John 1:31

THE MESSAGE

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
I didn’t know him, but I came baptizing with water so he might be revealed to Israel.”

King James Version (1611)
And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therfore am I come baptizing with water.

King James Version
And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.

English Standard Version
I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel."

New American Standard Bible
"And I did not recognize Him, but so that He would be revealed to Israel, I came baptizing in water."

New Century Version
Even I did not know who he was, although I came baptizing with water so that the people of Israel would know who he is."

Amplified Bible
"I did not recognize Him [as the Messiah]; but I came baptizing in water so that He would be [publicly] revealed to Israel."

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"I did not recognize Him, but so that He might be manifested to Israel, I came baptizing in water."

Legacy Standard Bible
I did not know Him, but so that He might be manifested to Israel, I came baptizing with water."

Berean Standard Bible
I myself did not know Him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that He might be revealed to Israel."

Contemporary English Version
I didn't know who he was. But I came to baptize you with water, so that everyone in Israel would see him.

Complete Jewish Bible
I myself did not know who he was, but the reason I came immersing with water was so that he might be made known to Isra'el."

Darby Translation
and I knew him not; but that he might be manifested to Israel, therefore have I come baptising with water.

Easy-to-Read Version
I did not know who he was. But I came baptizing people with water so that Israel could know that he is the Messiah."

Geneva Bible (1587)
And I knewe him not: but because he should be declared to Israel, therefore am I come, baptizing with water.

George Lamsa Translation
And I did not know him; but that he might be made known to Israel, I came to baptize with water.

Good News Translation
I did not know who he would be, but I came baptizing with water in order to make him known to the people of Israel."

Lexham English Bible
And I did not know him, but in order that he could be revealed to Israel, because of this I came baptizing with water."

Literal Translation
And I did not know Him; but that He be revealed to Israel, for this reason I came baptizing in water.

American Standard Version
And I knew him not; but that he should be made manifest to Israel, for this cause came I baptizing in water.

Bible in Basic English
I myself had no knowledge of him, but I came giving baptism with water so that he might be seen openly by Israel.

Hebrew Names Version
I didn't know him, but for this reason I came immersing in water: that he would be revealed to Yisra'el."

International Standard Version
I didn't recognize him, but I came baptizing within">[fn] water so that he might be revealed to Israel."Malachi 3:1; Matthew 3:6; Luke 1:17,76-77; 3:3-4;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
And I knew him not, but that he should be made known unto Isroel, therefore have I come with waters to baptize.

Murdock Translation
And I knew him not; but that he might be known to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And I knewe hym not: but that he shoulde be declared to Israel, therfore am I come, baptizing with water.

English Revised Version
And I knew him not; but that he should be made manifest to Israel, for this cause came I baptizing with water.

World English Bible
I didn't know him, but for this reason I came baptizing in water: that he would be revealed to Israel."

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And I knew him not, but that he might be manifested to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.

Weymouth's New Testament
I did not yet know Him; but that He may be openly shown to Israel is the reason why I have come baptizing in water."

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And Y knew hym not, but that he be schewid in Israel, therfor Y cam baptisynge in watir.

Update Bible Version
And I didn't know him; but that he should be made manifest to Israel, for this cause I came baptizing in water.

Webster's Bible Translation
And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.

New English Translation
I did not recognize him, but I came baptizing with water so that he could be revealed to Israel."

New King James Version
I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water."

New Living Translation
I did not recognize him as the Messiah, but I have been baptizing with water so that he might be revealed to Israel."

New Life Bible
I did not know who He was, but I have come to baptize with water so the Jews might know about Him."

New Revised Standard
I myself did not know him; but I came baptizing with water for this reason, that he might be revealed to Israel."

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And, I, knew him not, but, that he might be manifested unto Israel, therefore, came, I, in water, immersing.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And I knew him not: but that he may be made manifest in Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.

Revised Standard Version
I myself did not know him; but for this I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel."

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
and I knew him not: but that he shuld be declared to Israell therfore am I come baptisynge with water.

Young's Literal Translation
and I knew him not, but, that he might be manifested to Israel, because of this I came with the water baptizing.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
and I knewe him not: but that he shulde be declared in Israel, therfore am I come to baptyse with water.

Mace New Testament (1729)
I knew him not: but therefore am I come baptizing with water, that he might be manifest to Israel.

Simplified Cowboy Version
I didn't know who he was until now. But I've been baptizin' with water so I could point him out to the folks of Israel."

