YHN 3:28 Interlinear View

1. Greek word
2. Greek lemma
3. OET-LV words
4. OET-RV words
5. Strongs
6. Role/Morphology
7. OET Gloss
8. VLT Gloss
9. CAPS codes
10. Confidence
11. OET tags
12. OET word #
1. Αὐτοί
2. autos
3. Yourselves
4. -
5. 8460
6. R···2NMP
7. yourselves
8. yourselves
9. S
10. Y30; TJohn_the_Baptist_Witnesses
11. 64431
1. ὑμεῖς
2. su
3. you all
4. -
5. 47710
6. R···2N·P
7. you_all
8. you_all
9. -
10. Y30; TJohn_the_Baptist_Witnesses; R64370
11. 64432
1. μοί
2. egō
3. to me
4. -
5. 14730
6. R···1D·S
7. ˱to˲ me
8. ˱to˲ me
9. -
10. Y30; TJohn_the_Baptist_Witnesses
11. 64433
1. μαρτυρεῖτε
2. martureō
3. are testifying
4. -
5. 31400
6. VIPA2··P
7. ˓are˒ testifying
8. ˓are˒ testifying
9. -
10. Y30; TJohn_the_Baptist_Witnesses
11. 64434
1. ὅτι
2. hoti
3. that
4. -
5. 37540
6. C·······
7. that
8. that
9. -
10. Y30; TJohn_the_Baptist_Witnesses
11. 64435
1. εἶπον
2. legō
3. I said
4. said
5. 30040
6. VIAA1··S
7. ˱I˲ said
8. ˱I˲ said
9. -
10. Y30; TJohn_the_Baptist_Witnesses; R64409
11. 64436
1. ἐγώ
2. egō
3. -
4. -
5. 14730
6. R···1N·S
7. I
8. I
9. -
10. -
11. 64437
1. ὅτι
2. hoti
3. -
4. -
5. 37540
6. C·······
7. that
8. that
9. -
10. -
11. 64438
1. οὐκ
2. ou
3. not
4. -
5. 37560
6. D·······
7. not
8. not
9. -
10. Y30; TJohn_the_Baptist_Witnesses
11. 64439
1. εἰμί
2. eimi
3. am
4. -
5. 15100
6. VIPA1··S
7. am
8. am
9. -
10. Y30; TJohn_the_Baptist_Witnesses
11. 64440
1. Ἐγώ
2. egō
3. I
4. -
5. 14730
6. R···1N·S
7. I
8. I
9. D
10. Y30; TJohn_the_Baptist_Witnesses
11. 64441
1. ὁ
2. ho
3. the
4. -
5. 35880
6. E····NMS
7. the
8. the
9. -
10. Y30; TJohn_the_Baptist_Witnesses
11. 64442
1. Χριστός
2. χristos
3. chosen one messiah
4. messiah
5. 55470
6. N····NMS
7. chosen_one/messiah
8. Messiah
9. WN
10. Y30; TJohn_the_Baptist_Witnesses; Person=Jesus
11. 64443
1. ἀλλʼ
2. alla
3. but
4. but
5. 2350
6. C·······
7. but
8. but
9. -
10. Y30; TJohn_the_Baptist_Witnesses
11. 64444
1. ὅτι
2. hoti
3. that
4. -
5. 37540
6. C·······
7. ¬that
8. ¬that
9. -
10. Y30; TJohn_the_Baptist_Witnesses
11. 64445
1. Ἀπεσταλμένος
2. apostellō
3. Having been sent out
4. -
5. 6490
6. VPEP·NMS
7. ˓having_been˒ sent_out
8. ˓having_been˒ sent_out
9. D
10. Y30; TJohn_the_Baptist_Witnesses; R64409
11. 64446
1. εἰμί
2. eimi
3. I am
4. -
5. 15100
6. VIPA1··S
7. ˱I˲ am
8. ˱I˲ am
9. -
10. Y30; TJohn_the_Baptist_Witnesses
11. 64447
1. ἔμπροσθεν
2. emprosthen
3. before
4. before
5. 17150
6. P·······
7. before
8. before
9. -
10. Y30; TJohn_the_Baptist_Witnesses
11. 64448
1. ἐκείνου
2. ekeinos
3. that one
4. -
5. 15650
6. R····GMS
7. that ‹one›
8. that ‹one›
9. -
10. Y30; TJohn_the_Baptist_Witnesses
11. 64449

SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 3:22–30: John the Baptist told his disciples that Jesus was greater than him

John’s disciples had an argument with another Jew. They argued about whether John’s baptism or Jesus’ baptism was better. John told his disciples that he was just there to tell people that Jesus was the Savior. So Jesus should get more followers. Jesus was superior to him.

