“Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him.”
King James Version (KJV)
3:27 A man can receive nothing - Neither he nor I. Neither could he do this, unless God had sent him: nor can I receive the title of Christ, or any honour comparable to that which he hath received from heaven. They seem to have spoken with jealousy and resentment; John answers with sweet composure of spirit.
3:29 He that hath the bride is the bridegroom - He whom the bride follows. But all men now come to Jesus. Hence it is plain he is the bridegroom. The friend who heareth him - Talk with the bride; rejoiceth greatly - So far from envying or resenting it.
3:30 He must increase, but I must decrease - So they who are now, like John, burning and shining lights, must (if not suddenly eclipsed) like him gradually decrease, while others are increasing about them; as they in their turns grew up, amidst the decays of the former generation. Let us know how to set, as well as how to rise; and let it comfort our declining days to trace, in those who are likely to succeed us in our work, the openings of yet greater usefulness.
Joh 3:28 Ye yourselves bear me witness. They complain of the fact that Jesus baptized and was very popular at this time, but John refers to the witness he had borne (Joh 1:20,29), and affirms that each is fulfilling the work "given him of heaven" (Joh 3:27).
Ye your selues beare me witnesse, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him.
- King James Version (1611) - View 1611 Bible Scan
"You yourselves are my witnesses that I said, 'I am not the Christ,' but, 'I have been sent ahead of Him.'
- New American Standard Version (1995)
Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but, that I am sent before him.
- American Standard Version (1901)
You yourselves give witness that I said, I am not the Christ. What I said was, I am sent before the Christ.
- Basic English Bible
Ye yourselves bear me witness that I said, I am not the Christ, but, that I am sent before him.
- Darby Bible
Ye yourselves bear me testimony, that I said I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him.
- Webster's Bible
You yourselves can bear witness to my having said, `I am not the Christ,' but `I am His appointed forerunner.'
- Weymouth Bible
You yourselves testify that I said, 'I am not the Christ,' but, 'I have been sent before him.'
- World English Bible
Ye you silf beren witnessyng to me, that Y seide, Y am not Crist, but that Y am sent bifore hym.
- Wycliffe Bible
ye yourselves do testify to me that I said, I am not the Christ, but, that I am having been sent before him;
- Youngs Literal Bible