From :
The Geneva Bible New Testament
& The Holy Gospel Of Jesus Christ,
According To John Chapter 1 ;
1 That Word
begotten of God before all worlds.
2 Which was ever with the Father.
14 Is made man,
6-7 For what end John was sent from God.
16 His preaching of Christ's office.
19 The record that he bare
given out unto the Priests.
40 The calling of Andrew,
42 of Peter,
43 Philip,
45 and Nathanael.
1 In (1) (*) the (a) beginning (b) was (c) that
Word, and the Word was (d) with () God, and
the (e) Word was God.
(1) The Son of God is of one, and the selfsame
eternity or everlastingness, and of one and the
selfsame essence or nature, with the Father.
(*) Or, before the beginning.
(a) From his beginning, as the Evangelist saith
in 1 John 1:1; as though he said, that the world
began not than to have his being, when God
began to make all that was made; for the word
was even then when all things that were made,
began to be made, and therefore he was before
the beginning of all things.
(b) Had his being.
(c) This word, (That) pointeth out unto us a
peculiar and choice thing above all others, and
putteth a difference between this Word, which
is the Son of God, and the Laws of God, which
otherwise also are called the word of God.
(d) This word (With) putteth out the
distinction of persons to us.
() Christ is God before all time.
(e) This word (Word) is the first in order in
the sentence, and is that which the learned call
(Subjectum) and this word (God) is the latter
in order, and the same which the learned call
(Predicatum.)
2 This same was (*) in the beginning with God.
(*) The Son is of the same substance with the
Father.
3 (*) (2) All (f) things were made by it,
and (g) () without it (h) was made nothing
that was made.
(*) Colossians 1:16 .
(2) The son of God declareth that same his
everlasting Godhead, both by the creating of all
things, and also by the preserving of them, and
especially by the excellent gifts of reason and
understanding, wherewith he that beautified
man above all other creatures.
(f) Paul expoundeth this place, in
Colossians 1:15-16 .
(g) That is, as the Father did work, so did the
Son work with him; for he was fellow worker
with him.
() No creature was made without Christ.
(h) Of all those things which were made,
nothing was made without him.
4 (i) In it (k) was (*) life, and the life was
(l) the () light of men.
(i) That is, by him; and it is spoken after the
manner of the Hebrews, meaning thereby that
by his force and working power all life cometh
to the world.
(k) To wit, even then, when all things are made
by him, for else he would have said, Life is in
him, and not life was.
(*) Whereby all things are quickened
and preserved.
(l) That force of reason and understanding,
which is kindled in our minds, to knowledge
him, the author of so great a benefit.
() The life of man is more excellent than of any
other creature, because it is joined with light
and understanding.
5 (3) And that light shineth in (*) the darkness,
and the darkness (m) comprehended it not.
(3) The light of men is turned into darkness, but
yet so that there is clearness enough to make
them without excuse.
(*) Man's mind is full of darkness because of
the corruption thereof.
(m) They could not perceive nor reach unto it, to
receive any light of it, no, they did not so much
as acknowledge him.
6 ¶ (*) (4) There was a man sent from God,
whose name was John.
(*) Matthew 3:1; Mark 1:4; Luke 3:2 .
(4) There is another more full manifestation of
the Son of God, to the consideration whereof
men are in good time stirred up, even by John's
voice, who is as it were the herald of Christ.
7 This same came for a witness, to bear witness
of the light, that all men (n) through him might
believe.
(n) Through John.
8 He was not (o) the light, but was sent to bear
witness of the light.
(o) That light which we spake of, to wit, Christ,
who only can lighten our darkness.
9 (5) This was (p) the true light, which lighteth
every man that (*) cometh into the world.
(5) When as the Son of God saw, that
men did not acknowledge him by his works,
although they were endued with understanding
(which he had given to them all) he exhibited
himself unto his people to be seen of them with
their corporal eyes; yet neither so did they
acknowledge him, nor receive him.
(p) Who only and properly deserveth to be called
the light, for he shineth of himself and borroweth
light of none.
(*) Or, are born.
10 (q) He was in the world, and the world was
(*) made by him, and the world () knew him not.
(q) The person of the Word, was made manifest
even at that time when the world was made.
(*) Hebrews 11:3 .
() Because they did not worship him as their
God, Romans 1:21; Acts 14:15 .
11 He came (r) unto (*) his own, and his own
received him not.
(r) The Word shewed himself again, when he
came in the flesh.
(*) To the Israelites who were his peculiar
people.
12 (6) But as many as received him, to them he
gave (s) (*) prerogative to be the sons of God,
even to them that believe in his Name.
(6) The Son being shut out by the most of his
people, and acknowledged but of a few, doth
regenerate them by his own virtue and power,
and receiveth them into that honor which is
common to all the children of God, that is
to be the sons of God.
(s) He vouchsafed to give them this prerogative
to take them to be his children.
(*) Meaning privilege, or dignity.
13 Which are born not of blood, nor of the
(t) will of the flesh, nor of the will of man,
but of God.
(t) Of that gross and corrupt nature of man,
which is throughout the Scriptures set as
enemy to the Spirit.
14 (*) (7) And the Word was
made (u) () flesh, and (x) dwelt among us,
(and we (()) saw the (y) glory thereof, (z) as the
glory of the only begotten Son ((())) of the Father)
(a) (((()))) full of grace and truth.
(*) Matthew 1:16 .
(7) That Son, who is God from everlasting,
took upon him man's nature, that one and the
selfsame might be both God and man, which
manifestly appeared to many witnesses, that
saw him amongst whom he was conversant,
and unto whom by sure and undoubted
arguments he shewed both his natures.
(u) That is, man, so that the part is taken
for the whole, by the figure Synecdoche;
for he took upon him all our whole nature,
that is to say, a true body, and a true soul.
() He was formed and made man
by the operation of the holy Ghost
without the operation of man.
(x) For a season,
and when that was ended,
he went up into heaven; for the word
which he useth, is taken from tents, and yet
notwithstanding, his absence from us in body is
not such, but that he is always present with us,
though not in flesh, yet by the virtue of his spirit.
(()) Matthew 17:2; 2 Peter 1:17 .
(y) The glory which he speaketh of here, is that
manifestation of Christ his majesty, which was
as it were laid open before our eyes when the
Son of God appeared in flesh.
(z) This word (as)
doeth not in this place betoken
a likeness, but the truth of the matter, for his
meaning is this, that we saw such a glory, as
beseemed and was meet for the true and only
begotten Son of God, who is Lord and King
over all the world.
((())) Or, proceeding from the Father.
(a) He was not only a partaker of grace
and truth, but was full of the very substance
of grace and truth.
(((()))) Colossians 1:19; Colossians 2:9 .
15 ¶ (8) John bare witness of him, and cried,
saying, This was he of whom I said, He that
cometh (b) after me, is preferred before me,
for he was (c) (*) before me.
(8) John is a faithful witness
of the excellency of Christ.
(b) That is, He before whom I am sent to
prepare him the way, so that these words are
referred to the time of his calling, and not of
his age, for John was six months older than he.
(c) This sentence
hath in it a turning of the reason
as we call it, as who would say, a setting
of that first which should be last, and that last
which should be first, for in plain speech this it
is; He that cometh after me, is better than I am,
for he was before me.
The like kind of turning
the reason we find in Luke 7:47; many sins
are forgiven her, because she loved much,
which is thus much to say, she loved much,
because many sins are forgiven her.
(*) Or, more excellent than I.
16 (*) (9) And of his fullness have all we
received, and (d) () grace for grace.
(*) Colossians 1:19; Colossians 2:9 .
(9) Christ is the most plentiful fountain of all
goodness, but then he poured out his gifts most
bountifully, when as he exhibited and shewed
himself to the world.
(d) That is, grace upon grace, as a man
would say graces heaped one upon another.
() More abundant grace than by Moses.
17 For the Law was given by Moses,
but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
18 (10) (*) No man hath seen God
at any time; the only begotten Son, which
is in the (e) () bosom of the Father, he hath
(f) (()) declared him.
(10) The true knowledge of God
proceedeth only from Jesus Christ.
(*) 1 Timothy 6:16; 1 John 4:12 .
(e) Who is nearest to his Father, not only in
respect of his love towards him, but by the
bond of nature, and for that union or oneness
that is between them, whereby the Father and
the Son are one.
() Meaning he is most dear, and straitly joined to
his Father, not only in love, but also in nature and
union.
(f) Revealed him, and shewed him unto us,
whereas before he was hid under the shadows
of the Law, so that the quickness of the sight
of our minds was not able to perceived him;
for whosoever seeth him, seeth the Father also.
