John 1:19

King James Version

And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou?

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
The Jewish leaders in Jerusalem sent some priests and Levites to John to ask him, "Who are you?" He told them the truth.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
And this is the recorde of Iohn: When the Iewes sent Prestes and Levites from Ierusalem to axe him what arte thou?

Hebrew Names Version
This is Yochanan's testimony, when the Yehudim sent Kohanim and Levites from Yerushalayim to ask him, "Who are you?"

International Standard Version
This was John's testimony when the Jews sent priests and Levites to him from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?"John 5:33;">[xr]

New American Standard Bible
This is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites to him from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?"

New Century Version
Here is the truth John told when the leaders in Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him, "Who are you?"

Update Bible Version
And this is the witness of John, when the Jews from Jerusalem sent to him priests and Levites to ask him, Who are you?

Webster's Bible Translation
And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem, to ask him, Who art thou?

English Standard Version
And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?"

World English Bible
This is John's testimony, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?"

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem, to ask him, Who art thou?

Weymouth's New Testament
This also is John's testimony, when the Jews sent to him a deputation of Priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him who he was.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And this is the witnessyng of Joon, whanne Jewis senten fro Jerusalem prestis and dekenes to hym, that thei schulden axe hym, Who art thou?

English Revised Version
And this is the witness of John, when the Jews sent unto him from Jerusalem priests and Levites to ask him, Who art thou?

Berean Standard Bible
And this was John's testimony when the Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him, "Who are you?"

Contemporary English Version
The Jewish leaders in Jerusalem sent priests and temple helpers to ask John who he was. He told them plainly, "I am not the Messiah."

Amplified Bible
This is the testimony of John [the Baptist] when the Jews sent priests and Levites to him from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?"

American Standard Version
And this is the witness of John, when the Jews sent unto him from Jerusalem priests and Levites to ask him, Who art thou?

Bible in Basic English
And this is the witness of John when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to him with the question, Who are you?

Complete Jewish Bible
Here is Yochanan's testimony: when the Judeans sent cohanim and L'vi'im from Yerushalayim to ask him, "Who are you?"

Darby Translation
And this is the witness of John, when the Jews sent from Jerusalem priests and Levites that they might ask him, Thou, who art thou?

Etheridge Translation
And this was the testimony of Juchanon, when the Jihudoyee sent to him from Urishlem priests and Levoyee to demand of him, Who art thou ?

Murdock Translation
And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews of Jerusalem sent to him priests and Levites, to ask him, Who art thou?

King James Version (1611)
And this is the record of Iohn, when the Iewes sent Priests and Leuites from Hierusalem, to aske him, Who art thou?

New Living Translation
This was John's testimony when the Jewish leaders sent priests and Temple assistants from Jerusalem to ask John, "Who are you?"

New Life Bible
The Jews sent their religious leaders and men from the family group of Levi to ask John, "Who are you?"

New Revised Standard
This is the testimony given by John when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?"

Geneva Bible (1587)
Then this is the record of Iohn, when the Iewes sent Priestes and Leuites from Hierusalem, to aske him, Who art thou?

George Lamsa Translation
This is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent to him priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who are you?

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And, this, is the witness of John, when the Jews sent forth unto him, out of Jerusalem, priests and Levites, - that they might question him - Who art, thou?

Douay-Rheims Bible
And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent from Jerusalem priests and Levites to him, to ask him: Who art thou?

Revised Standard Version
And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?"

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And this is the recorde of Iohn: When the Iewes sent priestes and leuites from Hierusalem, to aske hym: What art thou?

Good News Translation
The Jewish authorities in Jerusalem sent some priests and Levites to John to ask him, "Who are you?"

Christian Standard Bible®
This was John’s testimony when the Jews from Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him, “Who are you?”

Lexham English Bible
And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem so that they could ask him, "Who are you?"

Literal Translation
And this is the witness of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites that they might ask him, Who are you?

Young's Literal Translation
And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent out of Jerusalem priests and Levites, that they might question him, `Who art thou?'

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And this is the recorde of Ihon, whan the Iewes sent prestes and Leuites fro Ierusalem, to axe him: Who art thou?

Mace New Testament (1729)
This is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem, to ask him, who he was.

THE MESSAGE
When Jews from Jerusalem sent a group of priests and officials to ask John who he was, he was completely honest. He didn't evade the question. He told the plain truth: "I am not the Messiah."

New English Translation
Now this was John's testimony when the Jewish leaders sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?"

