John 4 · Verse 2

John 4:2

(Though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples,)
John 4:2, King James Version

John 4:2 in other translations

BSB(although it was not Jesus who baptized, but His disciples),
WEB(although Jesus himself didn’t baptize, but his disciples),
ASV(although Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples),
YLT(though indeed Jesus himself was not baptizing, but his disciples,)
DARBY(however, Jesus himself did not baptise, but his disciples),
BBE(Though, in fact, it was his disciples who gave baptism, not Jesus himself),
Webster(Though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples,)

What does John 4:2 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on John 4:1-4

Joh 4:1-42. Christ and the Woman of Samaria--The Samaritans of Sychar. 1-4. the Lord knew--not by report, but in the sense of Joh 2:25, for which reason He is here styled "the Lord."

Read the full comment on John 4:1-4 →

Barnes' Notes
Verse 2. Though Jesus himself baptized not. The reason why Jesus did not baptize was probably because, if he had baptized, it might have made unhappy divisions among his followers: those might have considered themselves most worthy or honoured who had been baptized by him. Comp. 1Cor 1:17.

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 2 Jesus himself baptized not - See Joh 3:22.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on John 4:1-3

Jesus applied himself more to preaching, which was the more excellent, 1Co 1:17, than to baptism. He would put honour upon his disciples, by employing them to baptize. He teaches us that the benefit of sacraments depends not on the hand that administers them.

Read the full comment on John 4:1-3 →

John 4:2 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.

καίτοιγεkaitoigeand certainly indeedG2532
ἸησοῦςIēsousJesusG2424
αὐτὸςautosHimselfG846
οὐκouknotG3756
ἐβάπτιζενebaptizenwas baptizingG907
ἀλλ᾽all᾽butG235
οἱhoitheG3588
μαθηταὶmathētaidisciplesG3101
αὐτοῦ,autouof HimG846

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

Cross references for John 4:2

  • 1 Corinthians 1:13-17

    Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul? I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius; Lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name. And I baptized also the household of Stephanas: besides, I know not whether I baptized any other. …

  • Acts 10:48

    And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Ac 10:48; 1Co 1:13-17

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

Context

  • John 4:1

    When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John,

  • John 4:2

    (Though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples,)

  • John 4:3

    He left Judea, and departed again into Galilee.

Read all of John 4

John 4:2 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		(Aunque Jesús no bautizaba, sino sus discípulos),
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		(toutefois Jésus lui-même ne baptisait pas, mais ses disciples),
German
Elberfelder 1871		,
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		(quamquam Jesus non baptizaret, sed discipuli ejus),