New King James Version
John 1:15
15John 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.’ ”
John 1:15 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- 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 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
13who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 14And the Word became 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 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.’ ” 16And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. 17For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
Read all of John 1John 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
Words taken from the KJV.
- 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 1:7This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe.
- John 3:26And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, He who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified—behold, He is baptizing, and all are coming to Him!”
- John 5:33You have sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth.
- Matthew 3:11I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
- Mark 1:7And he preached, saying, “There comes One after me who is mightier than I, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to stoop down and loose.
- Luke 3:16John answered, saying to all, “I indeed baptize you with water; but One mightier than I is coming, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
- John 1:1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
- John 8:58Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.”
- John 17:5And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.
- Proverbs 8:22“The Lord possessed me at 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 will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
- Micah 5:2“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting.”
- Philippians 2:6who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God,
- Colossians 1:17And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.
- Hebrews 13:8Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
- Revelation 1:11saying, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last,” and, “What you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to 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
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries