You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but am sent ahead of Him.’
Parallel translations
- WEB You yourselves testify that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent before him.’
- KJV Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him.
- NKJV You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent before Him.’
- NASB You yourselves are my witnesses that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent ahead of Him.’
- NLT You yourselves know how plainly I told you, ‘I am not the Messiah. I am only here to prepare the way for him.’
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 reminds his disciples that he plainly said he is not the Christ but the one sent ahead of him. He reaffirms his role as forerunner, not Messiah.
Overview
John recalls his earlier, public disclaimers (John 1:20) to settle the dispute. He is the herald sent before the King, never the King himself. This clear self-understanding frees him to rejoice rather than resent Jesus' growing influence.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- John 1:20He did not refuse to confess, but openly declared, “I am not the Christ.”
- John 1:23John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet: “I am a voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’”
- Matt 3:11–12I baptize you with water for repentance, but after me will come One more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.
- Luke 1:16–17Many of the sons of Israel he will turn back to the Lord their God.
- John 1:25asked him, “Why then do you baptize, if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”
- Mal 3:1“Behold, I will send My messenger, who will prepare the way before Me. Then the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to His temple—the Messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight—see, He is coming,” says the LORD of Hosts.
- Luke 1:76And you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for Him,
- Matt 3:3This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for Him.’”
- Mark 1:2–3As it is written in Isaiah the prophet: “Behold, I will send My messenger ahead of You, who will prepare Your way.”
- Luke 3:4–6as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet: “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for Him.
- Mal 4:4–5“Remember the law of My servant Moses, the statutes and ordinances I commanded him for all Israel at Horeb.
- John 1:27He is the One who comes after me, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.”
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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 3:28 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
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