John 1 · Verse 6

John 1:6

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
John 1:6, King James Version

John 1:6 in other translations

BSBThere came a man who was sent from God. His name was John.
WEBThere came a man sent from God, whose name was John.
ASVThere came a man, sent from God, whose name was John.
YLTThere came a man--having been sent from God--whose name is John,
DARBYThere was a man sent from God, his name John.
BBEThere was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
WebsterThere was a man sent from God, whose name was John.

What does John 1:6 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on John 1:6-9
6-9. The Evangelist here approaches his grand thesis, so paving his way for the full statement of it in Joh 1:14, that we may be able to bear the bright light of it, and take in its length and breadth and depth and height.

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

Barnes' Notes
Verse 6. A man sent from God. See Matthew, Chapter 3. The evangelist proceeds now to show that John the Baptist was not the Messiah, and to state the true nature of his office. Many had supposed that he was the Christ, but this opinion he corrects; yet he admits that he was sent from God--that he was divinely commissioned. Though he denied that he was the Messiah, yet he did not deny that he was sent from or by heaven on an important errand to men. Some have supposed that the sole design of this gospel was to show that John the Baptist was not the Messiah. Though there is no foundation for this opinion, yet there is no doubt that one object was to show this. The main design was to show that Jesus was the Christ, Jn 20:31. To do this, it was proper, in the beginning, to prove that John was not the Messiah; and this might have been at that time an important object. John made many disciples, Mt 3:5. Many persons supposed that he might be the Messiah, Lk 3:15, Jn 1:19. Many of these disciples of John remained AT EPHESUS, the very place where John is supposed to have written this gospel, long after the ascension of Jesus, Acts 19:1-3. It is not improbable that there might have been many others who adhered to John, and perhaps many who supposed that he was the Messiah. On these accounts it was important for the evangelist to show that John was not the Christ, and to show, also, that he, who was extensively admitted to be a prophet, was an important witness to prove that Jesus of Nazareth was the Christ. The evangelist in the first four verses stated that "the Word" was divine; he now proceeds to state the proof that he was a man, and was the Messiah. The first evidence adduced is the testimony of John the Baptist.

(k) "man sent from God" Lk 3:2,3

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 6 Whose name was John - This was John the Baptist; see his name and the nature of his office explained, Mar 1:4 (note), and Mat 3:1-3 (note).

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on John 1:6-14
John the Baptist came to bear witness concerning Jesus. Nothing more fully shows the darkness of men's minds, than that when the Light had appeared, there needed a witness to call attention to it. Christ was the true Light; that great Light which deserves to be called so. By his Spirit and grace he enlightens all that are enlightened to salvation; and those that are not enlightened by him, perish in darkness. Christ was in the world when he took our nature upon him, and dwelt among us. The Son of the Highest was here in this lower world. He was in the world, but not of it. He came to save a lost world, because it was a world of his own making. Yet the world knew him not. When he comes as a Judge, the world shall know him. Many say that they are Christ's own, yet do not receive him, because they will not part with their sins, nor have him to reign over them. All the children of God are born again. This new birth is through the word of God as the means, 1Pe 1:23, and by the Spirit of God as the Author. By his Divine presence Christ always was in the world. But now that the fulness of time was come, he was, after another manner, God manifested in the flesh. But observe the beams of his Divine glory, which darted through this veil of flesh. Men discover their weaknesses to those most familiar with them, but it was not so with Christ; those most intimate with him saw most of his glory. Although he was in the form of a servant, as to outward circumstances, yet, in respect of graces, his form was like the Son of God His Divine glory appeared in the holiness of his doctrine, and in his miracles. He was full of grace, fully acceptable to his Father, therefore qualified to plead for us; and full of truth, fully aware of the things he was to reveal.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

John 1:6 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.

ἘγένετοEgenetoThere cameG1096
ἄνθρωποςanthrōposa manG444
ἀπεσταλμένοςapestalmenossentG649
παρὰparafromG3844
θεοῦ,theouGod,G2316
ὄνομαonoma[the] nameG3686
αὐτῷautōto HimG846
Ἰωάννης.Iōannēs[was] John.G2491

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

Cross references for John 1:6

  • Malachi 3:1

    Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts.

  • John 3:28

    Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him.

  • Isaiah 40:3-5

    The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain: And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.

  • 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.

  • Acts 13:24

    When John had first preached before his coming the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.

  • Luke 1:76

    And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways;

  • Matthew 3:1-11

    In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. And the same John had his raiment of camel’s hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey. …

  • Mark 1:1-8

    The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God; As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. …

  • Matthew 11:10

    For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.

  • Malachi 4:5-6

    Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord: And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.

  • Luke 1:13

    But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.

  • Luke 3:2-20

    Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins; As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth; …

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
A.M. 3999. B.C. 5. a man.
33; 3:28; Isa 40:3-5; Mal 3:1; 4:5,6; Mt 3:1-11; 11:10; 21:25
Mr 1:1-8; Lu 1:15-17,76; 3:2-20; Ac 13:24
John.
Lu 1:13,61-63

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

Context

  • John 1:5

    And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

  • John 1:6

    There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.

  • John 1:7

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

Read all of John 1

John 1:6 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Fué un hombre enviado de Dios, el cual se llamaba Juan.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Il y eut un homme envoyé de Dieu; son nom était Jean.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Da war ein Mensch, von Gott gesandt, sein Name Johannes.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Fuit homo missus a Deo, cui nomen erat Joannes.