Then they said to him, “Who are you? Tell us, so that we may give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”
Parallel translations
- WEB They said therefore to him, “Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”
- KJV Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself?
- BSB So they said to him, “Who are you? We need an answer for those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”
- NKJV Then they said to him, “Who are you, that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?”
- NLT “Then who are you? We need an answer for those who sent us. What do you have to say about yourself?”
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
Pressed for a definite answer to report back, the delegation asks John to identify himself. They want a clear account of his identity and authority.
Overview
Having received only denials, the envoys insist on a positive answer to bring to those who sent them. The question, 'What do you say about yourself?', gives John opportunity to define his role on his own terms. His reply in the next verse roots his ministry entirely in Scripture and in service to the coming Lord.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 1
- 2 Sam 24:13So Gad came to David, and told him, and said to him, “Shall seven years of famine come to you in your land? Or will you flee three months before your foes while they pursue you? Or shall there be three days’ pestilence in your land? Now answer, and consider what answer I shall return to him who sent me.”
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 1:22 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.