John 3:28

John 3:28 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him.
• New International Version (NIV)You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah but am sent ahead of him.’
• English Standard Version (ESV)You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, 'I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.'
• New King James Version (NKJV)You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent before Him.’

Context of John 3:28

26So they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi (Teacher), the Man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan [at the Jordan River crossing]—and to whom you have testified—look, He is baptizing too, and everyone is going to Him!” 27John replied, “A man can receive nothing [he can claim nothing at all] unless it has been granted to him from heaven [for there is no other source than the sovereign will of God]. You yourselves are my witnesses that I stated, ‘I am not the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed),’ but, ‘I have [only] been sent ahead of Him [as His appointed forerunner and messenger to announce and proclaim His coming].’ 29He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands by and listens to him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. So this pleasure and joy of mine is now complete. 30He must increase [in prominence], but I must decrease.

John 3:28 word by word

αὐτοὶ ὑμεῖς μοι μαρτυρεῖτε ὅτι εἶπον ὅτι· οὐκ εἰμὶ ἐγὼ ὁ χριστός, ἀλλ᾽ ὅτι ἀπεσταλμένος εἰμὶ ἔμπροσθεν ἐκείνου.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Yeσύsu · youG4771
• yourselvesαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• bearμαρτυρέωmartureō · to testifyG3140
• meἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• thatὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
• I saidλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• amεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• notοὐou · noG3756
• the Christὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the ChristΧριστόςChristos · ChristG5547
• butἀλλάalla · butG235
• sentἀποστέλλωapostellō · to sendG649
• beforeἔμπροσθενemprosthen · beforeG1715
• himἐκεῖνοςekeinos · thatG1565

Cross-references for John 3:28

• 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)!”
• John 1:23He said, “I am the voice of one shouting in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.”
• Malachi 3:1“Behold, I am going to send My messenger, and he will prepare and clear the way before Me. And the Lord [the Messiah], whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple; the Messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight, behold, He is coming,” says the Lord of hosts.
• Malachi 4:4“Remember [with thoughtful concern] the Law of Moses My servant, the statutes and the ordinances which I commanded him on [Mount] Horeb [to give] to all Israel.
• Matthew 3:3This is the one who was mentioned by the prophet Isaiah when he said, “The voice of one shouting in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the road for the Lord, Make His highways straight (level, direct)!’ ”
• Mark 1:2As it is written and forever remains in the [writings of the] prophet Isaiah: “Behold, I send My messenger ahead of You, Who will prepare Your way—
• Luke 1:16He will turn many of the sons of Israel back [from sin] to [love and serve] the Lord their God.
• Luke 3:4as it is written and forever remains written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, “The voice of one shouting in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, Make His paths straight.

Commentaries on John 3:28

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 28Bear me witness - You remember that at first I told you I was not the Messiah. As he had been “witness” to Jesus - as he came for no other end but to point him out to the Jews, they ought not to suppose that he was his superior. It was but reasonable to expect that Christ himself would be more successful than his forerunner. “I came, not to form a separate party, a special sect, but to prepare the way that he might be more successful, and that the people…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 22-36Verses 22-36 John was fully satisfied with the place and work assigned him; but Jesus came on a more important work. He also knew that Jesus would increase in honour and influence, for of his government and peace there would be no end, while he himself would be less followed. John knew that Jesus came from heaven as the Son of God, while he was a sinful, mortal man, who could only speak about the more plain subjects of religion. The words of Jesus were…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 27-35John the Baptist spoke because of two concerns: Some people questioned whether his baptism was from God (see 1:26), and his disciples were worried because many people were beginning to follow Jesus instead of John (3:26).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 27-3027-30. A man, &c.--"I do my heaven-prescribed work, and that is enough for me. Would you have me mount into my Master's place? Said I not unto you, I am not the Christ? The Bride is not mine, why should the people stay with me?? Mine it is to point the burdened to the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world, to tell them there is Balm in Gilead, and a Physician there. And shall I grudge to see them, in obedience to the call, flying as a cloud…Read the comment

Topics related to John 3:28

• John

In the dictionaries

• Christ
• Christ, Messiah
• Born
• Condemn
• Condemnation
• Darkness
• Decrease
• Faith
• Increase
• Love

Commentaries on John 3

• 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