(()) And so God that before was invisible,
was made, as it were, visible in Christ.
19 ¶ (11) Then this is the record of John,
when the Jews sent Priests and Levites from
Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou?
(11) John is neither the Messiah, nor like to any
of the other Prophets, but is the herald of Christ,
who is now present.
20 And he (g) confessed and (h) denied not,
and said plainly, I (*) am not the Christ.
(g) He did acknowledge him, and spake
of him plainly and openly.
(h) This rehearsing of one and the selfsame
thing, though in divers words, is used much of
the Hebrews, and it hath great force; for they
used to speak one thing twice, to set it out
more certainly and plainly.
(*) Acts 13:25 .
21 And they asked him, What then? Art thou
Elijah? And he said, (i) I am not. Art thou (k)
the (*) Prophet? And he answered, No.
(i) The Jews thought
that Elijah should come
again before the days of the Messiah,
and they took the ground of that their
opinion out of Malachi 4:5; which place
is to be understood of John,
Matthew 11:14 .
And yet John denieth that he is Elijah,
answering them indeed according
as they meant.
(k) They enquire of some great Prophet,
and not of Christ, for John denied before,
that he is Christ, for they thought that some
great Prophet should be sent like unto Moses,
wresting to that purpose that place of
Deuteronomy 18:15; which is to be understood
to all the company of the Prophets and ministers,
which have been and shall be to the end, and
especially of Christ, who is the head
of all Prophets.
(*) Whom they looked for to be such one as
Moses was, Deuteronomy 18:15 .
22 Then said they unto him, Who art thou, that
we may give an answer to them that sent us?
What sayest thou of thyself?
23 He said, I (*) am the voice of him that crieth
in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the
Lord, as said the Prophet Isaiah.
(*) Isaiah 40:3; Matthew 3:3; Luke 3:4 .
24 (12) Now they which were sent,
were of the Pharisees.
(12) Christ is the author of baptism, and not
John; and therefore the force thereof consisteth
not in John, who is the minister, but wholly in
Christ the Lord.
25 And they asked him, and said unto him,
(l) Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not the
Christ, neither Elijah, nor the Prophet?
(l) Hereby we may prove that the Jews knew
there should be some change in religion under
Messiah.
26 John answered them, saying, I baptize with
water, but there is one (m) among you, whom
ye know not.
(m) Whom all the world seeth not, and is even
amongst you.
27 (*) He it is that cometh after me, which is
preferred before me, whose shoe latchet I am
not worthy to unloose.
(*) Matthew 3:11; Mark 1:7; Luke 3:16;
Acts 1:5; Acts 11:16; Acts 19:4 .
28 These things were done in Bethabara
beyond Jordan, where John did baptize.
29 ¶ (13) The next day John seeth Jesus coming
unto him, and saith, Behold (n) that Lamb of God,
which (o) taketh away the (p) (*) sin of the
world.
(13) The body and truth of all the sacrifices of
the Law, to make satisfaction for the sin of the
world, is in Christ.
(n) This word (That) which is added, hath great
force in it, not only to set forth the worthiness of
Christ, and so to separate him from the Lamb
which was a figure of him, and from all other
sacrifices of the Law, but also to bring into
our mind the Prophecies of Isaiah and others.
(o) This word of the present time signifieth
a continual act, for the Lamb hath this virtue
proper unto him, and forever, to take away
the sins of the world.
(p) That is, that root of sins, to wit, our
corruption, and so consequently, the fruits of
sins, which are commonly called in the plural
number sins.
(*) Signifying the original sin, which is the
fountain of all sins and therewith all other sins.
30 This is he of whom I said, After me cometh
a man, which is preferred before me, for he was
before me.
31 And (q) I knew (*) him not, but because he
should be declared to Israel, therefore am I
come, baptizing with water.
(q) I never knew him by face before.
(*) That is, by sight, but only by the revelation
of God.
32 (14) So John bare record, saying, I saw (*)
the Spirit come down from heaven, like a dove,
and it abode upon him,
(14) Christ is proved to be
the Son of God, by the coming down of the holy
Ghost, by the Father's voice, and by John's
testimony.
(*) Matthew 3:16; Mark 1:10; Luke 3:22 .
33 And I knew him not,
but he that sent me to baptize with water,
he said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see
the Spirit come down, and tarry still on him,
that is he which baptizeth with the
(*) holy Ghost.
