You yourselves testify that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent before him.’
Parallel translations
- KJV Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him.
- BSB You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but am sent ahead of 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 declared, and didn’t deny, but he declared, “I am not the Christ.”
- John 1:23He said, “I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as Isaiah the prophet said.”
- Matt 3:11–12I 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.
- Luke 1:16–17He will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord, their God.
- John 1:25They asked him, “Why then do you baptize, if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?”
- 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.
- Luke 1:76And 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,
- Matt 3:3For this is he who was spoken of by Isaiah the prophet, saying, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness, make ready the way of the Lord. Make his paths straight.”
- Mark 1:2–3As it is written in the prophets, “Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you:
- Luke 3:4–6As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make ready the way of the Lord. Make his paths straight.
- Mal 4:4–5“Remember the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded to him in Horeb for all Israel, even statutes and ordinances.
- John 1:27He is the one who comes after me, who is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I’m not worthy to loosen.”
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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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