Here are some other possible section headings:

Jesus was more important than John the Baptist

John the Baptist told the truth that he knew about Jesus

Paragraph 3:27–30

John declared that he was not the Messiah. The Messiah, he said, was much more important than he was.

3:28a

You yourselves can testify that I said,

You personally have heard me say that
You^(plur) know that I told you^(plur) that

You yourselves can testify that I said: The phrase You yourselves is an emphasized way of referring to John’s listeners. They had actually heard what he had said earlier. For example:

You personally know how clearly I said this

You yourselves heard me say (NCV)

You…can testify: The Greek clause that the BSB translates as You…can testify here indicates that John’s listeners personally heard what John said. They were present when it happened. So they could tell others what they heard. And they could be trusted as reliable, as people others could depend on.

Here are other ways to translate this clause:

You…heard me say (NCV)

You…can tell what you heard

that I said: John was referring to what he said in 1:20b. The verb said introduces a direct quotation. For examples of how to translate this as an indirect quotation, see the General Comment following 3:28b. In some languages it is more natural to tell whom John was talking to. For example:

that I said to them

how I told you (CEV)

3:28b

‘I am not the Christ,

I am not the Messiah/Christ.
it is not I who am the Messiah, the Anointed/Appointed One.
I am not the Promised Savior.

I am not the Christ: The Greek text here has a little more emphasis than in 1:20b. Try to translate this in a strong and clear way. For example:

I am definitely not the Messiah/Christ.

the Christ: The Greek phrase that the BSB translates literally as the Christ can also be translated as “the Messiah.” The phrase is used as a title. The Jews used this title to refer to the person whom God had appointed and promised to send as King and Savior. The title Christ is the Greek translation of the Hebrew word “Messiah,” and the two words have the same meaning. Refer to your translation of the Christ in 1:20b and see KBT Christ, Messiah.

General Comment on 3:28a–b

In some languages it may be natural to reverse the order of 3:28a and b. For example:

^28bI am not the Messiah, ^28aas you yourselves have heard me say.

3:28c

but am sent ahead of Him.’

I am the one who has been sent to go in front of him. (NJB)
Rather, God sent me to tell others about him before he came.

but am sent ahead of Him: This clause indicates that God had sent John before Jesus the Messiah. God sent John ahead so that John could prepare people for the Messiah. The clause implies that John’s ministry is not as important as that of the Messiah himself. So some translations supply the word “only.” For example:

I am only here to prepare the way for him. (NLT)

I am only the one sent ahead of him. (CEV)

but: The conjunction but expresses contrast. Although John was not the Messiah, God had sent him before the Messiah to prepare for his coming.

am sent: The verb am sent is passive. It implies that God sent John. There are at least two ways to translate it:

Use a passive verb. For example:
I have been sent (NRSV)
Use an active verb. For example:
but God has sent me here

ahead of Him: This phrase means “before the Christ,” that is, preparing people to hear what the Messiah would say. For example:

to prepare people for the coming of the Christ/Messiah

General Comment on 3:28a–c

This verse contains a quotation inside another quotation. John quoted his own earlier words. In some languages it may be natural to use an indirect quotation here. For example:

You personally heard me say that I am not the Messiah but just the one God sent to announce his coming.

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / you

αὐτοὶ ὑμεῖς

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Αὐτοί ὑμεῖς μοί μαρτυρεῖτε ὅτι εἶπον οὐκ εἰμί Ἐγώ ὁ Χριστός ἀλλʼ ὅτι Ἀπεσταλμένος εἰμί ἔμπροσθεν ἐκείνου)

Here, You is plural and refers to all the people to whom John the Baptist is talking. Alternate translation: [You all] or [All of you]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / quotesinquotes

ὅτι εἶπον, οὐκ εἰμὶ ἐγὼ ὁ Χριστός, ἀλλ’, ὅτι ἀπεσταλμένος εἰμὶ ἔμπροσθεν ἐκείνου

that ˱I˲_said not ¬that (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Αὐτοί ὑμεῖς μοί μαρτυρεῖτε ὅτι εἶπον οὐκ εἰμί Ἐγώ ὁ Χριστός ἀλλʼ ὅτι Ἀπεσταλμένος εἰμί ἔμπροσθεν ἐκείνου)

If it would be helpful in your language, you could translate this so that there is not a quotation within a quotation. Alternate translation: [that I said that I am not the Christ but that I have been sent before that one]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

