to come to Him, however long it takes or whatever stage I get to participate in. If they only pass through my life briefly, even only one time, I want it to be a time of influence for Him. My boldness will over ride whatever other voices are trying to get them focussed away from His truth. John was remembered. He was different, he was bold, he was an influencer- on PURPOSE! When they remembered John, they also remembered his message about Christ, and so his purpose was fulfilled in his season. What do we have to lose? Our reputation? Good, if it is not at the expense of losing the soul.
The Great Commission Jesus left us with when He left earth or the assignment he gives to all who have seen Him is to Make Disciples. One cannot make disciples if he himself is not a disciple. We follow Him and others follow us as we follow Him. Telling of Him through knowing Him is a sign of a disciple. Not telling about church services or special events, but telling about Him from the overflow of our hearts in tune with His heart for those who do not yet see Him.
От Иоанна 1
1 В начале было Слово, и Слово было у Бога, и Слово было Бог. 2 Оно было в начале у Бога.
3 Все чрез Него начало быть, и без Него ничто не начало быть, что начало быть. 4 В Нем была жизнь, и жизнь была свет человеков. 5 И свет во тьме светит, и тьма не объяла его. 6 Был человек, посланный от Бога; имя ему Иоанн. 7 Он пришел для свидетельства, чтобы свидетельствовать о Свете, дабы все уверовали чрез него. 8 Он не был свет, но [был послан], чтобы свидетельствовать о Свете. 9 Был Свет истинный, Который просвещает всякого человека, приходящего в мир.
10 В мире был, и мир чрез Него начал быть, и мир Его не познал. 11 Пришел к своим, и свои Его не приняли. 12 А тем, которые приняли Его, верующим во имя Его, дал власть быть чадами Божиими, 13 которые ни от крови, ни от хотения плоти, ни от хотения мужа, но от Бога родились.
14 И Слово стало плотию, и обитало с нами, полное благодати и истины; и мы видели славу Его, славу, как Единородного от Отца. 15 Иоанн свидетельствует о Нем и, восклицая, говорит: Сей был Тот, о Котором я сказал, что Идущий за мною стал впереди меня, потому что был прежде меня. 16 И от полноты Его все мы приняли и благодать на благодать, 17 ибо закон дан чрез Моисея; благодать же и истина произошли чрез Иисуса Христа. 18 Бога не видел никто никогда; Единородный Сын, сущий в недре Отчем, Он явил. 19 И вот свидетельство Иоанна, когда Иудеи прислали из Иерусалима священников и левитов спросить его: кто ты? 20 Он объявил, и не отрекся, и объявил, что я не Христос. 21 И спросили его: что же? ты Илия? Он сказал: нет. Пророк? Он отвечал: нет. 22 Сказали ему: кто же ты? чтобы нам дать ответ пославшим нас: что ты скажешь о себе самом? 23 Он сказал: я глас вопиющего в пустыне: исправьте путь Господу, как сказал пророк Исаия. 24 А посланные были из фарисеев; 25 И они спросили его: что же ты крестишь, если ты ни Христос, ни Илия, ни пророк? 26 Иоанн сказал им в ответ: я крещу в воде; но стоит среди вас [Некто], Которого вы не знаете. 27 Он-то Идущий за мною, но Который стал впереди меня. Я недостоин развязать ремень у обуви Его. 28 Это происходило в Вифаваре при Иордане, где крестил Иоанн. 29 На другой день видит Иоанн идущего к нему Иисуса и говорит: вот Агнец Божий, Который берет [на Себя] грех мира. 30 Сей есть, о Котором я сказал: за мною идет Муж, Который стал впереди меня, потому что Он был прежде меня. 31 Я не знал Его; но для того пришел крестить в воде, чтобы Он явлен был Израилю. 32 И свидетельствовал Иоанн, говоря: я видел Духа, сходящего с неба, как голубя, и пребывающего на Нем. 33 Я не знал Его; но Пославший меня крестить в воде сказал мне: на Кого увидишь Духа сходящего и пребывающего на Нем, Тот есть крестящий Духом Святым. 34 И я видел и засвидетельствовал, что Сей есть Сын Божий. 35 На другой день опять стоял Иоанн и двое из учеников его. 36 И, увидев идущего Иисуса, сказал: вот Агнец Божий. 37 Услышав от него сии слова, оба ученика пошли за Иисусом.
38 Иисус же, обратившись и увидев их идущих, говорит им: что вам надобно? Они сказали Ему: Равви, --что значит: учитель, --где живешь? 39 Говорит им: пойдите и увидите. Они пошли и увидели, где Он живет; и пробыли у Него день тот. Было около десятого часа. 40 Один из двух, слышавших от Иоанна [об Иисусе] и последовавших за Ним, был Андрей, брат Симона Петра.
41 Он первый находит брата своего Симона и говорит ему: мы нашли Мессию, что значит: Христос; 42 и привел его к Иисусу. Иисус же, взглянув на него, сказал: ты--Симон, сын Ионин; ты наречешься Кифа, что значит: камень (Петр). 43 На другой день [Иисус] восхотел идти в Галилею, и находит Филиппа и говорит ему: иди за Мною. 44 Филипп же был из Вифсаиды, из [одного] города с Андреем и Петром. 45 Филипп находит Нафанаила и говорит ему: мы нашли Того, о Котором писали Моисей в законе и пророки, Иисуса, сына Иосифова, из Назарета. 46 Но Нафанаил сказал ему: из Назарета может ли быть что доброе? Филипп говорит ему: пойди и посмотри. 47 Иисус, увидев идущего к Нему Нафанаила, говорит о нем: вот подлинно Израильтянин, в котором нет лукавства. 48 Нафанаил говорит Ему: почему Ты знаешь меня? Иисус сказал ему в ответ: прежде нежели позвал тебя Филипп, когда ты был под смоковницею, Я видел тебя. 49 Нафанаил отвечал Ему: Равви! Ты Сын Божий, Ты Царь Израилев. 50 Иисус сказал ему в ответ: ты веришь, потому что Я тебе сказал: Я видел тебя под смоковницею; увидишь больше сего. 51 И говорит ему: истинно, истинно говорю вам: отныне будете видеть небо отверстым и Ангелов Божиих восходящих и нисходящих к Сыну Человеческому.
Russian Synodal Version (RSV)
Public Domain