Before the arrival of Jesus, John preached a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.
Parallel translations
- WEB before his coming, when John had first preached the baptism of repentance to Israel.
- KJV When John had first preached before his coming the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.
- NKJV after John had first preached, before His coming, the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.
- NASB after John had proclaimed, before His coming, a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.
- NLT Before he came, John the Baptist preached that all the people of Israel needed to repent of their sins and turn to God and be baptized.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Before Jesus came, John preached a baptism of repentance to all Israel. John prepared the way for the Savior.
Overview
Paul recalls John the Baptist's ministry of preparing Israel through a call to repentance. John's role as forerunner authenticates Jesus and marks the turning point from promise to fulfillment. The reference would connect with hearers who knew of John, directing their attention beyond him to the One he announced.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- Acts 1:22beginning from John’s baptism until the day Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection.”
- Matt 3:1–11In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea
- Luke 3:2–20during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness.
- Acts 10:37You yourselves know what has happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee with the baptism that John proclaimed:
- Mark 1:2–8As it is written in Isaiah the prophet: “Behold, I will send My messenger ahead of You, who will prepare Your way.”
- Acts 19:3–4“Into what, then, were you baptized?” Paul asked. “The baptism of John,” they replied.
- John 3:25–36Then a dispute arose between John’s disciples and a certain Jew over the issue of ceremonial washing.
- John 5:33–36You have sent to John, and he has testified to the truth.
- Luke 1:76And you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for Him,
- John 1:6–8There came a man who was sent from God. His name was John.
- John 1:15–18John testified concerning Him. He cried out, saying, “This is He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because He was before me.’”
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Acts is the risen Christ continuing his work by the Spirit through the church, as the apostles preach that there is salvation in no other name under heaven.
How Acts 13:24 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.