St. John the Apostle and Evangelist was the son of Zebedee and Salome, brother to James the Greater. He was called the Beloved disciple of Christ and stood by at his Crucifixion. He wrote the Gospel after the other Evangelists, about sixty-three years after our Lord's Ascension. Many things that they had omitted were supplied by him. The original was written in Greek; and by the Greeks he is titled: The Divine. St. Jerome relates that, when he was earnestly requested by the brethren to write the Gospel, he answered he would do it, if by ordering a common fast, they would all put up their prayers together to the Almighty God; which being ended replenished with the clearest and fullest revelation coming from Heaven, he burst forth into that preface: IN THE BEGINNING WAS THE WORD. John Chapter 1 The divinity and incarnation of Christ. John bears witness of him. He begins to call his disciples. 1:1. In the beginning was the Word: and the Word was with God: and the Word was God. 1:2. The same was in the beginning with God. 1:3. All things were made by him: and without him was made nothing that was made. 1:4. In him was life: and the life was the light of men. 1:5. And the light shineth in darkness: and the darkness did not comprehend it. 1:6. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 1:7. This man came for a witness, to give testimony of the light, that all men might believe through him. 1:8. He was not the light, but was to give testimony of the light. 1:9. That was the true light, which enlighteneth every man that cometh into this world. 1:10. He was in the world: and the world was made by him: and the world knew him not. 1:11. He came unto his own: and his own received him not. 1:12. But as many as received him, he gave them power to be made the sons of God, to them that believe in his name. 1:13. Who are born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 1:14. And 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. 1:15. John beareth witness of him and crieth out, saying: This was he of whom I spoke: He that shall come after me is preferred before me: because he was before me. 1:16. And of his fulness we all have received: and grace for grace. 1:17. For the law was given by Moses: grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. 1:18. No man hath seen God at any time: the only begotten Son who is in the Bosom of the Father, he hath declared him. 1:19. And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent from Jerusalem priests and Levites to him, to ask him: Who art thou? 1:20. And he confessed and did not deny: and he confessed: I am not the Christ. 1:21. And they asked him: What then? Art thou Elias? And he said: I am not. Art thou the prophet? And he answered: No.