John 1:15

John 1:15 in other versions

• New International Version (NIV)(John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ ”)
• English Standard Version (ESV)(John bore witness about him, and cried out, "This was he of whom I said, 'He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.'")
• New King James Version (NKJV)John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.’ ”
• New Living Translation (NLT)John testified about him when he shouted to the crowds, “This is the one I was talking about when I said, ‘Someone is coming after me who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before me.’”

Context of John 1:15

13Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 14And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me. 16And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace. 17For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

John 1:15 word by word

Ἰωάννης μαρτυρεῖ περὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ κέκραγεν λέγων· οὗτος ἦν ὃν εἶπον· ὁ ὀπίσω μου ἐρχόμενος ἔμπροσθέν μου γέγονεν, ὅτι πρῶτός μου ἦν.Read the interlinear

• JohnἸωάννηςIōannēs · JohnG2491
• bare witnessμαρτυρέωmartureō · to testifyG3140
• ofπερίperi · aboutG4012
• himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• criedκράζωkrazō · to cryG2896
• sayingλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• Thisοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• wasεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• he of whomὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• I spakeλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• He thatὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• comethἔρχομαιerchomai · to come/goG2064
• afterὀπίσωopisō · afterG3694
• meἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• is preferredγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
• beforeἔμπροσθενemprosthen · beforeG1715
• forὅτιhoti · that/since: sinceG3754
• beforeπρῶτοςprōtos · first: previousG4413

Cross-references for John 1:15

• John 1:7The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.
• John 3:26And they came unto John, and said unto him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all men come to him.
• John 5:33Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth.
• Matthew 3:11I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:
• Mark 1:7And preached, saying, There cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose.
• Luke 3:16John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire:
• John 1:1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
• John 8:58Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.
• John 17:5And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.
• Proverbs 8:22The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old.
• Isaiah 9:6For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
• Micah 5:2But thou, Beth–lehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.
• Philippians 2:6Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
• Colossians 1:17And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
• Hebrews 13:8Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
• Revelation 1:11Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.

Commentaries on John 1:15

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 15Of him - The glorious personage before mentioned: John the Baptist, whose history was well known to the persons to whom this Gospel came in the beginning, bare witness; and he cried, - being deeply convinced of the importance and truth of the subject, he delivered his testimony with the utmost zeal and earnestness, - saying, This is he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me - for I am no other than the voice of the crier in the wilderness, Isaiah 40:3…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 15John bare witness of him - The evangelist now returns to the testimony of John the Baptist. He had stated that the Word became incarnate, and he now appeals to the testimony of John to show that, thus incarnate, he was the Messiah. He that cometh after me - He of whom I am the forerunner, or whose way I am come to prepare. See the notes at Matthew 3:3. Is preferred before me - Is superior to me. Most critics have supposed that the words translated “is…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 15-18Verses 15-18 As to the order of time and entrance on his work, Christ came after John, but in every other way he was before him. The expression clearly shows that Jesus had existence before he appeared on earth as man. All fulness dwells in him, from which alone fallen sinners have, and shall receive, by faith, all that renders them wise, strong, holy, useful, and happy. Our receivings by Christ are all summed up in this one word, grace; we have received…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 15He was before me: In John the Baptist’s culture, older age was respected and honored (Leviticus 19:32). Younger people were expected to honor those who were older, not replace them (contrast Isaiah 3:5). By saying that Jesus existed before him, John the Baptist pointed to the greater honor of Jesus. He explained that Jesus existed before creation itself, not just before the birth of John (John 1:1–3).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1515. after me--in official manifestation. before me--in rank and dignity. for he was before me--in existence; "His goings forth being from of old, from everlasting" (Mi 5:2). (Anything lower than this His words cannot mean); that is, "My Successor is my Superior, for He was my Predecessor." This enigmatic play upon the different senses of the words "before" and "after" was doubtless employed by the Baptist to arrest attention, and rivet the thought; and…Read the comment

Topics related to John 1:15

• Confession
• Jesus, the Christ
• John

In the dictionaries

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

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