John answered them, saying, “I baptize with water, but there stands One among you whom you do not know.
Parallel translations
- WEB John answered them, “I baptize in water, but among you stands one whom you don’t know.
- KJV John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not;
- BSB “I baptize with water,” John replied, “but among you stands One you do not know.
- NASB John answered them, saying, “I baptize in water, but among you stands One whom you do not know.
- NLT John told them, “I baptize with water, but right here in the crowd is someone you do not recognize.
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
John says his baptism is only with water, while One they do not know already stands among them. He points away from himself to the present but unrecognized Messiah.
Overview
John contrasts his preparatory water baptism with the greater ministry of the coming One (whom he will say baptizes with the Spirit). Strikingly, he declares that this greater One is already present, yet unknown to the leaders. The remark exposes their spiritual blindness and heightens anticipation of Jesus' public revelation.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- Acts 1:5For John indeed baptized in water, but you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”
- Luke 3:16John answered them all, “I indeed baptize you with water, but he comes who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to loosen. He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit and fire,
- John 1:10–11He was in the world, and the world was made through him, and the world didn’t recognize him.
- Mark 1:8I baptized you in water, but he will baptize you in the Holy Spirit.”
- Matt 3:11I indeed baptize you in water for repentance, but he who comes after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit.
- Acts 11:16I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, ‘John indeed baptized in water, but you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit.’
- John 8:19They said therefore to him, “Where is your Father?” Jesus answered, “You know neither me, nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also.”
- 1 Jn 3:1See how great a love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God! For this cause the world doesn’t know us, because it didn’t know him.
- John 17:3This is eternal life, that they should know you, the only true God, and him whom you sent, Jesus Christ.
- John 17:25Righteous Father, the world hasn’t known you, but I knew you; and these knew that you sent me.
- John 16:3They will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me.
- Mal 3:1–2“Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me; and the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, behold, he comes!” says Yahweh of Armies.
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 1:26 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.