One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother.
Parallel translations
- WEB One of the two who heard John, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother.
- BSB Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard John’s testimony and followed Jesus.
- ESV One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother.
- NKJV One of the two who heard John speak, and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother.
- NASB One of the two who heard John speak, and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother.
- NLT Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of these men who heard what John said and then followed Jesus.
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
One of the two who followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. He becomes a model of bringing others to Christ.
Overview
The Evangelist names Andrew, identifying him by his more famous brother Peter. Andrew's prominence here lies in what he does next — leading Peter to Jesus. The detail reflects eyewitness familiarity and introduces figures central to the apostolic band, showing how the gospel spread person to person from the very start.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- Mark 1:16–20Now as he walked by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.
- Matt 4:18–22And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.
- John 1:40–42One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother.
- Luke 5:2–11And saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets.
- Matt 10:2Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother;
- Acts 1:13And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James.
- John 6:8One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, saith unto him,
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 1:40 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.