John 1:35
What does John 1:35 mean?
A plain-English look at John 1:35 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What John 1:35 means
The narrative shifts to the next day, placing John the Baptist and two of his disciples in the same location. This re-establishes John's role as a magnetic figure around whom disciples gathered. The presence of his disciples is crucial, as the stage is set for a direct transfer of allegiance. It highlights the influence and respect John held, making the subsequent redirection of his disciples to Jesus even more significant, demonstrating John's humble subservience to Christ.
John 1:35 in context
John 1 — The Word Made Flesh
John lifts the curtain higher than any other Gospel. Before there was a Bethlehem, there was the Word — with God, who was God, by whom all things were made. The same Word who was the agent of creation became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth. John the Baptist points him out as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world; the first disciples follow him; Nathanael confesses him as the Son of God and King of Israel. The eternal becomes near enough to touch.
- Pre-existence of Christ
- Incarnation
- Light and life
- First disciples
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000Again on the morrow John was standing, and two of his disciples;
KJV
King James Version · 1611Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples;
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901Again on the morrow John was standing, and two of his disciples;
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949The day after, John was there again with two of his disciples;
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862On the morrow, again, John was standing, and two of his disciples,
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752The next day again John stood and two of his disciples.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890Again, on the morrow, there stood John and two of his disciples.
Context
Following John's climactic declaration of Jesus as the Son of God in verse 34, the narrative now shifts to the practical effect of this testimony on John's own disciples. This verse establishes the setting for the first disciples to meet Jesus, placing John and two of his followers together. It sets the stage for a transfer of allegiance from John to Jesus, illustrating the true purpose of John's ministry: to point others to Christ.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Malachi 3:16
Then they that feared Jehovah spake one with another; and Jehovah hearkened, and heard, and a book of remembrance was written before him, for them that feared Jehovah, and that thought upon his name.
- John 3:25
There arose therefore a questioning on the part of John’s disciples with a Jew about purifying.
Sermon ideas from John 1:35
Angles a pastor or small-group leader might preach or teach from this passage, drawn from the chapter's main themes.
What John 1:35 teaches us about pre-existence of christ
What John 1:35 teaches us about incarnation
What John 1:35 teaches us about light and life
What John 1:35 teaches us about first disciples
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