John 1:15

13 children born not of blood, nor of the desire or will of man, but born of God.

14 The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John testified concerning Him. He cried out, saying, “This is He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because He was before me.’”

16 From His fullness we have all received grace upon grace.

17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
John testified concerning Him. He cried out, saying, “This is He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because He was before me.’”
KJV
John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.
WEB
John testified about him. He cried out, saying, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me, for he was before me.’”
ASV
John beareth witness of him, and crieth, saying, This was he of whom I said, He that cometh after me is become before me: for he was before me.
DARBY
(John bears witness of him, and he has cried, saying, This was he of whom I said, He that comes after me is preferred before me, for he was before me;)
BLB
John testifies concerning Him, and he has cried out, saying, “This was He [of] whom I said, ‘The One coming after me has precedence over me, because He was before me.’”
ÅB
Johannes vitner om ham og roper: Det var denne om hvem jeg sa: Han som kommer etter meg, er kommet foran meg, fordi han var før meg.
OTB
Johannes vitnet om ham. Han ropte ut og sa: “Dette er han som jeg sa, ‘Han som kommer etter meg har overgått meg fordi han var før meg.’”
B1930
Johannes vidner om ham og roper: Det var denne om hvem jeg sa: Han som kommer efter mig, er kommet foran mig, fordi han var før mig.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Matthew 3:11

    I baptize you with water for repentance, but after me will come One more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.

    Read in context
  • Colossians 1:17

    He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.

    Read in context
  • John 1:29–34

    The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

    Read in context
  • John 3:26–36

    So John’s disciples came to him and said, “Look, Rabbi, the One who was with you beyond the Jordan, the One you testified about—He is baptizing, and everyone is going to Him.”

    Read in context
  • John 1:1–2

    In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

    Read in context
  • Luke 3:16

    John answered all of them: “I baptize you with water, but One more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.

    Read in context
  • Matthew 3:13–17

    At that time Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John.

    Read in context
  • John 5:33–36

    You have sent to John, and he has testified to the truth.

    Read in context