John 1:14
What does John 1:14 mean?
A plain-English look at John 1:14 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What John 1:14 means
This is a pivotal verse declaring the incarnation: the eternal Word, who was God (v.1), became human flesh and lived among us. This profound mystery signifies God taking on full humanity without ceasing to be God. Eyewitnesses beheld His glory, not merely human greatness, but the unique glory proper to the only Son of the Father—full of grace and truth. This event perfectly reveals God to humanity, bridging the divine and human realms.
John 1:14 in context
John 1 — The Word Made Flesh
John lifts the curtain higher than any other Gospel. Before there was a Bethlehem, there was the Word — with God, who was God, by whom all things were made. The same Word who was the agent of creation became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth. John the Baptist points him out as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world; the first disciples follow him; Nathanael confesses him as the Son of God and King of Israel. The eternal becomes near enough to touch.
- Pre-existence of Christ
- Incarnation
- Light and life
- First disciples
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father), full of grace and truth.
KJV
King James Version · 1611And 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.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father), full of grace and truth.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949And so the Word became flesh and took a place among us for a time; and we saw his glory--such glory as is given to an only son by his father--saw it to be true and full of grace.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862And the Word became flesh, and did tabernacle among us, and we beheld his glory, glory as of an only begotten of a father, full of grace and truth.
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us (and we saw his glory, the glory as it were of the only begotten of the Father), full of grace and truth.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us (and we have contemplated his glory, a glory as of an only-begotten with a father), full of grace and truth;
Context
After the profound theological prologue concerning the Word's eternal nature, creation, and the offer of divine sonship, this verse triumphantly announces the central event of the Christian faith: the incarnation. It moves from abstract theological concepts to the concrete historical reality of God becoming man, tying together all the preceding themes and establishing the basis for all the subsequent narratives in the Gospel. This is the ultimate fulfillment of the light entering the world.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Colossians 2:9
for in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily,
- John 3:18
He that believeth on him is not judged: he that believeth not hath been judged already, because he hath not believed on the name of the only begotten Son of God.
- John 1:1
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
- John 12:40
He hath blinded their eyes, and he hardened their heart; Lest they should see with their eyes, and perceive with their heart, And should turn, And I should heal them.
- Isaiah 53:2
For he grew up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.
- John 14:6
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life: no one cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Sermon ideas from John 1:14
Angles a pastor or small-group leader might preach or teach from this passage, drawn from the chapter's main themes.
What John 1:14 teaches us about pre-existence of christ
What John 1:14 teaches us about incarnation
What John 1:14 teaches us about light and life
What John 1:14 teaches us about first disciples
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