John 1 · Verse 25

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?
John 1:25, King James Version

John 1:25 in other translations

BSBasked him, “Why then do you baptize, if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”
WEBThey asked him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?”
ASVAnd they asked him, and said unto him, Why then baptizest thou, if thou art not the Christ, neither Elijah, neither the prophet?
YLTand they questioned him and said to him, ‘Why, then, dost thou baptize, if thou art not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?'
DARBYAnd they asked him and said to him, Why baptisest thou then, if thou art not the Christ, nor Elias, nor the prophet?
BBEAnd they put this question to him, saying, Why then are you giving baptism if you are not the Christ, or Elijah, or the prophet?
WebsterAnd they asked him, and said to him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou art not that Christ, nor Elijah, neither that prophet?

What does John 1:25 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
25. Why baptizest thou, if not, &c.--Thinking he disclaimed any special connection with Messiah's kingdom, they demand his right to gather disciples by baptism.

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

Barnes' Notes
Verse 25. Why baptizest thou then, &c. Baptism on receiving a proselyte from heathenism was common before the time of John, but it was not customary to baptize a Jew. John had changed the custom. He baptized all, and they were desirous of knowing by what authority he made such a change in the religious customs of the nation. They presumed, from the fact that he introduced that change, that he claimed to be a prophet or the Christ. They supposed that no one would attempt it without pretending, at least, authority from heaven. As he disclaimed the character of Christ and of the prophet Elijah, they asked whence he derived his authority. As he had just before applied to himself a prediction that they all considered as belonging to the forerunner of Christ, they might have understood why he did it; but they were blind, and manifested, as all sinners do, a remarkable slowness in understanding the plainest truths in religion.

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 25 Why baptizest thou then? - Baptism was a very common ceremony among the Jews, who never received a proselyte into the full enjoyment of a Jew's privileges, till he was both baptized and circumcised. But such baptisms were never performed except by an ordinance of the Sanhedrin, or in the presence of three magistrates: besides, they never baptized any Jew or Jewess, nor even those who were the children of their proselytes; for, as all these were considered as born in the covenant, they had no need of baptism, which was used only as an introductory rite. Now, as John had, in this respect, altered the common custom so very essentially, admitting to his baptism the Jews in general, the Sanhedrin took it for granted that no man had authority to make such changes, unless especially commissioned from on high; and that only the prophet, or Elijah, or the Messiah himself; could have authority to act as John did. See the observations at the conclusion of Mark.

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 1:25 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
αὐτὸνautonhimG846
καὶkaiandG2532
εἶπανeipanthey saidG2036
αὐτῷ·autōto him;G846
τίtiWhyG5101
οὖνounthenG3767
βαπτίζειςbaptizeisbaptize youG907
εἰeiifG1487
σὺsuyou yourselfG4771
οὐκouknotG3756
εἶeiareG1510
ὁhotheG3588
χριστὸςchristosChristG5547
οὐδὲoudenorG3761
ἨλίαςĒliasElijahG2243
οὐδὲoudenorG3761
ὁhotheG3588
προφήτης;prophētēsprophet?G4396

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

Cross references for John 1:25

  • Deuteronomy 18:18

    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.

  • Deuteronomy 18:15

    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;

  • John 1:20-22

    And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ. And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No. Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself?

  • Acts 5:28

    Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.

  • Matthew 21:23

    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?

  • Acts 4:5-7

    And it came to pass on the morrow, that their rulers, and elders, and scribes, And Annas the high priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem. And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, By what power, or by what name, have ye done this?

  • Daniel 9:24-26

    Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy. Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Why.
Mt 21:23; Ac 4:5-7; 5:28
that Christ.
20-22; Da 9:24-26

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

Context

  • John 1:24

    And they which were sent were of the Pharisees.

  • 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?

  • John 1:26

    John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not;

Read all of John 1

John 1:25 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y preguntáronle, y dijéronle: ¿Por qué pues bautizas, si tú no eres el Cristo, ni Elías, ni el profeta?
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et ils l’interrogèrent et lui dirent: Pourquoi donc baptises-tu, si tu n’es ni le Christ, ni Élie, ni le prophète?
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und sie fragten ihn und sprachen zu ihm: Was taufst du denn, wenn du nicht der Christus bist, noch Elias, noch der Prophet?
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et interrogaverunt eum, et dixerunt ei: Quid ergo baptizas, si tu non es Christus, neque Elias, neque propheta?