¶ In the beginning was that word, and that word was with god: and god was that word. The same was in the beginning with god. All things were made by it, and without it, was made no thing, that made was. In it was life, And life was the light of men, And the light shineth in the darkness, and darkness comprehended it not.
¶ There was a man sent from god, whose name was Ihon. The same came as a witness, to bear witness of the light, that all men through him might believe. He was not that light: but to bear witness of the light. That was a true light, which lighteneth all men that come into the world. He was in the world, and the world by him was made: and the world knew him not.
¶ He came among his own, and his received him not. Unto as many as received him, gave he power to be the sons of god: in that they believed on his name: which were born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh, nor yet of the will of man: but of god.
¶ And that word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw the glory of it, as the glory of the only begotten son of the father, which word was full of grace, and verity.
¶ Ihon bare witness of him saying: This was he of whom I spake, he that cometh after me, was before me because he was yer then I. And of his fullness have all we received, even favour for favour. For the law was given by Moses, but favour and verity came by Iesus Christ. No man saw god at any time. The only begotten son, which is in the father's bosom, hath declared him.
¶ And this is the record of Ihon: When the jewes sent priests, and levites from Ierusalem, to ask him, what art thou? And he confessed, and denied not, and said plainly: I am not Christ. And they asked him: what then? art thou Helias? And he said: I am not. Art thou a prophet? And he answered no. Then said they unto him: what art thou? That we may give an answer to them that sent us? what sayest thou of thy self? he said: I am the voice of a crier in the wilderness, make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esayas.
¶ And they which were sent, were of the pharises. And they asked him, and said unto him: why baptisest thou then, if thou be not Christ, nor Helias, neither a prophet? Ihon answered them saying: I baptise with water: but one is come among you, whom ye know not, he it is that cometh after me, which was before me, whose shoe latchet I am not worthy to unloose. These things were done in Bethabara beyond Iordan, where Ihon did baptise.
¶ The next day, Ihon saw Iesus coming unto him, and said: behold the lamb of god, which taketh away the sin of the world. This is he of whom I spake: After me cometh a man, which was before me. For he was yer then I, and I knew him not: but that he should be declared to Israhell, therefore came I baptising with water.
¶ And Ihon bare record, saying: I saw the spirit descend from heaven, like unto a dove, and it abode upon him, and I knew him not: But he that sent me to baptise in water, said unto me: Upon whom thou shalt see the spirit descend, and tarry still on him, the same is he which baptiseth with the holy ghost. And I saw it, and bare record, that this is the son of God.
¶ The next day after Ihon stood again, and two of his disciples, and he beheld Iesus as he walked by, and said: behold the lamb of God. And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Iesus. Iesus turned about, and saw them follow, and said unto them: What seek ye? They said unto him: Rabbi (which is to say by interpretation, Master) where dwellest thou? 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 tenth hour.
¶ One of the two which heard Ihon speak, and followed Iesus, was Andrew Simon Peter's brother. The same found his brother Simon first, and said unto him: we have found Messias, which is by interpretation anointed: And brought him to Iesus. And Iesus beheld him and said: thou art Simon the son of Ionas, thou shalt be called Cephas: which is by interpretation a stone.
¶ The day following Iesus would go into Galile, and found Philip, and said unto him, follow me. Philip was of Bethsaida the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael, and said unto him: We have found him of whom Moses wrote in the law, and the prophets: Iesus the son of Ioseph of Nazareth. And Nathanael said unto him: Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip said to him: Come and see.
¶ Iesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and said of him: Behold a right Israelite, in whom is no guile. Nathanael said unto him: From whence knewest thou me? Iesus answered and said unto him: Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee. Nathanael answered and said unto him: Rabbi, thou art the son of God, Thou art the king of Israhel. Iesus answered and said unto him: Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, thou believest. Thou shalt see greater things than these. And he said unto him: Verily, verily, I say unto you: hereafter shall ye see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending, and descending over the son of man.
© Faith of God
William Tyndale 1526