The Bible, Douay-Rheims, Book 50: John

THE HOLY GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST ACCORDING TO ST. JOHN

St. John the Apostle and Evangelist was the son of Zebedee and Salome,
brother to James the Greater. He was called the Beloved disciple of
Christ and stood by at his Crucifixion. He wrote the Gospel after the
other Evangelists, about sixty-three years after our Lord's Ascension.
Many things that they had omitted were supplied by him. The original was
written in Greek; and by the Greeks he is titled: The Divine, St. Jerome
relates that, when he was earnestly requested by the brethren to write
the Gospel, he answered he would do it, if by ordering a common fast,
they would all put up their prayers together to the Almighty God; which
being ended replenished with the clearest and fullest revelation coming
from Heaven, he burst forth into that preface: IN THE BEGINNING WAS THE
WORD.

John Chapter 1

The divinity and incarnation of Christ. John bears witness of him. He
begins to call his disciples.

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

1:2. The same was in the beginning with God.

1:3. All things were made by him: and without him was made nothing that
was made.

1:4. In him was life: and the life was the light of men.

1:5. And the light shineth in darkness: and the darkness did not
comprehend it.

1:6. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.

1:7. This man came for a witness, to give testimony of the light, that
all men might believe through him.

1:8. He was not the light, but was to give testimony of the light.

1:9. That was the true light, which enlighteneth every man that cometh
into this world.

1:10. He was in the world: and the world was made by him: and the world
knew him not.

1:11. He came unto his own: and his own received him not.

1:12. But as many as received him, he gave them power to be made the
sons of God, to them that believe in his name.

1:13. Who are born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of
the will of man, but of God.

1:14. And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us (and we saw his
glory, the glory as it were of the only begotten of the Father), full of
grace and truth.

1:15. John beareth witness of him and crieth out, saying: This was he of
whom I spoke: He that shall come after me is preferred before me:
because he was before me.

1:16. And of his fulness we all have received: and grace for grace.

1:17. For the law was given by Moses: grace and truth came by Jesus
Christ.

1:18. No man hath seen God at any time: the only begotten Son who is in
the Bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

1:19. And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent from
Jerusalem priests and Levites to him, to ask him: Who art thou?

1:20. And he confessed and did not deny: and he confessed: I am not the
Christ.

1:21. And they asked him: What then? Art thou Elias? And he said: I am
not. Art thou the prophet? And he answered: No.

1:22. They said therefore unto him: Who art thou, that we may give an
answer to them that sent us? What sayest thou of thyself?

1:23. He said: I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, make
straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Isaias.

1:24. And they that were sent were of the Pharisees.

1:25. And they asked him and said to him: Why then dost thou baptize, if
thou be not Christ, nor Elias, nor the prophet?

1:26. John answered them, saying: I baptize with water: but there hath
stood one in the midst of you, whom you know not.

1:27. The same is he that shall come after me, who is preferred before
me: the latchet of whose shoe I am not worthy to loose.

1:28. These things were done in Bethania, beyond the Jordan, where John
was baptizing.

1:29. The next day, John saw Jesus coming to him; and he saith: Behold
the Lamb of God. Behold him who taketh away the sin of the world.

1:30. This is he of whom I said: After me there cometh a man, who is
preferred before me: because he was before me.

1:31. And I knew him not: but that he may be made manifest in Israel,
therefore am I come baptizing with water.

1:32. And John gave testimony, saying: I saw the Spirit coming down, as
a dove from heaven; and he remained upon him.

1:33. And I knew him not: but he who sent me to baptize with water said
to me: He upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending and remaining
upon him, he it is that baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.

1:34. And I saw: and I gave testimony that this is the Son of God.

1:35. The next day again John stood and two of his disciples.