John 3:28
New International Version
You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah but am sent ahead of him.’

New Living Translation
You yourselves know how plainly I told you, ‘I am not the Messiah. I am only here to prepare the way for him.’

English Standard Version
You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.’

Berean Standard Bible
You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but am sent ahead of Him.’

Berean Literal Bible
You yourselves bear witness to me that I said, 'I am not the Christ, but I am sent before Him.'

King James Bible
Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him.

New King James Version
You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent before Him.’

New American Standard Bible
You yourselves are my witnesses that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent ahead of Him.’

NASB 1995
“You yourselves are my witnesses that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent ahead of Him.’

NASB 1977
“You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent before Him.’

Legacy Standard Bible
You yourselves are my witnesses that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent ahead of Him.’

Amplified Bible
You yourselves are my witnesses that I stated, ‘I am not the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed),’ but, ‘I have [only] been sent ahead of Him [as His appointed forerunner and messenger to announce and proclaim His coming].’

Christian Standard Bible
You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah, but I’ve been sent ahead of him.’

Holman Christian Standard Bible
You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah, but I’ve been sent ahead of Him.’

American Standard Version
Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but, that I am sent before him.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
You are bearing me witness that I said I am not The Messiah, but I am the one sent before him.

Contemporary English Version
You surely remember how I told you that I am not the Messiah. I am only the one sent ahead of him.

Douay-Rheims Bible
You yourselves do bear me witness, that I said, I am not Christ, but that I am sent before him.

English Revised Version
Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but, that I am sent before him.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
You are witnesses that I said, 'I'm not the Messiah, but I've been sent ahead of him.'

Good News Translation
You yourselves are my witnesses that I said, 'I am not the Messiah, but I have been sent ahead of him.'

International Standard Version
You yourselves are my witnesses that I said, 'I am not the Messiah, but I have been sent ahead of him.'

Literal Standard Version
you yourselves testify to me that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am having been sent before Him;

Majority Standard Bible
You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but am sent ahead of Him.’

New American Bible
You yourselves can testify that I said [that] I am not the Messiah, but that I was sent before him.

NET Bible
You yourselves can testify that I said, 'I am not the Christ,' but rather, 'I have been sent before him.'

New Revised Standard Version
You yourselves are my witnesses that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah, but I have been sent ahead of him.’

New Heart English Bible
You yourselves bear me witness that I said, 'I am not the Christ,' but, 'I have been sent before him.'

Webster's Bible Translation
Ye yourselves bear me testimony, that I said I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him.

Weymouth New Testament
You yourselves can bear witness to my having said, 'I am not the Christ,' but 'I am His appointed forerunner.'

World English Bible
You yourselves testify that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent before him.’

Young's Literal Translation
ye yourselves do testify to me that I said, I am not the Christ, but, that I am having been sent before him;

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
John's Testimony about Jesus
27John replied, “A man can receive only what is given him from heaven. 28You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but am sent ahead of Him.’ 29The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom stands and listens for him, and is overjoyed to hear the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete.…

Cross References
John 1:20
He did not refuse to confess, but openly declared, "I am not the Christ."

John 1:23
John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet: "I am a voice of one calling in the wilderness, 'Make straight the way for the Lord.'"


Treasury of Scripture

You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him.

I said.

John 1:20,25,27
And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ…

but.

John 1:23
He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.

Malachi 3:1
Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.

Malachi 4:4,5
Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments…

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Ahead Appointed Bear Christ Forerunner Testify Testimony Witness Witnesses Yourselves
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Ahead Appointed Bear Christ Forerunner Testify Testimony Witness Witnesses Yourselves
John 3
1. Jesus teaches Nicodemus the necessity of being born again,
14. of faith in his death,
16. the great love of God toward the world,
18. and the condemnation for unbelief.
22. Jesus baptizes in Judea.
23. The baptism, witness, and doctrine of John concerning Jesus.














(28) Ye yourselves bear me witness.--They remembered (John 3:26) that John had borne witness to Jesus. Did they not remember too what he had said? He had from the first known his own work, and the greater work. Some of his disciples had known it also, and had gone from him to Jesus. This which they see was the necessary result of the truth he had ever declared.

Verse 28. - Ye yourselves (cf. 1 Thessalonians 4:9 for similar emphatic pronoun) bear me witness - you will do it readily, if I challenge you, for my testimonies were frequent and varied (in fact, the synoptists and the fourth evangelist are equally explicit here) - that I said, I am not the Messiah (John 1:20; Matthew 3:11, 12; Luke 3:15-17). This announcement, made with great publicity at Bethany, was the basis of the present remonstrance; and the words which follow strongly sustain John's reference to the Divine predestination in his own case and that of Jesus (ἀλλ ὅτι may point back to the discourse of John, or may simply indicate transition to the second statement). But that I am one sent (on a special mission) before him. He boldly implies, "This is more than I have already testified concerning 'the Christ;' and my place is not at his side, not following in his train. I am 'a voice;' my work is continuously to break up a way for him. I am here still, making the mountains low, and filling up the valleys for the approach of the great King." A man can receive nothing in the shape of lifework except that which is assigned to him out of heaven.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
You
ὑμεῖς (hymeis)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.

yourselves
αὐτοὶ (autoi)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative Masculine 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

can testify
μαρτυρεῖτε (martyreite)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 3140: To witness, bear witness, give evidence, testify, give a good report. From martus; to be a witness, i.e. Testify.

that
ὅτι (hoti)
Conjunction
Strong's 3754: Neuter of hostis as conjunction; demonstrative, that; causative, because.

I said,
εἶπον (eipon)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 2036: Answer, bid, bring word, command. A primary verb; to speak or say.

‘I
ἐγὼ (egō)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.

am
εἰμὶ (eimi)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.

not
Οὐκ (Ouk)
Adverb
Strong's 3756: No, not. Also ouk, and ouch a primary word; the absolute negative adverb; no or not.

the
(ho)
Article - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

Christ,
Χριστός (Christos)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 5547: Anointed One; the Messiah, the Christ. From chrio; Anointed One, i.e. The Messiah, an epithet of Jesus.

but
ἀλλ’ (all’)
Conjunction
Strong's 235: But, except, however. Neuter plural of allos; properly, other things, i.e. contrariwise.

am
εἰμὶ (eimi)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.

sent
Ἀπεσταλμένος (Apestalmenos)
Verb - Perfect Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 649: From apo and stello; set apart, i.e. to send out literally or figuratively.

ahead of
ἔμπροσθεν (emprosthen)
Preposition
Strong's 1715: From en and pros; in front of (literally or figuratively) or time).

Him.’
ἐκείνου (ekeinou)
Demonstrative Pronoun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 1565: That, that one there, yonder. From ekei; that one (neuter) thing); often intensified by the article prefixed.


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NT Gospels: John 3:28 You yourselves testify that I said 'I (Jhn Jo Jn)
John 3:27
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