For di Beginning, di Word
1 1 For di beginning di Word dey, and di Word dey with our Papa, and di Word na God. 2 Na im dey with our Papa for di beginning. 3 Na through am dem take make everything, and without am, dem no make even one thing wey dem make. 4 For inside am, life dey, and di life na di light of all people. 5 Di light dey shine for inside di darkness, and di darkness no fit quench am.
6 One man come wey our Papa send, wey im name na John. 7 Im come as witness, to talk about di light, so dat everybody fit believe through John im witness. 8 Im no be di light, but im come to talk about di light. 9 Di true light, wey dey give everybody light, dey come into di world. 10 Im dey for di world. Di world come exist through am, but di world no know am. 11 Im come to im own people, but im own people no receive am. 12 But to everybody wey receive am, wey believe for im name, im give dem power to become pikin of our Papa a a v12 Dem give di people wey receive Jesus power to become pikin of our Papa — dem bring dem back into di family of di One wey send im Pikin. 13 —pikin wey dem no born from blood, or from di wish of flesh, or from di wish of man, but from our Papa.
14 Di Word become flesh and live among us. We see im glory, di glory of im only-one Pikin wey come from di Papa, wey full with grace and truth. 15 John talk about am, im shout say, "Na dis one I dey talk about: di one wey dey come after me pass me, because im dey before I come dey." 16 Because from im fullness, all of us don receive, grace on top grace. 17 Because na through Moses dem give di law; na through Jesus Christ grace and truth take come. 18 Nobody don ever see our Papa; na im only-one Pikin, wey dey close-close to di Papa, don show us who im be. b b v18 Na only di Pikin wey dey always close to our Papa im heart fit show us who our Papa true-true be — every glimpse of di Papa dey come through Jesus.
John, Who You Be?
19 Na dis be John im testimony, wen di Jews send priests and Levites from Jerusalem go ask am, "Who you be?" 20 Im confess, im no deny, but im confess say, "I no be di Christ."
21 So dem ask am, "Den wetin—you be Elijah?" Im talk say, "I no be." "You be di Prophet?" Im answer say, "No."
22 So dem ask, "Who you be? Give us answer make we take give di people wey send us. Wetin you talk about yourself?"
23 Im talk say, "I be voice wey dey shout for di wilderness say, ‘Make Oga im road straight,’ as di prophet Isaiah talk."
24 Now na di Pharisees dem send dis people. 25 Dem ask am, "Why you dey baptize, den, if you no be di Christ, or Elijah, or di Prophet?"
26 John answer dem say, "I dey baptize with water, but one person dey stand among una wey una no know, 27 even di one wey dey come after me, wey I no fit even loose im sandal rope." 28 Dis things happen for Bethany, for di other side of Jordan, where John dey baptize.
See am, di Lamb
29 Di next day, John see Jesus dey come towards am, im talk say, "Look! Di Lamb of our Papa—Jesus—wey dey carry di sin of di world commot!" c c v29 John call Jesus "di Lamb of our Papa" because na di Papa dey provide di Lamb — di same Papa wey promise Abraham say "God go provide di lamb for imself," now dey fulfil dat promise for im own Pikin. 30 Na dis one I dey talk about: ‘One man dey come after me wey pass me, because im dey before I come dey.’ 31 I no know am, but I come dey baptize with water so dat dem go show am to Israel. 32 John talk say: "I see di Holy Spirit come down from heaven like dove and stay on top am." 33 I no know am, but di one wey send me come baptize with water tell me say, ‘Di one wey you go see di Holy Spirit come down and stay on top am — na im be di one wey dey baptize with di Holy Spirit.’ 34 "And I don see am and I don testify say na dis one be di Pikin of our Papa." d d v34 John im testimony call Jesus di Pikin of our Papa — no be just "one pikin of God" but di Pikin wey no dey end, wey di Papa don love since before di world start.
Come and See
35 Di next day, John dey stand again with two of im disciples, 36 and as im look Jesus dey waka pass, im talk say, "Look! Di Lamb of our Papa!" 37 Di two disciples hear am talk dis thing, and dem follow Jesus.
38 Jesus turn, see dem dey follow am, and ask, "Wetin una dey find?" Dem talk say, "Rabbi" (wey mean Teacher), "where you dey stay?"
39 Im tell dem say, "Come and una go see." So dem go and see where im dey stay, and dem remain with am dat day—around four for afternoon.
40 One of di two wey hear John talk and follow Jesus na Andrew, Simon Peter im brother. 41 Im first find im own brother Simon and tell am say, ‘We don find di Messiah’ (wey mean Christ).
42 Im bring am come to Jesus. Jesus look am and talk say, "You be Simon, di son of John. Dem go call you Cephas" (wey mean Peter).
43 Di next day, Jesus decide to go Galilee. Im find Philip and talk say, "Follow me."
44 Now Philip na from Bethsaida, di town of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip find Nathanael and tell am say, "We don find di one wey Moses write about for di Law and di prophets — Jesus, di son of Joseph, from Nazareth."
46 Nathanael talk say, "Anything good fit come from Nazareth?" Philip talk say, "Come and see."
47 Jesus see Nathanael dey come and talk about am say, "Look — na true Israelite, wey no get deceit for inside am!"
48 Nathanael ask am, "How you take know me?" Jesus answer say, "Before Philip call you, wen you dey under di fig tree, I see you."
49 Nathanael answer am say, "Rabbi, you be di Pikin of our Papa! You be di King of Israel!"
50 Jesus answer am say, "You believe because I tell you say I see you under di fig tree? You go see things wey big pass dis ones." 51 Im tell am say, "Truly, truly, I dey tell you, you go see heaven open, and di angels of our Papa dey go up and dey come down on top di Pikin of Man." e e v51 Jesus dey echo Jacob im vision for Bethel (Gen 28:12), where angels dey move between heaven and earth on top ladder — now e don fulfil for inside am.
