John 1 · Verse 21

John 1:21

And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No.
John 1:21, King James Version

John 1:21 in other translations

BSB“Then who are you?” they inquired. “Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” He answered, “No.”
WEBThey asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the prophet?” He answered, “No.”
ASVAnd they asked him, What then? Art thou Elijah? And he saith, I am not. Art thou the prophet? And he answered, No.
YLTAnd they questioned him, ‘What then? Elijah art thou?' and he saith, ‘I am not.' --‘The prophet art thou?' and he answered, ‘No.'
DARBYAnd they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he says, I am not. Art thou the prophet? And he answered, No.
BBEAnd they said to him, What then? Are you Elijah? And he said, I am not. Are you the prophet? And his answer was, I am not.
WebsterAnd they asked him, What then? Art thou Elijah? and he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No.

What does John 1:21 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
21. Elias--in His own proper person. that prophet--announced in De 18:15, &c., about whom they seem not to have been agreed whether he were the same with the Messiah or no.

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

Barnes' Notes
Verse 21. Art thou Elias? This is the Greek way of writing Elijah. The Jews expected that Elijah would appear before the Messiah came. Mt 11:14. They supposed that it would be the real Elijah returned from heaven. In this sense John denied that he was Elijah; but he did not deny that he was the Elias or Elijah which the prophet intended (Mt 3:3), for he immediately proceeds to state (Jn 1:23) that he was sent, as it was predicted that Elijah would be, to prepare the way of the Lord; so that, while he corrected their false notions about Elijah, he so clearly stated to them his true character that they might understand that he was really the one predicted as Elijah.

That prophet. It is possible that the Jews supposed that not only Elijah would reappear before the coming of the Messiah, but also Jeremiah. Mt 16:14. Some have supposed, however, that this question has reference to the prediction of Moses in De 18:15.

(2) "that prophet" or, "a prophet"

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 21 Art thou Elias? - The scribes themselves had taught that Elijah was to come before the Messiah. See Mat 17:10; and this belief of theirs they supported by a literal construction of Mal 4:5. Art thou that prophet? - the prophet spoken of by Moses, Deu 18:15, Deu 18:18. This text they had also misunderstood: for the prophet or teacher promised by Moses was no other than the Messiah himself. See Act 3:22. But the Jews had a tradition that Jeremiah was to return to life, and restore the pot of manna, the ark of the covenant, etc., which he had hidden that the Babylonians might not get them. Besides this, they had a general expectation that all the prophets should come to life in the days of the Messiah. I am not - I am not the prophet which you expect, nor Elijah: though he was the Elijah that was to come; for in the spirit and power of that eminent prophet he came, proclaiming the necessity of reformation in Israel. See Mat 11:14; Mat 17:10-13.

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…

Read the full comment on John 1:19-28 →

John 1:21 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
ἠρώτησανērōtēsanthey askedG2065
αὐτόν·autonhim;G846
τίtiWhatG5101
οὖν;ounthen?G3767
σὺsuYou yourselfG4771
ἨλίαςĒliasElijahG2243
εἶ;eiareG1510
καὶkaiAndG2532
λέγει·legeihe says;G3004
οὐκoukNotG3756
εἰμί.eimiI am.G1510
ὁhoTheG3588
προφήτηςprophētēsprophetG4396
εἶeiareG1510
σύ;suyou yourself?G4771
καὶkaiAndG2532
ἀπεκρίθη·apekrithēhe answered;G611
οὔ.ouNo.G3756

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

Cross references for John 1:21

  • Deuteronomy 18:15-18

    The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken; According to all that thou desiredst of the Lord thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not. And the Lord said unto me, They have well spoken that which they have spoken. I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.

  • Malachi 4:5

    Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord:

  • Matthew 11:14

    And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come.

  • John 1:25

    And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet?

  • Matthew 17:10-12

    And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come? And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things. But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them.

  • Matthew 16:14

    And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.

  • Luke 1:17

    And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

  • Matthew 11:9-11

    But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet. For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

  • John 7:40

    Many of the people therefore, when they heard this saying, said, Of a truth this is the Prophet.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Art thou Elias.
Mal 4:5; Mt 11:14; 17:10-12; Lu 1:17
Art thou that. or, Art thou a.
25; 7:40; De 18:15-18; Mt 11:9-11; 16:14

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

Context

  • John 1:20

    And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ.

  • John 1:21

    And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No.

  • John 1:22

    Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself?

Read all of John 1

John 1:21 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y le preguntaron: ¿Qué pues? ¿Eres tú Elías? Dijo: No soy. ¿Eres tú el profeta? Y respondió: No.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et ils lui demandèrent: Quoi donc? Es-tu Élie? Et il dit: Je ne le suis pas. Es-tu le prophète? Et il répondit: Non.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und sie fragten ihn: Was denn? Bist du Elias? Und er sagt: Ich bins nicht. Bist du der Prophet? Und er antwortete: Nein.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et interrogaverunt eum: Quid ergo? Elias es tu? Et dixit: Non sum. Propheta es tu? Et respondit: Non.