John 1 · Verse 19

John 1:19

And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou?

John 1:19, King James Version

John 1:19 in other translations

BSB	And this was John’s testimony when the Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him, “Who are you?”
WEB	This is John’s testimony, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?”
ASV	And this is the witness of John, when the Jews sent unto him from Jerusalem priests and Levites to ask him, Who art thou?
YLT	And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent out of Jerusalem priests and Levites, that they might question him, ‘Who art thou?'
DARBY	And this is the witness of John, when the Jews sent from Jerusalem priests and Levites that they might ask him, Thou, who art thou?
BBE	And this is the witness of John when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to him with the question, Who are you?
Webster	And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem, to ask him, Who art thou?

What does John 1:19 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

Joh 1:19-36. The Baptist's Testimony to Christ.

19. record--testimony. the Jews--that is, the heads of the nation, the members of the Sanhedrim. In this peculiar sense our Evangelist seems always to use the term.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes

Verse 19. This is the record. The word record here means testimony, in whatever way given. The word record now commonly refers to written evidence. This is not its meaning here. John's testimony was given without writing.

When the Jews sent. John's fame was great. See Mt 3:5. It spread from the region of Galilee to Jerusalem, and the nation seemed to suppose, from the character of his preaching, that he was the Messiah, Lk 3:15. The great council of the nation, or the Sanhedrim, had, among other things, the charge of religion. They felt it to be their duty, therefore, to inquire into the character and claims of John, and to learn whether he was the Messiah. It is not improbable that they wished that he might be the long-expected Christ, and were prepared to regard him as such.

When the Jews sent priests and Levites. Lk 10:31,32. These were probably members of the Sanhedrim.

(a) "the record of John" Lk 3:15

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 19 And this is the record of John - He persisted in this assertion, testifying to the Jews that this Jesus was The Christ.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on John 1:19-28

John disowns himself to be the Christ, who was now expected and waited for. He came in the spirit and power of Elias, but he was not the person of Elias. John was not that Prophet whom Moses said the Lord would raise up to them of their brethren, like unto him. He was not such a prophet as they expected, who would rescue them from the Romans. He gave such an account of himself, as might excite and awaken them to hearken to him. He baptized the people with water as a profession of repentance, and as an outward sign of the spiritual blessings to be conferred on them by the Messiah, who was in the midst of them, though they knew him not, and to whom he was unworthy to render the meanest service.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

John 1:19 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

καὶkaiAndG2532

αὕτηhautēthisG3778

ἐστὶνestinisG1510

ἡhētheG3588

μαρτυρίαmarturiatestimonyG3141

τοῦtou<the>G3588

ἸωάννουIōannouof JohnG2491

ὅτεhotewhenG3753

ἀπέστειλανapesteilansentG649

οἱhoitheG3588

ἸουδαῖοιIoudaioiJewsG2453

ἐξexfromG1537

ἹεροσολύμωνHi'erosolumōnJerusalemG2414

ἱερεῖςhi'ereispriestsG2409

καὶkaiandG2532

ΛευίταςLeuitasLevitesG3019

ἵναinathatG2443

ἐρωτήσωσινerōtēsōsinthey may askG2065

αὐτόν·autonhim;G846

σὺsuYou yourselfG4771

τίςtiswhoG5101

εἶ;eiare?G1510

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for John 1:19

John 10:24
Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly.
Luke 3:15-18
And as the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of John, whether he were the Christ, or not; John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire: Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and will gather the wheat into his garner; but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable. And many other things in his exhortation preached he unto the people.
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.
Acts 13:25
And as John fulfilled his course, he said, Whom think ye that I am? I am not he. But, behold, there cometh one after me, whose shoes of his feet I am not worthy to loose.
John 5:33-36
Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth. But I receive not testimony from man: but these things I say, that ye might be saved. He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light. But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.
Matthew 21:23-32
And when he was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching, and said, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority? And Jesus answered and said unto them, I also will ask you one thing, which if ye tell me, I in like wise will tell you by what authority I do these things. The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say unto us, Why did ye not then believe him? But if we shall say, Of men; we fear the people; for all hold John as a prophet. …
John 2:18
Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things?
John 5:10
The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

when.
5:33-36; De 17:9-11; 24:8; Mt 21:23-32; Lu 3:15-18
Who.
10:24; Ac 13:25; 19:4

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

John 1:18
No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
John 1:19
And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou?
John 1:20
And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ.

Read all of John 1

John 1:19 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Y éste es el testimonio de Juan, cuando los Judíos enviaron de Jerusalem sacerdotes y Levitas, que le preguntasen: ¿Tú, quién eres?
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Et c’est ici le témoignage de Jean, lorsque les Juifs envoyèrent de Jérusalem des sacrificateurs et des lévites, pour lui demander: Toi, qui es-tu?
German Elberfelder 1871	Und dies ist das Zeugnis des Johannes, als die Juden aus Jerusalem Priester und Leviten sandten, damit sie ihn fragen sollten: Wer bist du?
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Et hoc est testimonium Joannis, quando miserunt Judæi ab Jerosolymis sacerdotes et Levitas ad eum ut interrogarent eum: Tu quis es?