John 3:26

John 3:26 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And 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.
• New International Version (NIV)They came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan—the one you testified about—look, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)And they came to John and said to him, "Rabbi, he who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you bore witness—look, he is baptizing, and all are going to him."
• New King James Version (NKJV)And 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!”

Context of John 3:26

24(This was before John was thrown into prison.) 25A debate broke out between John’s disciples and a certain Jew over ceremonial cleansing. So John’s disciples came to him and said, “Rabbi, the man you met on the other side of the Jordan River, the one you identified as the Messiah, is also baptizing people. And everybody is going to him instead of coming to us.” 27John replied, “No one can receive anything unless God gives it from heaven. 28You yourselves know how plainly I told you, ‘I am not the Messiah. I am only here to prepare the way for him.’

John 3:26 word by word

καὶ ἦλθον πρὸς τὸν Ἰωάννην καὶ εἶπαν αὐτῷ· ῥαββί, ὃς ἦν μετὰ σοῦ πέραν τοῦ Ἰορδάνου, ᾧ σὺ μεμαρτύρηκας, ἴδε οὗτος βαπτίζει, καὶ πάντες ἔρχονται πρὸς αὐτόν.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• they cameἔρχομαιerchomai · to come/goG2064
• untoπρόςpros · to/withG4314
• Johnὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• JohnἸωάννηςIōannēs · JohnG2491
• saidλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• unto himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• Rabbiῥαββίrhabbi · RabbiG4461
• heὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• that wasεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• withμετάmeta · with/afterG3326
• theeσύsu · youG4771
• beyondπέρανperan · other sideG4008
• JordanἸορδάνηςIordanēs · JordanG2446
• barest witnessμαρτυρέωmartureō · to testifyG3140
• beholdὁράωhoraō · to see: seeG3708
• the sameοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• baptizethβαπτίζωbaptizō · to baptizeG907
• allπᾶςpas · allG3956

Cross-references for John 3:26

• Numbers 11:26Two men, Eldad and Medad, had stayed behind in the camp. They were listed among the elders, but they had not gone out to the Tabernacle. Yet the Spirit rested upon them as well, so they prophesied there in the camp.
• Ecclesiastes 4:4Then I observed that most people are motivated to success because they envy their neighbors. But this, too, is meaningless—like chasing the wind.
• 1 Corinthians 3:3for you are still controlled by your sinful nature. You are jealous of one another and quarrel with each other. Doesn’t that prove you are controlled by your sinful nature? Aren’t you living like people of the world?
• Galatians 5:20idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division,
• Galatians 6:12Those who are trying to force you to be circumcised want to look good to others. They don’t want to be persecuted for teaching that the cross of Christ alone can save.
• James 3:14But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don’t cover up the truth with boasting and lying.
• James 4:5Do you think the Scriptures have no meaning? They say that God is passionate that the spirit he has placed within us should be faithful to him.
• John 1:7to tell about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony.
• John 11:48If we allow him to go on like this, soon everyone will believe in him. Then the Roman army will come and destroy both our Temple and our nation.”
• John 12:19Then the Pharisees said to each other, “There’s nothing we can do. Look, everyone has gone after him!”
• Psalms 65:2for you answer our prayers. All of us must come to you.
• Isaiah 45:23I have sworn by my own name; I have spoken the truth, and I will never go back on my word: Every knee will bend to me, and every tongue will declare allegiance to me.”
• Acts 19:26But as you have seen and heard, this man Paul has persuaded many people that handmade gods aren’t really gods at all. And he’s done this not only here in Ephesus but throughout the entire province!

Commentaries on John 3:26

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 26And they came unto John - That he might decide the question.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 26Came unto John - Came to him with their complaint; envious and jealous at the success of Jesus, and evidently irritated from the discussion, as if their master was about to lose his popularity. Rabbi - Master. See the notes at Matthew 23:7. Acknowledging him as their master and teacher. That was with thee - Who was baptized by thee. Thou barest witness - See John 1:29-35. All men come to him - This was the source of their difficulty. It was that Jesus was…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 22-36Verses 22-36 John was fully satisfied with the place and work assigned him; but Jesus came on a more important work. He also knew that Jesus would increase in honour and influence, for of his government and peace there would be no end, while he himself would be less followed. John knew that Jesus came from heaven as the Son of God, while he was a sinful, mortal man, who could only speak about the more plain subjects of religion. The words of Jesus were…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 26everyone is going to Him: Many people were going to Jesus. His growing popularity made some of John’s followers jealous.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 25-2625-26. between some of--rather, "on the part of." and the Jews--rather (according to the best manuscripts), "and a Jew," about purifying--that is, baptizing, the symbolical meaning of washing with water being put (as in Joh 2:6) for the act itself. As John and Jesus were the only teachers who baptized Jews, discussions might easily arise between the Baptist's disciples and such Jews as declined to submit to that rite.Read the comment

Topics related to John 3:26

• John
• Rabbi

In the dictionaries

• Jordan
• Jordan River, Jordan
• Born
• Condemn
• Condemnation
• Darkness
• Decrease
• Faith
• Increase
• Love

Commentaries on John 3

• 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