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

26And they came to John and said to him, Rabbi, he who was with thee beyond the Jordan, to whom thou barest witness, behold, he baptises, and all come to him. 27John answered and said, A man can receive nothing unless it be given him out of heaven. Ye yourselves bear me witness that I said, I am not the Christ, but, that I am sent before him. 29He that has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices in heart because of the voice of the bridegroom: this my joy then is fulfilled. 30He must increase, 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

• bearμαρτυρέωmartureō · to testifyG3140
• saidλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• amεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• ChristΧριστόςChristos · ChristG5547
• sentἀποστέλλωapostellō · to sendG649

Cross-references for John 3:28

• John 1:20And he acknowledged and denied not, and acknowledged, I am not the Christ.
• John 1:23He said, I [am] [the] voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the path of [the] Lord, as said Esaias the prophet.
• Malachi 3:1Behold, I send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me; and the Lord whom ye seek will suddenly come to his temple, and the Angel of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he cometh, saith Jehovah of hosts.
• Malachi 4:4Remember the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, the statutes and ordinances.
• Matthew 3:3For this is he who has been spoken of through Esaias the prophet, saying, Voice of him that crieth in the wilderness: prepare ye the way of [the] Lord, make straight his paths.
• Mark 1:2as it is written in [Isaiah] the prophet, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, who shall prepare thy way.
• Luke 1:16And many of the sons of Israel shall he turn to [the] Lord their God.
• Luke 3:4as it is written in [the] book of [the] words of Esaias the prophet: Voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare ye the way of [the] Lord, make straight his paths.

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