Ἰωάννην 1:19

Greek Modern Translation

Και αυτη ειναι η μαρτυρια του Ιωαννου, οτε απεστειλαν οι Ιουδαιοι εξ Ιεροσολυμων ιερεις και Λευιτας δια να ερωτησωσιν αυτον· Συ τις εισαι;

Parallel Translations

SBL Greek New Testament (2010)
Καὶ αὕτη ἐστὶν ἡ μαρτυρία τοῦ Ἰωάννου ὅτε ⸀ἀπέστειλαν οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι ἐξ Ἱεροσολύμων ἱερεῖς καὶ Λευίτας ἵνα ἐρωτήσωσιν αὐτόν· Σὺ τίς εἶ;

Tischendorf 8th Edition
Καὶ αὕτη ἐστὶν ἡ μαρτυρία τοῦ Ἰωάννου, ὅτε ἀπέστειλαν οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι ἐξ Ἱεροσολύμων ἱερεῖς καὶ Λευείτας ἵνα ἐρωτήσωσιν αὐτόν· σὺ τίς εἶ;

Textus Receptus (1550/1894)
και αυτη εστιν η μαρτυρια του ιωαννου οτε απεστειλαν οι ιουδαιοι εξ ιεροσολυμων ιερεις και λευιτας ινα ερωτησωσιν αυτον συ τις ει

Westcott/Hort UBS4 (1881)
και αυτη εστιν η μαρτυρια του ιωαννου οτε απεστειλαν ρος ρος ρος ρος οι ιουδαιοι εξ ιεροσολυμων ιερεις και λευιτας ινα ερωτησωσιν αυτον συ τις ει

Byzantine/Majority Text
και αυτη εστιν η μαρτυρια του ιωαννου οτε απεστειλαν οι ιουδαιοι εξ ιεροσολυμων ιερεις και λευιτας ινα ερωτησωσιν αυτον συ τις ει

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.