Verse (Click for Chapter) 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 Study 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. 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. 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. Good News Translation He himself was not the light; he came to tell about the light. GOD'S WORD® Translation John was not the light, but he came to declare the truth 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. NET Bible He himself was not the light, but he came to testify about the light. New Heart English Bible He was not the light, but was sent that he might testify about the 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 ... Study Bible 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. (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. It was otherwise with the disciple who wrote these words. He is content to claim for his master as for himself the noblest human work, "to bear witness of that Light." No one may add to it; all may, in word and life, bear witness to it. Every discovery in science and advance in truth is a removal of some cloud which hides it from men; every noble character is bearing it about; every conquest of sin is extending it. It has been stored in mines of deepest thought in all ages. The heedless pass over the surface unconscious of it. The world's benefactors are they who bring it forth to men as the light and warmth of the rays of the Sun of Righteousness. (Comp. John 5:35, and Note there.) 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 ... Lexicon He himselfἐκεῖνος (ekeinos) Demonstrative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular Strong's Greek 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 Greek 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 Greek 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 Greek 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 Greek 5457: Light, a source of light, radiance. From an obsolete phao; luminousness. but ἀλλ’ (all’) Conjunction Strong's Greek 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 Greek 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 Greek 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 Greek 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 Greek 5457: Light, a source of light, radiance. From an obsolete phao; luminousness. 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