John 1:8
New International Version
He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.

New Living Translation
John himself was not the light; he was simply a witness to tell about the light.

English Standard Version
He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.

Berean Standard Bible
He himself was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light.

Berean Literal Bible
He was not the Light, but came that he might witness concerning the Light.

King James Bible
He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.

New King James Version
He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.

New American Standard Bible
He was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light.

NASB 1995
He was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light.

NASB 1977
He was not the light, but came that he might bear witness of the light.

Legacy Standard Bible
He was not the Light, but he came to bear witness about the Light.

Amplified Bible
John was not the Light, but came to testify about the Light.

Christian Standard Bible
He was not the light, but he came to testify about the light.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
He was not the light, but he came to testify about the light.

American Standard Version
He was not the light, but came that he might bear witness of the light.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
He was not The Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.

Contemporary English Version
John wasn't this light. He came only to tell about the light.

Douay-Rheims Bible
He was not the light, but was to give testimony of the light.

English Revised Version
He was not the light, but came that he might bear witness of the light.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
John was not the light, but he came to declare the truth about the light.

Good News Translation
He himself was not the light; he came to tell about the light.

International Standard Version
John was not the light, but he came to testify about the light.

Literal Standard Version
that one was not the Light, but—that he might testify about the Light.

Majority Standard Bible
He himself was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light.

New American Bible
He was not the light, but came to testify to the light.

NET Bible
He himself was not the light, but he came to testify about the light.

New Revised Standard Version
He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light.

New Heart English Bible
He was not the light, but was sent that he might testify about the light.

Webster's Bible Translation
He was not that Light, but was sent to bear testimony of that Light.

Weymouth New Testament
He was not the Light, but he existed that he might give testimony concerning the Light.

World English Bible
He was not the light, but was sent that he might testify about the light.

Young's Literal Translation
that one was not the Light, but -- that he might testify about the Light.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Witness of 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. 9The true Light who gives light to every man was coming into the world.…

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

John 1:9
The true Light who gives light to every man was coming into the world.


Treasury of Scripture

He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.

that light.

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

John 3:28
Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him.

Acts 19:4
Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.

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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














(8) He was not that Light, but was sent.--It is necessary to repeat the statement of John's position and work in an emphatic form. Now first for 400 years a great teacher had appeared in Israel. The events of his birth and life had excited the attention of the masses; his bold message, like the cry of another Elias, found its way in burning words to the slumbering hearts of men; and even from the least likely classes, from Pharisee and Sadducee, from publican and soldier, there came the heart's question, "What shall we do?" The extent of the religious revival does not impress us, because it passed into the greater which followed, but the statement of a publican living at the time is that "Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan, went out to Him, and were baptized of Him in Jordan, confessing their sins" (Matthew 3:5-6). But what was this power in their midst? Who could be the person uttering these more than human words? A comparison of John 1:19-20 in this chapter with Luke 3:15 shows a widespread opinion that he was at least possibly the Messiah. He himself with true greatness recognised the greater, but as in many a like case in after days, the followers had not all the leader's nobility of soul. We shall meet signs of this in John 3:26; John 4:1. We find traces of it in Matthew 9:14, &c. (see Note at this place), and even in Ephesus, as late as St. Paul's third missionary journey, we find "certain disciples" knowing nothing more than "John's baptism" (Acts 19:1-6). It was at Ephesus that this Gospel was written and the existence of a body of such "disciples" may have led to the full statement in this verse made by one who had himself been among the Baptist's earliest followers. . . . Verse 8. - A solemn warning is given, which forever discriminates the ministry of man from the eternal ministry of the Logos. He (John, and with him all the prophetic, Levitical, ascetic teachers in all ages) was not the Light, but [he was or came] that he might bear witness of the Light. The ἵνα depends upon some unexpressed verbal thought; for even in the passages where it stands alone (John 9:3; John 13:18; John 14:31; John 15:25) the reference is not obscure to some pre-existing or involved verb. The distinction here drawn between John and the Light is thought by some expositors to point to the condition of the Ephesian Church, in the neighbourhood of which there still lingered some who placed John in even a higher position than that accorded to Jesus (Acts 19:3, 4); but the teaching of the evangelist is far more comprehensive than this. The Light of men has higher source and wider range of operation than that of any prophetic man. All that he, that any seer whatsoever can do, is to bear witness to it. The prophets, from Moses to John, derived all their power, their sanction, and the corroboration of their message, from the Logos light shining through conscience and blazing through providential events and burning up the stubble of human action with unquenchable fire. The prophets are not the light of God; they are sent to bear witness to it.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
He himself
ἐκεῖνος (ekeinos)
Demonstrative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 1565: That, that one there, yonder. From ekei; that one (neuter) thing); often intensified by the article prefixed.

was
ἦν (ēn)
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd 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
τὸ (to)
Article - Nominative 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,
φῶς (phōs)
Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong's 5457: Light, a source of light, radiance. From an obsolete phao; luminousness.

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

he came to 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.


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NT Gospels: John 1:8 He was not the light but was (Jhn Jo Jn)
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