And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou?
Parallel translations
- WEB This is John’s testimony, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?”
- BSB And this was John’s testimony when the Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him, “Who are you?”
- NKJV Now this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?”
- NASB This is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites to him from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?”
- NLT This was John’s testimony when the Jewish leaders sent priests and Temple assistants from Jerusalem to ask John, “Who are you?”
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
Jewish leaders sent priests and Levites to ask John the Baptist who he was. His official examination by Jerusalem's authorities begins here.
Overview
John's Gospel formally introduces the Baptist's 'testimony' as a delegation from the Jerusalem authorities investigates his identity and mission. Their question, 'Who are you?', frames the following verses, in which John repeatedly deflects honor away from himself toward Christ. The episode shows the religious establishment's scrutiny and John's faithful, self-effacing reply.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- Luke 3:15–18And as the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of John, whether he were the Christ, or not;
- John 10:24Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly.
- Acts 19:4Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.
- Acts 13:25And as John fulfilled his course, he said, Whom think ye that I am? I am not he. But, behold, there cometh one after me, whose shoes of his feet I am not worthy to loose.
- John 5:33–36Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth.
- Matt 21:23–32And when he was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching, and said, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority?
- John 2:18Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things?
- John 5:10The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed.
- Deut 17:9–11And thou shalt come unto the priests the Levites, and unto the judge that shall be in those days, and enquire; and they shall shew thee the sentence of judgment:
- Deut 24:8Take heed in the plague of leprosy, that thou observe diligently, and do according to all that the priests the Levites shall teach you: as I commanded them, so ye shall observe to do.
- John 6:41The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven.
- John 6:52The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat?
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Pastoral
Henry on the prologue — rich on the Word and the incarnation.
Seminary
- ★ Start hereCommentaryThe Gospel According to John (Pillar NT Commentary)D. A. Carson · ~720 pp · Paid · reformed
The go-to mid-level exegetical commentary on John — rigorous and readable.
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
John declares him plainly: the eternal Word made flesh, the Lamb of God, the great 'I AM' — bread, light, door, shepherd, way, truth, life, resurrection — that you may believe and have life in his name.
How John 1:19 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.