Devine Scripture

John 3:24

What does John 3:24 mean?

A plain-English look at John 3:24 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What John 3:24 means

This brief parenthetical statement serves as an important chronological marker, clarifying that John the Baptist's ministry was still free and active. He had not yet been imprisoned by Herod, an event recorded later in the Gospels. This detail helps situate the discourse between John's disciples and John within the timeline of Jesus's early public ministry, confirming that both ministries ran concurrently for a period.

John 3:24 in context

John 3 — You Must Be Born Again

By night a Pharisee named Nicodemus comes to Jesus, half-confessing him as a teacher sent from God. Jesus cuts past the compliment: 'except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.' Religion will not do; reformation will not do; only a new birth by water and the Spirit. The chapter rises to the most-quoted verse in the Bible — 'For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son' — and ends with John the Baptist's last public testimony: 'He must increase, but I must decrease.'

  • New birth
  • The Spirit
  • God's love for the world
  • Faith and life

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

For John was not yet cast into prison.

KJV

King James Version · 1611

For John was not yet cast into prison.

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

For John was not yet cast into prison.

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

For at this time John had not been put into prison.

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

for John was not yet cast into the prison--

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

For John was not yet cast into prison.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

for John was not yet cast into prison.

Context

This verse provides a crucial piece of chronological information, noting that John the Baptist had not yet been imprisoned. This serves to firmly place the upcoming discussion about John’s ministry as occurring while he was still actively baptizing. It provides a necessary historical framework for understanding the nature of the ensuing interaction between John's disciples and their master concerning Jesus's growing influence.

v.23And John also was baptizing in Ænon near to Salim, because there was much water there: and they came, and were baptized.

v.24This passage

v.25There arose therefore a questioning on the part of John’s disciples with a Jew about purifying.

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • Matthew 14:3

    For Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife.

  • Luke 9:7

    Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was done: and he was much perplexed, because that it was said by some, that John was risen from the dead;

  • Luke 3:19

    but Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him for Herodias his brother’s wife, and for all the evil things which Herod had done,

  • Mark 6:17

    For Herod himself had sent forth and laid hold upon John, and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife; for he had married her.

  • Matthew 4:12

    Now when he heard that John was delivered up, he withdrew into Galilee;

Sermon ideas from John 3:24

Angles a pastor or small-group leader might preach or teach from this passage, drawn from the chapter's main themes.

  • What John 3:24 teaches us about new birth

  • What John 3:24 teaches us about the spirit

  • What John 3:24 teaches us about god's love for the world

  • What John 3:24 teaches us about faith and life

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