John 1:7 He came as a witness to testify about the Light, so that through him everyone might believe.

◄ John 1:7 ►

New International Version
He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe.

New Living Translation
to tell about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony.

English Standard Version
He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him.

Berean Standard Bible
He came as a witness to testify about the Light, so that through him everyone might believe.

Berean Literal Bible
He came as a witness, that he might testify concerning the Light, that all might believe through him.

King James Bible
The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.

New King James Version
This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe.

New American Standard Bible
He came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe through him.

NASB 1995
He came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe through him.

NASB 1977
He came for a witness, that he might bear witness of the light, that all might believe through him.

Legacy Standard Bible
He came as a witness, to bear witness about the Light, so that all might believe through him.

Amplified Bible
This man came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe [in Christ, the Light] through him.

Christian Standard Bible
He came as a witness to testify about the light, so that all might believe through him.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
He came as a witness to testify about the light, so that all might believe through him.

American Standard Version
The same came for witness, that he might bear witness of the light, that all might believe through him.

Contemporary English Version
who came to tell about the light and to lead all people to have faith.

English Revised Version
The same came for witness, that he might bear witness of the light, that all might believe through him.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
John came to declare the truth about the light so that everyone would become believers through his message.

Good News Translation
who came to tell people about the light, so that all should hear the message and believe.

International Standard Version
He came as a witness to testify about the light, so that all might believe because of him.

Majority Standard Bible
He came as a witness to testify about the Light, so that through him everyone might believe.

NET Bible
He came as a witness to testify about the light, so that everyone might believe through him.

New Heart English Bible
He came as a witness to testify about the light, that all might believe through him.

Webster's Bible Translation
The same came for a witness, to bear testimony of the Light, that all men through him might believe.

Weymouth New Testament
He came as a witness, in order that he might give testimony concerning the Light--so that all might believe through him.

World English Bible
The same came as a witness, that he might testify about the light, that all might believe through him.

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
this one came for testimony, that he might testify about the Light, that all might believe through him;

Berean Literal Bible
He came as a witness, that he might testify concerning the Light, that all might believe through him.

Young's Literal Translation
this one came for testimony, that he might testify about the Light, that all might believe through him;

Smith's Literal Translation
This came for testimony, that he might testify concerning the Light, that all might believe through him.

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
This man came for a witness, to give testimony of the light, that all men might believe through him.

Catholic Public Domain Version
He arrived as a witness to offer testimony about the Light, so that all would believe through him.

New American Bible
He came for testimony, to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him.

New Revised Standard Version
He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him.

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
He came as a witness to testify concerning the light, so that every man might believe by means of him.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
He came for a witness, to testify about The Light, that everyone by him would believe.

NT Translations

Anderson New Testament
This man came as a witness, to testify of the Light, that all through him might believe.

Godbey New Testament
The same came for a witness, that he might bear witness concerning the light, in order that all through him might believe.

Haweis New Testament
He came for a witness, that he might bear testimony concerning the Light, that all men through him might believe.

Mace New Testament
he came as a witness, to represent what he knew of the light, that by his means all might be convinc'd.

Weymouth New Testament
He came as a witness, in order that he might give testimony concerning the Light--so that all might believe through him.

Worrell New Testament
The same came for a testimony, that he might testify concerning the Light, that all might believe through him.

Worsley New Testament
this man came for witness, that he might testify concerning the light, that through him all might believe.

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

The Witness of John
6There came a man who was sent from God. His name was John. 7He came as a witness to testify about the Light, so that through him everyone might believe. 8He himself was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light.…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

John 3:19-21
And this is the verdict: The Light has come into the world, but men loved the darkness rather than the Light because their deeds were evil. / Everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come into the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. / But whoever practices the truth comes into the Light, so that it may be seen clearly that what he has done has been accomplished in God.”

John 5:33-35
You have sent to John, and he has testified to the truth. / Even though I do not accept human testimony, I say these things so that you may be saved. / John was a lamp that burned and gave light, and you were willing for a season to bask in his light.

1 John 1:5-7
And this is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you: God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. / If we say we have fellowship with Him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. / But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.

1 John 5:6-9
This is the One who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ—not by water alone, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies to this, because the Spirit is the truth. / For there are three that testify: / the Spirit, the water, and the blood—and these three are in agreement. ...