(*) Who giveth the virtue and effect
to baptism, accomplishing that thing
which is thereby represented.
34 And I saw, and bare record
that this is (r) that Son of God.
(r) This word (That) pointeth out
unto us some excellent thing, and
maketh a difference between Christ
and others, whom Moses and the Prophets
commonly call the sons of God, or the sons
of the most high.
35 ¶ (15) The next day, John stood again,
and two of his disciples.
(15) John gathereth disciples,
not to himself, but to Christ.
36 (16) And he beheld Jesus walking by,
and said, Behold the (*) Lamb of God.
(16) Christ is set before us to follow not
as a vain shadow, but as our Mediator.
(*) He alludeth to the Paschal lamb,
which was a figure of Christ.
37 (17) And the two disciples heard him
speak, and followed Jesus.
(17) In this first gathering of the disciples
we have shewed unto us, that the beginning
of salvation is from God, who calleth us unto
his Son by the ministry of his servants; whom
(so preventing us) we must also hear, and follow
him home, that being instructed by him, we may
also instruct others.
38 Then Jesus turned about,
and saw them follow, and said
unto them, What seek ye? And they
said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say
by interpretation, Master) (s) (*) where
dwellest thou?
(s) Where is thy lodging?
(*) Or where is thy lodging? Or whither
goest thou? For he dwelled in Nazareth,
and was there as a stranger.
39 He said unto them, Come, and see. They
came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with
him that day, for it was about the (t) (*) tenth
hour.
(t) The night grew on.
(*) That was, two hours before night.
40 Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, was one of
the two which had heard (*) it of John, and that
followed him.
(*) How John said,
that Jesus was the Lamb of God.
41 The same found his brother Simon first, and
said unto him, We have found that Messiah
which is by interpretation, that (u) Christ.
(u) That is, anointed, and King after the manner
of the Jewish people.
42 And he brought him to Jesus. And Jesus
beheld him, and said, Thou art Simon the son
of Jona; thou shalt be called Cephas, which is
by interpretation (*) a stone.
(*) Or, Petrus.
43 ¶ The day following, Jesus would go into
Galilee, and found Philip, and said unto him,
Follow me.
44 Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of
Andrew and Peter.
45 (18) Philip found Nathanael, and said unto
him, We have found him of whom (*) Moses
did write in the Law, and the () Prophets,
Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.
(18) The good endeavors even of the unlearned,
God doeth so allow, that he maketh them masters
to the learned.
(*) Genesis 49:10; Deuteronomy 18:18 .
() Isaiah 40:10, Isaiah 45:8; Jeremiah 23:5;
Jeremiah 33:14; Ezekiel 34:25; Ezekiel 37:24;
Daniel 9:24 .
46 (19) Then Nathanael said unto him, Can there
any (*) good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip
said to him, Come, and see.
(19) We must especially take heed of false
presumptions, which shut up against us the
entrance to Christ.
(*) Those things which are contemptible to the
world, are esteemed and preferred of God; and
those things which the world preferreth, God
abhorreth.
47 (20) Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and
said of him, Behold indeed an Israelite, in whom
is no guile.
(20) Simple uprightness discerneth the true
Israelites from the false.
48 (21) Nathanael said unto him, Whence
knewest thou me? Jesus answered, and said
unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when
thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.
(21) The end of miracles is to set before us
Christ the Almighty, and also the only author
of our salvation, that we may apprehend him
by faith.
49 Nathanael answered, and said unto him,
Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the
King of Israel.
50 Jesus answered, and said unto him,
Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under
the fig tree, (*) believest thou? Thou shalt
see greater things than these.
(*) Or, thou believest.
51 And he said unto him, Verily,
verily, I say unto you, Hereafter shall
ye see heaven () open, and the Angels
of God (*) (x) ascending, and descending
upon that Son of man.
() Christ openeth the heavens, that we may
have access to God, and maketh us fellows
to the Angels.
(*) Genesis 28:12 .
(x) By these words, the power of God
is signified which should appear in his
ministry by the angels serving him as
the head of the Church.
Gospel of John with Footnotes :
http://www.genevabible.org/files/Geneva_Bible/New_Testament/John_F.pdf
Geneva Bible With Footnotes
http://www.genevabible.org/Geneva.html
Calvin
http://www.reformed.org/books/institutes/entire.html
In God We Trust
