They asked him, “Why then do you baptize, if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?”
Parallel translations
- KJV And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet?
- BSB asked him, “Why then do you baptize, if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”
- NKJV And they asked him, saying, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”
- NASB They asked him, and said to him, “Why then are you baptizing, if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”
- NLT asked him, “If you aren’t the Messiah or Elijah or the Prophet, what right do you have to baptize?”
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
The Pharisees question John's authority to baptize since he claims none of the expected eschatological titles. They assume only the Messiah or a foretold figure could institute such a rite.
Overview
Baptism was associated with end-time renewal and cleansing, so the Pharisees ask why John baptizes if he is neither Christ, Elijah, nor the Prophet. Their question reveals their expectation that such a ministry required messianic-era authority. John's reply will redirect them from his rite to the greater One standing unrecognized among them.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- Deut 18:18I will raise them up a prophet from among their brothers, like you. I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I shall command him.
- Deut 18:15Yahweh your God will raise up to you a prophet from among you, of your brothers, like me. You shall listen to him.
- John 1:20–22He declared, and didn’t deny, but he declared, “I am not the Christ.”
- Acts 5:28saying, “Didn’t we strictly command you not to teach in this name? Behold, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and intend to bring this man’s blood on us.”
- Matt 21:23When he had come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him as he was teaching, and said, “By what authority do you do these things? Who gave you this authority?”
- Acts 4:5–7In the morning, their rulers, elders, and scribes were gathered together in Jerusalem.
- Dan 9:24–26Seventy weeks are decreed on your people and on your holy city, to finish disobedience, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most holy.
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 1:25 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.