John 1:21

John 1:21 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No.
• New International Version (NIV)They asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” He answered, “No.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)And they asked him, "What then? Are you Elijah?" He said, "I am not." "Are you the Prophet?" And he answered, "No."
• New King James Version (NKJV)And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.”

Context of John 1:21

19This was John’s testimony when the Jews from Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him, “Who are you?” 20He didn’t deny it but confessed, “I am not the Messiah.” “What then?” they asked him. “Are you Elijah?” “I am not,” he said. “Are you the Prophet?” “No,” he answered. 22“Who are you, then?” they asked. “We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What can you tell us about yourself?” 23He said, “I am a voice of one crying out in the wilderness: Make straight the way of the Lord — just as Isaiah the prophet said.”

John 1:21 word by word

Καὶ ἠρώτησαν αὐτόν· τί οὖν; σὺ Ἠλίας εἶ; καὶ λέγει· οὐκ εἰμί. ὁ προφήτης εἶ σύ; καὶ ἀπεκρίθη· οὔ.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• they askedἐρωτάωerōtaō · to askG2065
• himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• Whatτίςtis · which?G5101
• thenοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
• Artεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• thouσύsu · youG4771
• EliasἩλίαςHēlias · ElijahG2243
• he saithλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• notοὐou · noG3756
• that prophetὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• that prophetπροφήτηςprophētēs · prophetG4396
• he answeredἀποκρίνωapokrinomai · to answerG611

Cross-references for John 1:21

• Malachi 4:5Look, I am going to send you the prophet Elijah before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes.
• Matthew 11:14And if you’re willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who is to come.
• Matthew 17:10So the disciples asked him, “Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?”
• Luke 1:17And he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of fathers to their children, and the disobedient to the understanding of the righteous, to make ready for the Lord a prepared people.”
• John 1:25So they asked him, “Why then do you baptize if you aren’t the Messiah, or Elijah, or the Prophet?”
• John 7:40When some from the crowd heard these words, they said, “This truly is the Prophet.”
• Deuteronomy 18:15“The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own brothers. You must listen to him.
• Matthew 11:9What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.
• Matthew 16:14They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others, Elijah; still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

Commentaries on John 1:21

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21Art thou Elias? - The scribes themselves had taught that Elijah was to come before the Messiah. See Matthew 17:10; and this belief of theirs they supported by a literal construction of Malachi 4:5. Art thou that prophet? - the prophet spoken of by Moses, Deuteronomy 18:15, Deuteronomy 18:18. This text they had also misunderstood: for the prophet or teacher promised by Moses was no other than the Messiah himself. See Acts 3:22. But the Jews had a tradition…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21Art thou Elias? - This is the Greek way of writing Elijah. The Jews expected that Elijah would appear before the Messiah came. See the notes at Matthew 11:14. They supposed that it would be the real Elijah returned from heaven. In this sense John denied that he was Elijah; but he did not deny that he was the Elias or Elijah which the prophet intended Matthew 3:3, for he immediately proceeds to state John 1:23 that he was sent, as it was predicted that…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. 21The people expected Elijah to come before the Messiah (Malachi 4:5). John the Baptist fulfilled this role as the forerunner (the one who prepares the way). However, John said that he was not Elijah himself (see Matthew 11:14; Luke 1:17). Are you the Prophet?: Compare John 6:14; 7:40–41.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2121. Elias--in His own proper person. that prophet--announced in De 18:15, &c., about whom they seem not to have been agreed whether he were the same with the Messiah or no.Read the comment

Topics related to John 1:21

• Elijah
• Jesus, the Christ

In the dictionaries

• Behold
• Believe
• Blood
• Dwell
• Elijah
• Flesh
• Guile
• Light
• Prefer
• Receive

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