Contextual Overview

²⁹The very next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and yelled out, "Here he is, God's Passover Lamb! He forgives the sins of the world! This is the man I've been talking about, ‘the One who comes after me but is really ahead of me.' I knew nothing about who he was—only this: that my task has been to get Israel ready to recognize him as the God-Revealer. That is why I came here baptizing with water, giving you a good bath and scrubbing sins from your life so you can get a fresh start with God." ³²John clinched his witness with this: "I watched the Spirit, like a dove flying down out of the sky, making himself at home in him. I repeat, I know nothing about him except this: The One who authorized me to baptize with water told me, ‘The One on whom you see the Spirit come down and stay, this One will baptize with the Holy Spirit.' That's exactly what I saw happen, and I'm telling you, there's no question about it: This is the Son of God." ³⁵The next day John was back at his post with two disciples, who were watching. He looked up, saw Jesus walking nearby, and said, "Here he is, God's Passover Lamb."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

I knew: John 1:33, Luke 1:80, Luke 2:39-42

but: John 1:7, Isaiah 40:3-5, Malachi 3:1, Malachi 4:2-5, Luke 1:17, Luke 1:76-79

therefore: Matthew 3:6, Mark 1:3-5, Luke 3:3, Luke 3:4, Acts 19:4

Reciprocal: Matthew 3:16 - and he Mark 1:10 - coming Acts 1:5 - John 1 John 3:5 - he 1 John 5:6 - by water and

Cross-References

Genesis 1:1
First this: God created the Heavens and Earth—all you see, all you don't see. Earth was a soup of nothingness, a bottomless emptiness, an inky blackness. God's Spirit brooded like a bird above the watery abyss.

Genesis 2:2
By the seventh day God had finished his work. On the seventh day he rested from all his work. God blessed the seventh day. He made it a Holy Day Because on that day he rested from his work, all the creating God had done. This is the story of how it all started, of Heaven and Earth when they were created.

Psalms 104:24
What a wildly wonderful world, God ! You made it all, with Wisdom at your side, made earth overflow with your wonderful creations. Oh, look—the deep, wide sea, brimming with fish past counting, sardines and sharks and salmon. Ships plow those waters, and Leviathan, your pet dragon, romps in them. All the creatures look expectantly to you to give them their meals on time. You come, and they gather around; you open your hand and they eat from it. If you turned your back, they'd die in a minute— Take back your Spirit and they die, revert to original mud; Send out your Spirit and they spring to life— the whole countryside in bloom and blossom.

Psalms 104:31
The glory of God —let it last forever! Let God enjoy his creation! He takes one look at earth and triggers an earthquake, points a finger at the mountains, and volcanoes erupt.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And I knew him not,.... Ομμασιν, "by sight", as Nonnus paraphrases it; personally he had never seen him, nor had had any conversation and familiarity with him; for though they were related to each other, yet lived at such a distance, as not to know one another, or have a correspondence with each other: John was in the deserts, until the day of his showing unto Israel; and Christ dwelt with his parents at Nazareth, in a very mean and obscure manner, till he came from thence to Jordan to John, to be baptized by him; and which was the first interview they had: and this was so ordered by providence, as also this is said by John, lest it should be thought, that the testimony he bore to Jesus, and the high commendation he gave of him, arose from the relation between them; or from a confederacy and compact they had entered into:

but that he should be made manifest to Israel; who had been for many years hid in Galilee, an obscure part of the world: and though he had been known to Joseph and Mary, and to Zacharias and Elisabeth, and to Simeon and Anna; yet he was not made manifest to the people of Israel in common; nor did they know that the Messiah was come: but that he might be known:

therefore am I come baptizing with water; or in water, as before: for by administering this new ordinance, the people were naturally put upon inquiry after the Messiah, whether come, and where he was, since such a new rite was introduced; and besides, John, when he baptized any, he exhorted them to believe on him, which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus; and moreover, by Christ's coming to his baptism, he came to have a personal knowledge of him himself, and so was capable of pointing him out, and making him manifest to others, as he did.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

I knew him not - John was not personally acquainted with Jesus. Though they were remotely related to each other, yet it seems that they had had heretofore no personal acquaintance. John had lived chiefly in the hill country of Judea. Jesus had been employed with Joseph at Nazareth. Until Jesus came to be baptized Matthew 3:13-14, it seems that John had no acquaintance with him. He understood that he was to announce that the Messiah was about to appear. He was sent to proclaim his coming, but he did not personally know Jesus, or that he was to be the Messiah. This proves that there could have been no collusion or agreement between them to impose on the people.

Should be made manifest - That the Messiah should be “exhibited,” or made known. He came to prepare the way for the Messiah, and it now appeared that the Messiah was Jesus of Nazareth.

To Israel - To the Jews.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 31. And I knew him not, &c.] John did not know our Lord personally, and perhaps had never seen him, at the time he spoke the words in John 1:15. Nor is it any wonder that the Baptist should have been unacquainted with Christ, as he had spent thirty years in the hill country of Hebron, and our Lord remained in a state of great privacy in the obscure city of Nazareth, in the extreme borders of Galilee.

But that he should be made manifest to Israel — One design of my publicly baptizing was, that he, coming to my baptism, should be shown to be what he is, by some extraordinary sign from heaven.