John 3:28

King James Version

Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him.

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
You yourselves heard me say, ‘I am not the Messiah. I am only the one God sent to prepare the way for him.'

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Ye youre selves are witnesses how that I sayde: I am not Christ but am sent before him.

Hebrew Names Version
You yourselves testify that I said, 'I am not the Messiah,' but, 'I have been sent before him.'

International Standard Version
You yourselves are mymy">[fn] witnesses that I said, 'I am not the Christ,[fn] but I have been sent ahead of him.'Malachi 3:1; Mark 1:2; Luke 1:17; John 1:20,27;">[xr]

New American Standard Bible
"You yourselves are my witnesses that I said, 'I am not the Christ,' but, 'I have been sent ahead of Him.'

New Century Version
You yourselves heard me say, ‘I am not the Christ, but I am the one sent to prepare the way for him.'

Update Bible Version
You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but, that I am sent before him.

Webster's Bible Translation
Ye yourselves bear me testimony, that I said I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him.

English Standard Version
You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.'

World English Bible
You yourselves testify about me, that I said, 'I am not the Christ,' but, 'I have been sent before him.'

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Ye yourselves bear me witness that I said, I am not the Christ, but I am sent before him.

Weymouth's New Testament
You yourselves can bear witness to my having said, `I am not the Christ,' but `I am His appointed forerunner.'

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Ye you silf beren witnessyng to me, that Y seide, Y am not Crist, but that Y am sent bifore hym.

English Revised Version
Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but, that I am sent before him.

Berean Standard Bible
You yourselves can testify that I said, 'I am not the Christ, but am sent ahead of Him.'

Contemporary English Version
You surely remember how I told you that I am not the Messiah. I am only the one sent ahead of him.

Amplified Bible
"You yourselves are my witnesses that I stated, 'I am not the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed),' but, 'I have [only] been sent ahead of Him [as His appointed forerunner and messenger to announce and proclaim His coming].'

American Standard Version
Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but, that I am sent before him.

Bible in Basic English
You yourselves give witness that I said, I am not the Christ. What I said was, I am sent before the Christ.

Complete Jewish Bible
You yourselves can confirm that I did not say I was the Messiah, but that I have been sent ahead of him.

Darby Translation
Ye yourselves bear me witness that I said, I am not the Christ, but, that I am sent before him.

Etheridge Translation
You bear me witness that I said, I am not the Meshicha, but I am an apostle [fn] before him.

Murdock Translation
Ye are witnesses for me, that I said: I am not the Messiah, but am sent to go before him.

King James Version (1611)
Ye your selues beare me witnesse, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him.

New Living Translation
You yourselves know how plainly I told you, ‘I am not the Messiah. I am only here to prepare the way for him.'

New Life Bible
You heard the words that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before Him.'

New Revised Standard
You yourselves are my witnesses that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah, but I have been sent ahead of him.'

Geneva Bible (1587)
Yee your selues are my witnesses, that I sayde, I am not that Christ, but that I am sent before him.

George Lamsa Translation
You yourselves bear me witness that I said, I am not the Christ, but only a messenger to go before him.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Ye yourselves, unto me, bear witness, that, I, said - I, am not the Christ; but - I am sent before, That One.

Douay-Rheims Bible
You yourselves do bear me witness that I said that I am not Christ, but that I am sent before him.

Revised Standard Version
You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Ye your selues are witnesses, howe that I sayde I am not Christe, but am sent before hym.

Good News Translation
You yourselves are my witnesses that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah, but I have been sent ahead of him.'

Christian Standard Bible®
You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah, but I’ve been sent ahead of him.’

Lexham English Bible
You yourselves testify about me that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but I am sent before that one.'

Literal Translation
You yourselves witness to me that I said, I am not the Christ, but that having been sent, I am going before that One.

Young's Literal Translation
ye yourselves do testify to me that I said, I am not the Christ, but, that I am having been sent before him;

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Ye youreselues are my witnesses, how that I sayde, I am not Christ, but am sent before him.

Mace New Testament (1729)
you yourselves can bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but was only sent before him:

New English Translation
You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,' but rather, ‘I have been sent before him.'

New King James Version
You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, "I am not the Christ,' but, "I have been sent before Him.'

Simplified Cowboy Version
Don't forget that I told y'all that I ain't the Top Hand. I'm just bustin' a trail for him.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"You yourselves are my witnesses that I said, 'I am not the Christ,' but, 'I have been sent ahead of Him.'

Legacy Standard Bible
You yourselves are my witnesses that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,' but, ‘I have been sent ahead of Him.'

Contextual Overview

²² After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judaea; and there he tarried with them, and baptized. ²³ And John also was baptizing in Aenon near to Salim, because there was much water there: and they came, and were baptized. ²⁴ For John was not yet cast into prison. ²⁵ Then there arose a question between some of John's disciples and the Jews about purifying. ²⁶ 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. ²⁷ John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven. ²⁸ Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him. ²⁹ He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled. ³⁰ He must increase, but I must decrease. ³¹ He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

I said: John 1:20, John 1:25, John 1:27

but: John 1:23, Malachi 3:1, Malachi 4:4, Malachi 4:5, Matthew 3:3, Matthew 3:11, Matthew 3:12, Mark 1:2, Mark 1:3, Luke 1:16, Luke 1:17, Luke 1:76, Luke 3:4-6

Reciprocal: Mark 1:7 - General Luke 3:15 - mused John 1:6 - a man John 1:8 - that light Acts 3:12 - or Acts 18:5 - was Christ Acts 19:4 - John 1 Corinthians 1:15 - I

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Ye yourselves bear me witness,.... In what they now said, and referred to, in describing Christ, as he to whom John bore witness; and he appeals to them for what he said in their presence, and before all the people in that testimony:

that I said I am not the Christ; see John 1:19; wherefore, if he, who is the Christ, is now come, and teaches, and baptizes, and has the greatest number of followers, it is not to be wondered at; and much less to be envied; but rather to be rejoiced at. For John, by repeating what he had before said, that he was not the Christ, suggests, that Jesus was; and therefore was superior to him in office, honour, and usefulness, who was only his harbinger and forerunner, as follows:

but I am sent before him; to prepare his way, to make straight his paths, to proclaim his coming, and kingdom, being at hand; and that the expectations of men may be raised, and they may be ready to receive him when come: and hereby the end of John's office, and ministry, had its accomplishment. The Ethiopic version adds, "to preach him".

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Bear me witness - You remember that at first I told you I was not the Messiah. As he had been “witness” to Jesus - as he came for no other end but to point him out to the Jews, they ought not to suppose that he was his superior. It was but reasonable to expect that Christ himself would be more successful than his forerunner. “I came, not to form a separate party, a special sect, but to prepare the way that he might be more successful, and that the people might be ready for his coming, and that he might have the success which he has actually met with. You should rejoice, therefore, at that success, and not envy it, for ‘his success’ is the best proof of the greatness of my word, and of its ‘success also.’”