I didn’t know him, but for this reason I came baptizing in water: that he would be revealed to Israel.”
Parallel translations
- KJV And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.
- BSB I myself did not know Him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that He might be revealed to Israel.”
- ESV I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.”
- NKJV I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water.”
- NASB And I did not recognize Him, but so that He would be revealed to Israel, I came baptizing in water.”
- NLT I did not recognize him as the Messiah, but I have been baptizing with water so that he might be revealed to Israel.”
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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 admits he did not previously know Jesus as Messiah; his baptizing ministry served to reveal Him to Israel. God's plan, not John's insight, identified the Christ.
Overview
Though John and Jesus were kin (Luke 1), John says he did not recognize Jesus' messianic identity until God disclosed it. His whole baptizing work was ordained so that the Messiah might be revealed to Israel. This underscores that recognizing Christ depends on divine revelation, which John faithfully awaited and obeyed.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- Mal 3:1“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.
- John 1:33I didn’t recognize him, but he who sent me to baptize in water, he said to me, ‘On whomever you will see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he who baptizes in the Holy Spirit.’
- John 1:7The same came as a witness, that he might testify about the light, that all might believe through him.
- Luke 1:17He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’ and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to prepare a people prepared for the Lord.”
- Mark 1:3–5the voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make ready the way of the Lord! Make his paths straight!’”
- Luke 3:3–4He came into all the region around the Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for remission of sins.
- Mal 4:2–5But to you who fear my name shall the sun of righteousness arise with healing in its wings. You will go out, and leap like calves of the stall.
- Isa 40:3–5The voice of one who calls out, “Prepare the way of Yahweh in the wilderness! Make a level highway in the desert for our God.
- Matt 3:6They were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.
- Acts 19:4Paul said, “John indeed baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe in the one who would come after him, that is, in Jesus.”
- Luke 1:76–80And you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways,
- Luke 2:39–42When they had accomplished all things that were according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city, Nazareth.
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 1:31 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.