John 3:28
What does John 3:28 mean?
A plain-English look at John 3:28 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What John 3:28 means
John reminds his disciples of his consistent testimony: he is not the Christ, but rather sent as His forerunner. "Ye yourselves bear me witness" indicates that this was not new information but a core message of his ministry. He points back to his own words, reinforcing his role to prepare the way and clarifying that his purpose was never to be the central figure, but to humbly announce and introduce the Messiah.
John 3:28 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 · 2000Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but, that I am sent before him.
KJV
King James Version · 1611Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but, that I am sent before him.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949You yourselves give witness that I said, I am not the Christ. What I said was, I am sent before the Christ.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862ye yourselves do testify to me that I said, I am not the Christ, but, that I am having been sent before him;
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752You yourselves do bear me witness that I said that I am not Christ, but that I am sent before him.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890Ye yourselves bear me witness that I said, I am not the Christ, but, that I am sent before him.
Context
After declaring that all authority comes from heaven, John the Baptist now specifically reminds his disciples of his longstanding testimony about two key facts. This verse reiterates his consistent message: he is not the Christ but the herald, preparing the way. This self-identification clarifies his role and directly counters his disciples' competitive anxieties, leading to his joyful explanation of Jesus's true identity and his own subservience.
v.27John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it have been given him from heaven.
v.28This passage
v.29He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, that standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice: this my joy therefore is made full.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- John 1:20
And he confessed, and denied not; and he confessed, I am not the Christ.
- John 1:25
And they asked him, and said unto him, Why then baptizest thou, if thou art not the Christ, neither Elijah, neither the prophet?
- Matthew 3:3
For this is he that was spoken of through Isaiah the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make ye ready the way of the Lord, Make his paths straight.
- Malachi 3:1
Behold, I send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant, whom ye desire, behold, he cometh, saith Jehovah of hosts.
- Malachi 4:4
Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, even statutes and ordinances.
- Luke 1:16
And many of the children of Israel shall he turn unto the Lord their God.
Sermon ideas from John 3:28
Angles a pastor or small-group leader might preach or teach from this passage, drawn from the chapter's main themes.
What John 3:28 teaches us about new birth
What John 3:28 teaches us about the spirit
What John 3:28 teaches us about god's love for the world
What John 3:28 teaches us about faith and life
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