Acts 1:8
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Matthew 5:14-16
You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. / Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a basket. Instead, they set it on a stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. / In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

2 Corinthians 4:4-6
The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. / For we do not proclaim ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. / For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 5:8-14
For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light, / for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness, and truth. / Test and prove what pleases the Lord. ...

1 Thessalonians 5:5
For you are all sons of the light and sons of the day; we do not belong to the night or to the darkness.

Revelation 1:5
and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and has released us from our sins by His blood,

Isaiah 42:6-7
“I, the LORD, have called you for a righteous purpose, and I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and appoint you to be a covenant for the people and a light to the nations, / to open the eyes of the blind, to bring prisoners out of the dungeon and those sitting in darkness out from the prison house.

Isaiah 49:6
He says: “It is not enough for You to be My Servant, to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the protected ones of Israel. I will also make You a light for the nations, to bring My salvation to the ends of the earth.”

Isaiah 60:1-3
Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you. / For behold, darkness covers the earth, and thick darkness is over the peoples; but the LORD will rise upon you, and His glory will appear over you. / Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.

Malachi 4:2
“But for you who fear My name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings, and you will go out and leap like calves from the stall.

Psalm 27:1
Of David. The LORD is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life—whom shall I dread?

Treasury of Scripture

The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.

a witness.

John 1:19,26,27,32-34,36
And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou? …

John 3:26-36
And they came unto John, and said unto him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all men come to him…

John 5:33-35
Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth…

that.

John 1:9
That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.

John 3:26
And they came unto John, and said unto him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all men come to him.

Ephesians 3:9
And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:

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John 1

1. The divinity, humanity, office, and incarnation of Jesus Christ.
15. The testimony of John.
39. The calling of Simon and Andrew, Philip and Nathanael

Berean Study Bible

He came as a witness
The phrase "He came as a witness" refers to John the Baptist, whose role was divinely appointed. The Greek word for "witness" is "martyria," which implies not just a passive observer but an active testifier. In the historical context, a witness was someone who provided credible testimony, often at great personal risk. John the Baptist's life exemplified this as he boldly proclaimed the coming of Jesus, the Messiah, even when it led to his imprisonment and eventual martyrdom. His role as a witness underscores the importance of personal testimony in the Christian faith, encouraging believers to share their experiences of Christ with others.

to testify about the Light
The Greek word for "testify" is "martyreō," which means to bear witness or give evidence. John the Baptist's mission was to point others to "the Light," which is a metaphor for Jesus Christ. In the biblical context, light symbolizes truth, purity, and divine revelation. The use of "Light" here connects to the creation narrative in Genesis, where God said, "Let there be light." Jesus, as the Light, represents the new creation and the ultimate revelation of God's truth to humanity. John's testimony about the Light was crucial in preparing the hearts of the people to receive Jesus.

so that through him
The phrase "so that through him" indicates the purpose of John's testimony. The Greek preposition "dia" (through) suggests a channel or means by which something is accomplished. John the Baptist was the conduit through which people were introduced to Jesus. This highlights the importance of human agency in God's plan of salvation. While God is sovereign, He often chooses to work through individuals to accomplish His purposes. John's life serves as a model for believers, demonstrating how one's life and testimony can be used by God to lead others to faith.

