Biblical citations in the hymnal:
John 1:1-14;
6:30-40, 48-58;
10:7-16, 27-28;
15:1-8
John 1:1-14: "1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
"6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.
"9 The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
"14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth."
John 6:30-40: "30 So they [people in a crowd] said to him, 'Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do you perform? 31 Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, "He gave them bread from heaven to eat."' 32 Jesus then said to them,
'Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33
For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.' 34 They said to him, 'Sir, give us this bread always.'
"35 Jesus said to them,
'I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. 36
But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. 37
All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. 38
For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. 39
And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. 40
For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.'"
John 6:48-58: "48
'I am the bread of life. 49
Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. 50
This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. 51
I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.'
"52 The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, 'How can this man give us his flesh to eat?' 53 So Jesus said to them,
'Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54
Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. 55
For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. 56
Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. 57
As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me. 58
This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread the fathers ate and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.'"
John 10:7-16: "7 'So Jesus again said to them,
'Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8
All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9
I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. 10
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. 11
I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12
He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13
He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. 14
I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 15
just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16
And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. 17
For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again.'"
John 10:27-28: "27
'My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28
I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.'"
John 15:1-8: "1
'I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 2
Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3
Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. 4
Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5
I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6
If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7
If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8
By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.'"
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John 1 appears in the first verse, most clearly in the lines "Christ, the Word of God incarnate," "Christ, the radiance of the Father," and "Christ, the light, You shine unvanquished, / Light and life You bring to all." The lines "Lord and Son of Abraham" and "Perfect God, the great I AM" seem to come from John 8:58 (referencing Exodus 3:14): "Jesus said to them, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.'" The line "Light our path with Your own presence" refers to Psalm 119:105: "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path."
The passages from John 6 appear in the second verse, which starts: "Christ, the living bread from heaven." The verse ends with the lines "Quench our thirst with living water / Springing up eternally," which refers to John 4:14: "'but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.'"
John 15 appears in the third verse, which focuses on Jesus as "the shoot that springs triumphant / From the stump of Jesse's tree; / Christ, true vine...." This also incorporates Isaiah 11:1: "There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit."
John 10 appears in the fourth verse, which is about Jesus as "our good and faithful shepherd."
The fifth verse comes primarily from (the uncited) John 14:6: "Jesus said to [Thomas], 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'" There are also some smaller allusions: "Christ, the truth that frees the captive" (Luke 4:18, citing Isaiah 61:1), "Mediator to the Father, / Sacrifice and great High Priest" (Hebrews 9), "Lead us to Your heav'nly mansions" (John 14:2), "There to share Your wedding feast" (Revelation 19:9).
Similarly, the last verse combines multiple passages: "Christ, the Alpha and Omega" (Revelation 1:8; 21:6; 22:13), "Christ, the life and resurrection" (John 11:25), and "Christ, the firstborn from the dead... Christ, the Church's glorious head" (Colossians 1:18).
