DISCIPLES CALLED
THESE things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was
baptizing. The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith,
Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. This
is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before
me: for he was before me. And I knew him not: but that he should be
made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water. And
John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like
a dove, and it abode upon him. And 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. And I saw, and bare record that this is
the Son of God. Again the next day after John stood, and two of his
disciples; and looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the
Lamb of God! And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed
Jesus. Then 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? He 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. One of the two which heard John speak,
and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. He first findeth
his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias,
which is, being interpreted, the Christ. And 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. The
day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip,
and saith unto him, Follow me. Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city
of Andrew and Peter. Philip 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. And Nathanael said unto him, Can
there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come
and see. Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an
Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile! Nathanael 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. Nathanael
answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art
the King of Israel. Jesus 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. And 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.
[Sidenote: St. John 1]