everyone might believe
The word "everyone" (Greek: "pantes") emphasizes the universal scope of the Gospel. The message of Jesus is not limited to a specific group but is available to all people, regardless of their background or status. The verb "might believe" (Greek: "pisteuō") is in the subjunctive mood, indicating potential or possibility. It suggests that belief is a personal choice and response to the testimony of the Light. In the historical context, belief was not merely intellectual assent but involved trust and commitment. This phrase encapsulates the heart of the Gospel message: that through the testimony of faithful witnesses, all people have the opportunity to come to faith in Jesus Christ.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(7) For a Witness.--Stress is laid upon the work of John as "witness." This was generally the object of his coming. It was specially to "bear witness of the Light." The purpose of testimony is conviction "that all men through him might believe," i.e., through John, through his witness. Compare with this purpose of the Baptist's work the purpose of the Apostle's writing, as he himself expresses it in the closing words of John 20; and also the condition and work of the Apostleship, as laid down by St. Peter at the first meeting after the Resurrection (Acts 1:21-22). The word "witness," with its cognate forms, is one of the key-notes of the Johannine writings recurring alike in the Gospel the Epistles, and the Apocalypse. This is partly concealed from the general reader by the various renderings "record," "testimony," "witness," for the one Greek root; but he may see by consulting any English concordance under these words, how frequently the thought was in the Apostle's mind. See especially Revelation 1:2; Revelation 1:9, Notes.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 7. - This man came (historic, η΅λθε) for witness, that he might bear witness concerning the Light. The entire prophetic dispensation is thus characterized. That which the Baptist did, Malachi, Isaiah, Elijah, Hosea, Moses, had done in their day. He came, and by penetrating insight and burning word, by flashes of moral revelation and intense earnestness, "bare witness concerning the Light" which was ever shining into the darkness. His aim and theirs was to prevent the forces of darkness from suppressing or absorbing the light. He came to sting the apathy and disturb the self-complacency of the darkness. He came to interpret the fact of the Light which was shining but not apprehended; and so did all the prophetic ministry of which he was the latest and most illustrious exponent. He came to assert the meaning for man of all God's perfections; to call conscience from its death sleep; to draw distinctions of tremendous significance between moral and ceremonial obedience; to exalt obedience above sacrifice, and works meet for repentance above Abrahamic privilege; to warn by lurid threatenings of a fiery wrath and a terrible curse which would fall on the disobedient, though consecrated, people. In this he was but the last of a goodly fellowship of prophets who bore witness to the Light of life which had its being in the Eternal Logos of God. He came, as they all had come, with a view of producing results far greater than, as a matter of fact, they have actually achieved. He came to bear such testimony that all through him, i.e. by the force of his appeal or by the fierce glow thus cast upon the perils and follies of the hour, might believe - might realize the full significance of the Light which they had hitherto refused to accept. The greatness of this expectation corresponds with the hope which the ministry of Jesus failed also to realize (Matthew 11:9-14). The splendid ministry of this "burning and shining lamp" might, it would seem, have brought all Israel to acknowledge Christ as the Light of the world; but "the darkness apprehended it not." The entire prophetic dispensation, the testimony which the priestly services and sacrifices bore to the evil of sin and to the awfulness of righteousness, as well as the condemnation of the follies and pleasures of the world, involved in John the Baptist's ascetic profession, might have roused all Israel to believe in the Light. He gathered together all the forces of the Mosaic, prophetic, Levitical, Essenic ministries to bear on the people. Everything that Law could do was done to reveal the Light; but "all" did not believe, for "the darkness apprehended it not."

Parallel Commentaries ...

Greek

He
οὗτος (houtos)
Demonstrative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3778: This; he, she, it.

came
ἦλθεν (ēlthen)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2064: To come, go.

as
εἰς (eis)
Preposition
Strong's 1519: A primary preposition; to or into, of place, time, or purpose; also in adverbial phrases.

a witness
μαρτυρίαν (martyrian)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3141: Witness, evidence, testimony, reputation. From martus; evidence given.

to
ἵνα (hina)
Conjunction
Strong's 2443: In order that, so that. Probably from the same as the former part of heautou; in order that.

testify
μαρτυρήσῃ (martyrēsē)
Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 3140: To witness, bear witness, give evidence, testify, give a good report. From martus; to be a witness, i.e. Testify.

about
περὶ (peri)
Preposition
Strong's 4012: From the base of peran; properly, through, i.e. Around; figuratively with respect to; used in various applications, of place, cause or time.

the
τοῦ (tou)
Article - Genitive Neuter Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

Light,
φωτός (phōtos)
Noun - Genitive Neuter Singular
Strong's 5457: Light, a source of light, radiance. From an obsolete phao; luminousness.

so that
ἵνα (hina)
Conjunction
Strong's 2443: In order that, so that. Probably from the same as the former part of heautou; in order that.

through
δι’ (di’)
Preposition
Strong's 1223: A primary preposition denoting the channel of an act; through.

him
αὐτοῦ (autou)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
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.

everyone
πάντες (pantes)
Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3956: All, the whole, every kind of. Including all the forms of declension; apparently a primary word; all, any, every, the whole.

might believe.
πιστεύσωσιν (pisteusōsin)
Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 4100: From pistis; to have faith, i.e. Credit; by implication, to entrust.

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NT Gospels: John 1:7 The same came as a witness that (Jhn Jo Jn)