John 1 Comparison: Noyes Translation (1869) vs King James Version
John 1
1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2The same was in the beginning with God.
3All things were made through him; and without him was nothing made that hath been made.
4In him is life; and the life was the light of men.
5And the light hath been shining in the darkness; and the darkness received it not.
6There was a man, sent from God, whose name was John.
7He came as a witness, to bear witness of the light, that through him all might believe.
8He was not the light, but came to bear witness of the light.
9The true light, which enlighteneth every man, was coming into the world.
10He was in the world, and the world was made through him, and the world knew him not.
11He came to his own, and his own received him not.
12But as many as received him, to them he gave power to become children of God,—to those who believed in his name;
13who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
14And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; and we beheld his glory, a glory as of an only begotten of a father.
15John beareth witness of him, and crieth, saying, This was he of whom I said, He that cometh after me hath gone before me; for he was before me.
16For out of his fullness have we all received, and grace upon grace.
17For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
18No one hath ever seen God; the only begotten God, who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath made him known.
19And this is the witness of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem, to ask him, Who art thou?
20And he declared, and did not deny; and he declared, I am not the Christ.
21And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elijah? And he said, I am not. Art thou the prophet? And he answered, No.
22They said therefore to him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to those who sent us; what sayest thou of thyself?
23He said, I am "a voice of one crying aloud in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord," as said Isaiah the prophet.
24And they were sent from the Pharisees;
25and they asked him and said to him, Why then dost thou baptize, if thou art not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?
26John answered them, saying, I baptize in water. There standeth one among you whom ye know not,
27he who cometh after me, the latchet of whose sandal I am not worthy to loose.
28These things took place in Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
29The next day he seeth Jesus coming to him, and saith, Behold, the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sin of the world!
30This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man, who hath gone before me; for he was before me.
31And I knew him not; but that he might be made manifest to Israel, therefore I came baptizing in water.
32And John bore witness, saying, I have seen the Spirit descending as a dove from heaven, and it abode upon him.
33And I knew him not; but he who sent me to baptize in water, the same said to me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending and abiding on him, he it is that baptizeth in the Holy Spirit.
34And I have seen and have borne witness, that this is the Son of God.
35On the morrow John was again standing, and two of his disciples;
36and looking upon Jesus as he was walking, he saith, Behold, the Lamb of God!
37The two disciples heard him speaking, and they followed Jesus.
38Jesus turning and seeing them following, saith to them, What seek ye? And they said to him, Rabbi, (that is to say, when interpreted, Teacher,) where dost thou dwell?
39He saith to them, Come, and ye shall see. They came therefore and saw where he dwelt; and they abode with him that day. It was about the tenth hour.
40One of the two who heard what John said, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother.
41He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith to him, We have found the Messiah; (which is, when interpreted, the Christ.)
42He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looking upon him said, Thou art Simon, the son of John; thou shalt be called Cephas; (which signifieth Peter, that is, Rock.)
43On the morrow he determined to go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip. And Jesus saith to him, Follow me.
44Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.
45Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith to him, We have found him of whom Moses in the Law, and the Prophets wrote, Jesus, the son of Joseph, who is of Nazareth.
46And Nathanael said to him, Can any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith to him, Come and see.
47Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile.
48Nathanael saith to him, Whence dost thou know me? Jesus answered and said to him, Before Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig-tree, I saw thee.
49Nathanael answered him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God, thou art the king of Israel.
50Jesus answered and said to him, Because I said to thee, I saw thee under the fig-tree, dost thou believe? Thou shalt see greater things than these.
51And he saith to him, Truly, truly do I say to you, Ye will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.
John 1
1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2The same was in the beginning with God.
3All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
4In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
5And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
6There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
7The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.
8He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.
9That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
10He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
11He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
12But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
13Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
14And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
15John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.
16And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.
17For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
18No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
19And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou?
20And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ.
21And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No.
22Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself?
23He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.
24And they which were sent were of the Pharisees.
25And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet?
26John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not;
27He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe’s latchet I am not worthy to unloose.
28These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing.
29The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
30This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me.
31And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.
32And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.
33And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.
34And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.
35Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples;
36And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!
37And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.
38Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master,) where dwellest thou?
39He saith 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.
40One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother.
41He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.
42And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone.
43The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me.
44Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.
45Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.
46And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.
47Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!
48Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.
49Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.
50Jesus 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.
51And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.
Understanding Noyes Translation (1869) vs King James Version in John 1
Noyes Translation (1869) (Noyes)
A scholarly 1869 translation by George R. Noyes, aiming for precision and literary beauty. Known for its distinct Unitarian perspective and separate translation of poetical books like Psalms.
King James Version (KJV)
The classic 1611 English translation known for its majestic prose and literary influence. Ideal for traditional study and memorization thanks to its formal style. A foundational English Bible used for centuries.
You are viewing a side-by-side comparison of John 1 in the Noyes Translation (1869) and King James Version. Comparing these two versions can help shed light on the nuances of the original text.
Key Comparison: John 1:16
"For out of his fullness have we all received, and grace upon grace."
"And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace."