ἀπεσταλμένος εἰμὶ ἔμπροσθεν ἐκείνου

If your language does not use the passive form in this way, you can state this in active form or in another way that is natural in your language. Alternate translation: [God sent me before that one]

Note 4 topic: writing-pronouns

ἐκείνου

that_‹one›

Here, that one refers to Jesus, whom John has called “the Christ” in the previous clause. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state this explicitly. Alternate translation: [Jesus] or [the Christ]

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)

1. OET-LV words
2. OET-RV words
3. Strongs
4. Greek word
5. Greek lemma
6. Role/Morphology
7. OET Gloss
8. VLT Gloss
9. CAPS codes
10. Confidence
11. OET tags
12. OET word #
1. Yourselves
2. -
3. 8460
4. S
5. autos
6. R-···2NMP
7. yourselves
8. yourselves
9. S
10. Y30; TJohn_the_Baptist_Witnesses
11. 64431
1. you all
2. -
3. 47710
5. su
6. R-···2N·P
7. you_all
8. you_all
9. -
10. Y30; TJohn_the_Baptist_Witnesses; R64370
11. 64432
1. are testifying
2. -
3. 31400
5. martureō
6. V-IPA2··P
7. ˓are˒ testifying
8. ˓are˒ testifying
9. -
10. Y30; TJohn_the_Baptist_Witnesses
11. 64434
1. to me
2. -
3. 14730
5. egō
6. R-···1D·S
7. ˱to˲ me
8. ˱to˲ me
9. -
10. Y30; TJohn_the_Baptist_Witnesses
11. 64433
1. that
2. -
3. 37540
5. hoti
6. C-·······
7. that
8. that
9. -
10. Y30; TJohn_the_Baptist_Witnesses
11. 64435
1. I said
2. said
3. 30040
5. legō
6. V-IAA1··S
7. ˱I˲ said
8. ˱I˲ said
9. -
10. Y30; TJohn_the_Baptist_Witnesses; R64409
11. 64436
1. I
2. -
3. 14730
4. D
5. egō
6. R-···1N·S
7. I
8. I
9. D
10. Y30; TJohn_the_Baptist_Witnesses
11. 64441
1. am
2. -
3. 15100
5. eimi
6. V-IPA1··S
7. am
8. am
9. -
10. Y30; TJohn_the_Baptist_Witnesses
11. 64440
1. not
2. -
3. 37560
5. ou
6. D-·······
7. not
8. not
9. -
10. Y30; TJohn_the_Baptist_Witnesses
11. 64439
1. the
2. -
3. 35880
5. ho
6. E-····NMS
7. the
8. the
9. -
10. Y30; TJohn_the_Baptist_Witnesses
11. 64442
1. chosen one messiah
2. messiah
3. 55470
4. WN
5. χristos
6. N-····NMS
7. chosen_one/messiah
8. Messiah
9. WN
10. Y30; TJohn_the_Baptist_Witnesses; Person=Jesus
11. 64443
1. but
2. but
3. 2350
5. alla
6. C-·······
7. but
8. but
9. -
10. Y30; TJohn_the_Baptist_Witnesses
11. 64444
1. that
2. -
3. 37540
5. hoti
6. C-·······
7. ¬that
8. ¬that
9. -
10. Y30; TJohn_the_Baptist_Witnesses
11. 64445
1. Having been sent out
2. -
3. 6490
4. D
5. apostellō
6. V-PEP·NMS
7. ˓having_been˒ sent_out
8. ˓having_been˒ sent_out
9. D
10. Y30; TJohn_the_Baptist_Witnesses; R64409
11. 64446
1. I am
2. -
3. 15100
5. eimi
6. V-IPA1··S
7. ˱I˲ am
8. ˱I˲ am
9. -
10. Y30; TJohn_the_Baptist_Witnesses
11. 64447
1. before
2. before
3. 17150
5. emprosthen
6. P-·······
7. before
8. before
9. -
10. Y30; TJohn_the_Baptist_Witnesses
11. 64448
1. that one
2. -
3. 15650
5. ekeinos
6. R-····GMS
7. that ‹one›
8. that ‹one›
9. -
10. Y30; TJohn_the_Baptist_Witnesses
11. 64449

Note: The OET-RV is still only a first draft, and so far only a few words have been (mostly automatically) matched to the Hebrew or Greek words that they’re translated from.

Acknowledgements: The SR Greek text, lemmas, morphology, and VLT gloss are all thanks to the CNTR.

OET interlinear YHN (JHN) 3:28

SR Greek word order (including unused variant words in grey)