God’s Word Translation
John 1:33
33I didn’t know who he was. But God, who sent me to baptize with water, had told me, ‘When you see the Spirit come down and stay on someone, you’ll know that person is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’
John 1:33 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.
- New International Version (NIV)And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’
- English Standard Version (ESV)I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, 'He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.'
- New King James Version (NKJV)I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’
Context of John 1:33
31I didn’t know who he was. However, I came to baptize with water to show him to the people of Israel.” 32John said, “I saw the Spirit come down as a dove from heaven and stay on him. I didn’t know who he was. But God, who sent me to baptize with water, had told me, ‘When you see the Spirit come down and stay on someone, you’ll know that person is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ 34I have seen this and have declared that this is the Son of God.” 35The next day John was standing with two of his disciples.
Read all of John 1John 1:33 word by word
κἀγὼ οὐκ ᾔδειν αὐτόν, ἀλλ᾽ ὁ πέμψας με βαπτίζειν ἐν ὕδατι, ἐκεῖνός μοι εἶπεν· ἐφ᾽ ὃν ἂν ἴδῃς τὸ πνεῦμα καταβαῖνον καὶ μένον ἐπ᾽ αὐτόν, οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ βαπτίζων ἐν πνεύματι ἁγίῳ.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Andκἀγώkagō kamoi kame · and IG2504
- I knewεἴδωeidō · to perceive: understandG1492
- himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- notοὐou · noG3756
- butἀλλάalla · butG235
- heὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- that sentπέμπωpempō · to sendG3992
- meἐγώegō · I/weG1473
- to baptizeβαπτίζωbaptizō · to baptizeG907
- withἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- waterὕδωρhudōr hudatos · waterG5204
- the sameἐκεῖνοςekeinos · thatG1565
- saidλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- Uponἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
- whomὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
- thou shalt seeὁράωhoraō · to see: seeG3708
- the Spiritπνεῦμαpneuma · spirit/breath: spiritG4151
- descendingκαταβαίνωkatabainō · to come/go downG2597
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- remainingμένωmenō · to stayG3306
- the sameοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
- isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- Holyἅγιοςhagios · holyG40
- ·ἄνan · ifG302
Cross-references for John 1:33
- John 1:31I didn’t know who he was. However, I came to baptize with water to show him to the people of Israel.”
- Matthew 3:13Then Jesus appeared. He came from Galilee to the Jordan River to be baptized by John.
- John 3:5Jesus answered Nicodemus, “I can guarantee this truth: No one can enter God’s kingdom without being born of water and the Spirit.
- Matthew 3:11I baptize you with water so that you will change the way you think and act. But the one who comes after me is more powerful than I. I am not worthy to remove his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
- Mark 1:7He announced, “The one who comes after me is more powerful than I. I am not worthy to bend down and untie his sandal straps.
- Luke 3:16John replied to all of them, “I baptize you with water. But the one who is more powerful than I is coming. I am not worthy to untie his sandal straps. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
- Acts 1:5John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
- Acts 2:4All the believers were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages as the Spirit gave them the ability to speak.
- Acts 10:44While Peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit came to everyone who heard his message.
- Acts 11:15“When I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came to these people. This was the same thing that happened to us in the beginning.
- Acts 19:2and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?” They answered him, “No, we’ve never even heard of the Holy Spirit.”
- 1 Corinthians 12:13By one Spirit we were all baptized into one body. Whether we are Jewish or Greek, slave or free, God gave all of us one Spirit to drink.
Commentaries on John 1:33
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 33He that sent me - said unto me - From this we may clearly perceive that John had a most intimate acquaintance with the Divine Being; and received not only his call and mission at first, but every subsequent direction, by immediate, unequivocal inspiration. Who is fit to proclaim Jesus, but he who has continual intercourse with God; who is constantly receiving light and life from Christ their fountain; who bears a steady, uniform testimony to Jesus, even…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 33The same said - This was the sign by which he was to know the Messiah. He was to see the Spirit descending like a dove and abiding on him. It does not follow, however, that he had no intimation before this that Jesus was the Christ, but it means that by this he should know it infallibly. From Matthew 3:13-14, it seems that John supposed, before the baptism of Jesus, that he claimed to be the Messiah, and, that he believed it; but the infallible, certain…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 29-36Verses 29-36 John saw Jesus coming to him, and pointed him out as the Lamb of God. The paschal lamb, in the shedding and sprinkling of its blood, the roasting and eating of its flesh, and all the other circumstances of the ordinance, represented the salvation of sinners by faith in Christ. And the lambs sacrificed every morning and evening, can only refer to Christ slain as a sacrifice to redeem us to God by his blood. John came as a preacher of…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 19-51John’s Gospel focuses less on John the Baptist compared to the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew 3:1–6; Mark 1:2–6; Luke 1:1–24, 57–80; 3:1–13). However, the apostle John wants us to understand that John the Baptist correctly identified and honored Jesus. John the Baptist’s disciples leave him to follow Jesus. Jesus continued the work that John had begun. As the ministry of Jesus grew, John’s ministry became smaller, just as John had said (John 3:30).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 31-3431-34. knew him not--Living mostly apart, the one at Nazareth, the other in the Judean desert--to prevent all appearance of collusion, John only knew that at a definite time after his own call, his Master would show Himself. As He drew near for baptism one day, the last of all the crowd, the spirit of the Baptist heaving under a divine presentiment that the moment had at length arrived, and an air of unwonted serenity and dignity, not without traits…Read the comment
Topics related to John 1:33
In the dictionaries
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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