New King James Version
Matthew 3:1-12; Mark 1:1-8; Luke 3:1-20">[xr] Now this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?"

Simplified Cowboy Version
When the Jewish leaders sent some preachers and others from Jerusalem to ask John who he was,

New American Standard Bible (1995)
This is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent to him priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?"

Legacy Standard Bible
And this is the witness of John, when the Jews sent to him priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?"

Contextual Overview

¹⁹ And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou? ²⁰ And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ. ²¹ And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No. ²² Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself? ²³ He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias. ²⁴ And they which were sent were of the Pharisees. ²⁵ And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet? ²⁶ John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not; ²⁷ He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose. ²⁸ These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

when: John 5:33-36, Deuteronomy 17:9-11, Deuteronomy 24:8, Matthew 21:23-32, Luke 3:15-18

Who: John 10:24, Acts 13:25, Acts 19:4

Reciprocal: Mark 1:3 - General Luke 20:4 - baptism John 1:7 - a witness John 8:25 - Who John 12:17 - bare Acts 18:25 - knowing 1 John 5:11 - this

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And this is the record of John,.... The evangelist proceeds to give a large, and full account of the testimony John the Baptist bore to Christ, which he had hinted at before, and had signified was his work, and office, and the end of his being sent.

When the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem, to ask him, who art thou? The Jews that sent were the great sanhedrim that sat at Jerusalem, whose business it was to inquire into, examine, and try prophets, whether true or false p; and John appearing as a prophet, and being so esteemed by the people, they deputed messengers to him to interrogate him, and know who he was. The persons sent were very likely of their own body, since priests and Levites were in that council. For it is said q,

"they do not constitute, or appoint in the sanhedrim but priests, Levites, and Israelites, who have their genealogies---and it is commanded, that there should be in the great sanhedrim priests and Levites, as it is said,

Deuteronomy 17:9 "and thou shalt come unto the priests, the Levites", c. and if they are not to be found, though they are all Israelites, (not of the tribe of Levi,) it is right.''

Such a sanhedrim is a lawful one but priests and Levites, if such could be found, that had proper qualifications, were to be admitted in the first place. A message from so august an assembly, at so great a distance, (for Jordan was a day's journey distant from Jerusalem r; according to Josephus s, it was 210 furlongs, or 26 miles and a quarter,) and by the hands of persons of such character and figure, was doing John a great deal of honour, and serves to make his testimony of Christ the more public and remarkable; and it also shows what a noise John's ministry and baptism made among the Jews, that it even reached Jerusalem, and the great council of the nation; and likewise the question put to him, which by John's answer seems to intimate as if it was thought he was the Messiah, shows the opinion that was entertained of him, and even the sanhedrim might not be without thoughts this way: and the question they put by their messengers might not be, as some have thought, to ensnare John, nor out of disrespect to Jesus, who, as yet, was not made manifest; but might be in good earnest, having, from many circumstances, reason to think there might be something in the people's opinion of him; since, though the government was not wholly departed from Judah, yet they could not but observe it was going away apace, an Idumean having been upon the throne for some years, placed there by the Roman senate; and now the government was divided among his sons by the same order; Daniel's weeks they could not but see were just accomplishing; and besides, from the uncommon appearance John made, the austerity of his life; the doctrine of remission of sins he preached, and the new ordinance of baptism he administered, they might be ready to conclude he was the person.

p Misn. Sanhedrin, c. 1. sect. 5. q Maimon. Hilch. Sanhedrin, c. 2. sect. 1, 2. r Misna Maaser Sheni, c. 5. sect. 2. Juchasin, fol. 65. 2. Jarchi in Isa. xxiv. 16. s De Bello Jud. l. 5. c. 4.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

This is the record - The word “record” here means “testimony,” in whatever way given. The word “record” now commonly refers to “written” evidence. This is not its meaning here. John’s testimony was given without writing.

When the Jews sent - John’s fame was great. See Matthew 3:5. It spread from the region of Galilee to Jerusalem, and the nation seemed to suppose, from the character of his preaching, that he was the Messiah, Luke 3:15. The great council of the nation, or the Sanhedrin, had, among other things, the charge of religion. They felt it to be their duty, therefore, to inquire into the character and claims of John, and to learn whether he was the Messiah. It is not improbable that they wished that he might be the long-expected Christ, and were prepared to regard him as such.

When the Jews sent priests and Levites - See the notes at Luke 10:31-32. These were probably members of the Sanhedrin.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse John 1:19. And this is the record of John — He persisted in this assertion, testifying to the Jews that this Jesus was THE CHRIST.