John 1:31

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible

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

Parallel Translations

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."

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

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]

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."

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.

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."

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.

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.

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.

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."

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.

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.

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.

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.

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."

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.

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."

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

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

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

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.

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.

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."

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."

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."

Contextual Overview

²⁹ On the morrow, he beholdeth Jesus, coming unto him, and saith - See! the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sin of the world. ³⁰ This, is he, of whom, I, said - After me, cometh a man, who, before me, hath advanced, because, my Chief, was he. ³¹ And, I, knew him not, but, that he might be manifested unto Israel, therefore, came, I, in water, immersing. ³² And John bare witness, saying - I have gazed upon the Spirit, descending like a dove, out of heaven, - and it abode upon him. ³³ And, I, knew him not, - but, he that sent me to immerse in water, he, unto me, said - Upon whomsoever thou shalt see the Spirit descending and abiding upon him, the same, is he that immerseth in Holy Spirit. ³⁴ I, therefore, have seen, and borne witness - That, this, is, the, Son of God. ³⁵ On the morrow, again, was John standing, and, from among his disciples, two; ³⁶ and, looking at Jesus walking, he saith - See! the Lamb of God!

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
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

Genesis 1:2
Now, the earth, had become waste and wild, and darkness, was on the face of the roaring deep, - but, the Spirit of God, was brooding on the face of the waters,

Genesis 1:5
and God called the light, day, but the darkness, called he, night. So it was evening - and it was morning, one day.

Genesis 1:8
And God called the expanse, heavens. So it was evening - and it was morning, a, second day.

Genesis 1:13
So it was evening - and it was morning, a third day.

Genesis 1:19
So it was evening - and it was morning, a fourth day.

Genesis 1:23
So it was evening - and it was morning, a fifth day.

Genesis 2:2
Thus God finished, on the seventh day his work which he had made, and rested, on the seventh day, from all his work which he had made.

Exodus 20:11
For, in six days, did Yahweh make the heavens and the earth, and the sea - and all that in them is, and rested on the seventh day, - for this cause, Yahweh blessed the sabbath day and hallowed it.

Job 38:7
When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

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.