John 1 · Verse 32

John 1:32

And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.
John 1:32, King James Version

John 1:32 in other translations

BSBThen John testified, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove and resting on Him.
WEBJohn testified, saying, “I have seen the Spirit descending like a dove out of heaven, and it remained on him.
ASVAnd John bare witness, saying, I have beheld the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven; and it abode upon him.
YLTAnd John testified, saying--‘I have seen the Spirit coming down, as a dove, out of heaven, and it remained on him;
DARBYAnd John bore witness, saying, I beheld the Spirit descending as a dove from heaven, and it abode upon him.
BBEAnd John gave this witness, saying, I saw the Spirit coming down from heaven like a dove and resting on him.
WebsterAnd John bore testimony, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.

What does John 1:32 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on John 1:31-34

31-34. knew him not--Living mostly apart, the one at Nazareth, the other in the Judean desert--to prevent all appearance of collusion, John only knew that at a definite time after his own call, his Master would show Himself. As He drew near for baptism one day, the last of all the crowd, the spirit of the Baptist heaving under a divine presentiment that the moment had at length arrived, and an air of unwonted…

Read the full comment on John 1:31-34 →

Barnes' Notes
Verse 32. Bare record. Gave testimony.

I saw the Spirit, &c. Mt 3:16,17

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 32 I saw the Spirit descending, etc. - See the notes on Mat 3:16, Mat 3:17.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on John 1:29-36

John saw Jesus coming to him, and pointed him out as the Lamb of God. The paschal lamb, in the shedding and sprinkling of its blood, the roasting and eating of its flesh, and all the other circumstances of the ordinance, represented the salvation of sinners by faith in Christ. And the lambs sacrificed every morning and evening, can only refer to Christ slain as a sacrifice to redeem us to God by his blood. John came…

Read the full comment on John 1:29-36 →

John 1:32 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
ἐμαρτύρησενemarturēsenbore witnessG3140
ἸωάννηςIōannēsJohnG2491
λέγωνlegōnsayingG3004
ὅτιhotithatG3754
τεθέαμαιtetheamaiI have beheldG2300
τὸtotheG3588
πνεῦμαpneumaSpiritG4151
καταβαῖνονkatabainondescendingG2597
ὡςhōsasG5613
περιστερὰνperisterana doveG4058
ἐξexout ofG1537
οὐρανοῦ,ouranouheaven,G3772
καὶkaiandG2532
ἔμεινενemeinenit remainedG3306
ἐπ᾽ep᾽uponG1909
αὐτόν.autonHim.G846

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

Cross references for John 1:32

  • Luke 3:22

    And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.

  • Mark 1:10

    And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him:

  • Matthew 3:16

    And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:

  • John 1:7

    The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.

  • John 5:32

    There is another that beareth witness of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
I saw.
5:32; Mt 3:16; Mr 1:10; Lu 3:22

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

Context

  • John 1:31

    And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.

  • John 1:32

    And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.

  • John 1:33

    And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.

Read all of John 1

John 1:32 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y Juan dió testimonio, diciendo: Vi al Espíritu que descendía del cielo como paloma, y reposó sobre él.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et Jean rendit témoignage, disant: J’ai vu l’Esprit descendant du ciel comme une colombe, et il demeura sur lui.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und Johannes zeugte und sprach: Ich schaute den Geist wie eine Taube aus dem Himmel herniederfahren, und er blieb auf ihm.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et testimonium perhibuit Joannes, dicens: Quia vidi Spiritum descendentem quasi columbam de cælo, et mansit super eum.