John 1:32

John 1:32 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And John bore witness: "I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And John bore witness, saying, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him.
• New Living Translation (NLT)Then John testified, “I saw the Holy Spirit descending like a dove from heaven and resting upon him.

Context of John 1:32

30This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ 31I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.” Then John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. 33And 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.’ 34I have seen and I testify that this is God’s Chosen One.”

John 1:32 word by word

καὶ ἐμαρτύρησεν Ἰωάννης λέγων ὅτι τεθέαμαι τὸ πνεῦμα καταβαῖνον ὡς περιστερὰν ἐξ οὐρανοῦ, καὶ ἔμεινεν ἐπ᾽ αὐτόν.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• JohnἸωάννηςIōannēs · JohnG2491
• bare recordμαρτυρέωmartureō · to testifyG3140
• sayingλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• I sawθεάομαιtheaomai · to look atG2300
• the Spiritὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the Spiritπνεῦμαpneuma · spirit/breath: spiritG4151
• descendingκαταβαίνωkatabainō · to come/go downG2597
• fromἐκek ex · out fromG1537
• heavenοὐρανόςouranos · heavenG3772
• likeὡσείhōsei · like/as/aboutG5616
• a doveπεριστεράperistera · doveG4058
• it abodeμένωmenō · to stayG3306
• uponἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
• himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• ·ὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754

Cross-references for John 1:32

• John 5:32There is another who testifies in my favor, and I know that his testimony about me is true.
• Matthew 3:16As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him.
• Mark 1:10Just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove.
• Luke 3:22and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”

Commentaries on John 1:32

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 32I saw the Spirit descending, etc. - See the notes on Matthew 3:16, Matthew 3:17.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 32Bare record - Gave testimony. I saw the Spirit … - See the notes at Matthew 3:16-17.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. 32John the Baptist's second testimony (see 1:19–23) describes what happened when he baptized Jesus . In the Old Testament, kings and prophets were anointed with the Holy Spirit. These anointings were temporary. They were given for a specific task or time. By contrast, the Spirit remained on Jesus. His anointing was not temporary. It was permanent (see 3:34).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 1:32

• Baptism
• Dove, Turtle
• Holy Spirit
• Jesus, the Christ
• John
• Trinity
• Vision

In the dictionaries

• Behold
• Believe
• Blood
• Dove
• Dwell
• Flesh
• Guile
• Light
• Peter
• Prefer

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