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.
• 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.”
• New Living Translation (NLT)“Well then, who are you?” they asked. “Are you Elijah?” “No,” he replied. “Are you the Prophet we are expecting?” “No.”

Context of John 1:21

19Now this was John’s testimony when the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. 20He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, “I am not the Messiah.” They asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” He answered, “No.” 22Finally they said, “Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” 23John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, “I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’ ”

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 4:5“See, I will send the prophet Elijah to you before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes.
• Matthew 11:14And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come.
• Matthew 17:10The disciples asked him, “Why then do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?”
• Luke 1:17And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”
• John 1:25questioned him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”
• John 7:40On hearing his words, some of the people said, “Surely this man is the Prophet.”
• Deuteronomy 18:15The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him.
• Matthew 11:9Then what 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 say Elijah; and 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