John 1 Read and Response

Leader: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Congregation: He was with God in the beginning. 
Leader: Through him all things were made; 
Congregation: without him nothing was made that has been made. 
Leader: In him was life, 
Congregation: and that life was the light of all mankind.  
Leader: The light shines in the darkness,
Congregation: and the darkness has not overcome it.
Leader: There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, 
Congregation: so that through him all might believe.
Leader: He himself was not the light;
Congregation: he came only as a witness to the light.
Leader: The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him,
Congregation: the world did not recognize him. 
Leader:He came to that which was his own,
Congregation: but his own did not receive him.  
Leader: Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name,
Congregation: he gave the right to become children of God—  
Leader: children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will,
Congregation: but born of God.
Leader: The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory,
Congregation: the glory of the one and only Son,
Leader: who came from the Father,
Congregation: full of grace and truth.
Leader: (John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I spoke about when I said, 
Congregation: ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’”)
Leader:  Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. For the law was given through Moses;
Congregation: grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.  
Leader: No one has ever seen God,
Congregation: but the one and only Son,
Leader: who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.