John 1:25

John 1:25 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet?
• New International Version (NIV)questioned him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”
• English Standard Version (ESV)They asked him, "Then why are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?"
• New King James Version (NKJV)And they asked him, saying, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”

Context of John 1:25

23He said, “I am the voice of one shouting in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.” 24Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. They asked him, “Why then are you baptizing, if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” 26John answered them, “I baptize [only] in water, but among you there stands One whom you do not recognize and of whom you know nothing. 27It is He [the preeminent One] who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie [even as His slave].”

John 1:25 word by word

καὶ ἠρώτησαν αὐτὸν καὶ εἶπαν αὐτῷ· τί οὖν βαπτίζεις εἰ σὺ οὐκ εἶ ὁ χριστὸς οὐδὲ Ἠλίας οὐδὲ ὁ προφήτης;Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• they askedἐρωτάωerōtaō · to askG2065
• himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• saidλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• Whyτίςtis · which?G5101
• baptizest thouβαπτίζωbaptizō · to baptizeG907
• thenοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
• ifεἰei · ifG1487
• thouσύsu · youG4771
• beεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• notοὐou · noG3756
• that Christὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• that ChristΧριστόςChristos · ChristG5547
• norοὔτεoute · neitherG3777
• EliasἩλίαςHēlias · ElijahG2243
• that prophetπροφήτηςprophētēs · prophetG4396

Cross-references for John 1:25

• Matthew 21:23When He entered the temple area, the chief priests and elders of the people came to Him as He was teaching and said, “By what [kind of] authority are You doing these things, and who gave You this authority [to exercise this power]?”
• Acts 4:5On the next day, their magistrates and elders and scribes (Sanhedrin, Jewish High Court) were gathered together in Jerusalem;
• Acts 5:28saying, “We gave you strict orders not to continue teaching in this name, and yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and you intend to bring this Man’s blood on us [by accusing us as His murderers].”
• John 1:20And he confessed [truthfully] and did not deny [that he was only a man], but acknowledged, “I am not the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed)!”
• Daniel 9:24“Seventy weeks [of years, or 490 years] have been decreed for your people and for your holy city (Jerusalem), to finish the transgression, to make an end of sins, to make atonement (reconciliation) for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness (right-standing with God), to seal up vision and prophecy and prophet, and to anoint the Most Holy Place.

Commentaries on John 1:25

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 25Why baptizest thou then? - Baptism was a very common ceremony among the Jews, who never received a proselyte into the full enjoyment of a Jew's privileges, till he was both baptized and circumcised. But such baptisms were never performed except by an ordinance of the Sanhedrin, or in the presence of three magistrates: besides, they never baptized any Jew or Jewess, nor even those who were the children of their proselytes; for, as all these were considered…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 25Why baptizest thou then … - Baptism on receiving a proselyte from “paganism” was common before the time of John, but it was not customary to baptize a “Jew.” John had changed the custom. He baptized “all,” and they were desirous of knowing by what authority he made such a change in the religious customs of the nation. They presumed, from the fact that he introduced that change, that he claimed to be a prophet or the Christ. They supposed that no one would…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 19-28Verses 19-28 John disowns himself to be the Christ, who was now expected and waited for. He came in the spirit and power of Elias, but he was not the person of Elias. John was not that Prophet whom Moses said the Lord would raise up to them of their brethren, like unto him. He was not such a prophet as they expected, who would rescue them from the Romans. He gave such an account of himself, as might excite and awaken them to hearken to him. He baptized…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 25-26Jewish baptisms were ritual washings for becoming ceremonially pure following contact with impurity (Leviticus 8:6; Numbers 19:7). John announced the Christ's arrival and required participants to confess their sins and be baptized (Matthew 3:6). Baptism later became the symbol of membership in the kingdom of God (Acts 2:38; see also John 4:1–2).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2525. Why baptizest thou, if not, &c.--Thinking he disclaimed any special connection with Messiah's kingdom, they demand his right to gather disciples by baptism.Read the comment

Topics related to John 1:25

• Baptism
• Elijah
• Jesus, the Christ
• John

In the dictionaries

• Christ
• Christ, Messiah
• Behold
• Believe
• Blood
• Dwell
• Elijah
• Flesh
• Guile
• Light

Commentaries on John 1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Catena Aurea
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• John Lightfoot Commentary
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings