Ἰωάννην 3:25

Greek Modern Translation

Εγεινε λοιπον συζητησις περι καθαρισμου παρα των μαθητων του Ιωαννου με Ιουδαιους τινας.

Parallel Translations

SBL Greek New Testament (2010)
Ἐγένετο οὖν ζήτησις ἐκ τῶν μαθητῶν Ἰωάννου μετὰ Ἰουδαίου περὶ καθαρισμοῦ.

Tischendorf 8th Edition
ἐγένετο οὖν ζήτησις ἐκ τῶν μαθητῶν Ἰωάννου μετὰ Ἰουδαίου περὶ καθαρισμοῦ.

Textus Receptus (1550/1894)
εγενετο ουν ζητησις εκ των μαθητων ιωαννου μετα ιουδαιων περι καθαρισμου

Westcott/Hort UBS4 (1881)
εγενετο ουν ζητησις εκ των μαθητων ιωαννου μετα ιουδαιου περι καθαρισμου

Byzantine/Majority Text
εγενετο ουν ζητησις εκ των μαθητων ιωαννου μετα ιουδαιου περι καθαρισμου

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

about: John 2:6, Matthew 3:11, Mark 7:2-5, Mark 7:8, Hebrews 6:2, Hebrews 9:10, Hebrews 9:13, Hebrews 9:14, Hebrews 9:23, 1 Peter 3:21

Reciprocal: Matthew 9:14 - the disciples Matthew 11:2 - he Mark 7:4 - except Mark 11:30 - General Luke 11:38 - he marvelled John 1:35 - and two John 10:17 - General Acts 13:24 - General Acts 21:24 - and purify Hebrews 1:2 - appointed

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Then there arose a question,.... A dispute, or controversy, occasioned by the baptism, of John and Christ:

between [some] of John's disciples, and the Jews. The Syriac and Persic versions read, "between one of John's disciples, and a certain Jew"; and Nonnus renders it, "with an Hebrew man"; and so the Alexandrian manuscript; many others read, "with a Jew": the contention between them was

about purifying; either about the ceremonial purifications, and ablutions commanded in the law of Moses; or concerning the various washings of persons, and vessels, according to the traditions of the elders, which the Jews in common were very tenacious of; and which they thought were brought into neglect, and contempt, by the baptism of John: and this seems to have been occasioned by the baptism of Christ; which the Jew might improve against the disciple of John, and urge, that since another, besides his master, had set up baptizing, who could tell which was most right and safest to follow? and therefore it would have been much better, if no such rite at all had been used by any, but that the purifications required by the law of Moses, and by their elders, had been strictly and solely attended to.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

A question - Rather a controversy a dispute.

John’s disciples - Those who had been baptized by him, and who attached great efficacy and importance to the teaching of their master. Compare the notes at Acts 19:1-5.

And the Jews - Many manuscripts, some of the fathers, and the ancient Syriac version read this in the singular number “with A Jew,” one who, it is commonly supposed, had been baptized by the disciples of Jesus.

About purifying - What the precise subject of this dispute was we do not know. From what follows, it would seem probable that it was about the comparative value and efficacy of the baptism performed by John and by the disciples of Jesus. The word “purifying” may be applied to baptism, as it was an emblem of repentance and purity, and was thus used by the Jews, by John, and by Jesus. About this subject it seems that a dispute arose, and was carried to such a length that complaint was made to John. From this we may learn:

1. That even in the time of Jesus, when the gospel began to be preached, there was witnessed what has been ever since - unhappy disputings on the subject of religion. Even young converts may, By overheated zeal and ignorance, fall into angry discussion.

2. That such discussions are commonly about some unimportant matter of religion - something which they may not yet be qualified to understand, and which does not materially affect them if they could.

3. That such disputes are often connected with a spirit of proselytism - with boasting of the superior excellence of the sect with which “we” are connected, or in connection with whom we have been converted, and often with a desire to persuade others to join with us.

4. That such a spirit is eminently improper on such occasions. Love should characterize the feelings of young converts; a disposition to inquire and not to dispute; a willingness that all should follow the dictates of their own consciences, and not a desire to proselyte them to our way of thinking or to our church. It may be added that there is scarcely anything which so certainly and effectually arrests a revival of religion as such a disposition to dispute, and to make proselytes to particular modes of faith, and of administering the ordinances of the gospel.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 25. John's disciples and the Jews — Instead of Ιουδαιων, Jews, ABELS. M. BV, nearly 100 others, some versions and fathers, read Ιουδαιου, a Jew, which Griesbach has admitted into the text. The person here spoken of was probably one who had been baptized by the disciples of our Lord; and the subject of debate seems to have been, whether the baptism of John, or that of Christ, was the most efficacious towards purifying.