Alpha and Omega

In the beginning, the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed at the beginning with God. God created everything by him, and nothing was created except by him. The Word gave life to all that was created, and his life enlightened everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and darkness can never extinguish it. There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify of this light so that through him all might believe. He himself was not the light; he only came as a witness to the light. The real light that enlightens everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and although the world was made by him, the world did not recognize him. He came to what was his, but he did not receive it. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or of the will of a husband, but born of God. The Word was made flesh and made his home among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the Only Begotten, come from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John testified about him. He cried out saying, “This is the one I spoke of when I said, 'He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me. '”) From its fullness, we have all received grace in place of the grace already given. For the law was given by Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God, but the Only Begotten, who himself is God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known. It is the word of God. Amen. Alleluia.