YHN 1:19 Parallel Verse View

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Text critical issues=small word differences Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

OET (OET-RV) Yohan explained some of this when the Jewish leaders sent out priests and temple workers from Yerushalem to ask him, “Who are you?”

Key: khaki:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject, orange:accusative/object, pink:genitive/possessor.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

ULT And this is the testimony of John when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem so that they might ask him, “Who are you?”

UST This is what John the Baptizer testified when the Jewish leaders sent some priests and Levites from the city of Jerusalem in order to ask him, “Who are you?”

BLB And this is the testimony of John when the Jews sent to him priests and Levites from Jerusalem, that they might ask him, "Who are you?"

AICNT And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent [to him][fn] from Jerusalem priests and Levites to ask him, “Who are you?”

1:19, to him: B(03) C(04) Latin(a b) NA28[ ] THGNT ‖ Absent from some manuscripts. P66 P75 ℵ(01) A(02) Latin(e ff² ) BYZ TR SBLGNT.

OEB When the religious authorities in Jerusalem sent some Priests and Levites to ask John – ‘Who are you?’,

LSB And this is the witness of John, when the Jews sent to him priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?”

WEBBE This is John’s testimony, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?”

WMBB This is Yochanan’s testimony, when the Judeans sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?”

NET Now this was John’s testimony when the Jewish leaders sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?”

LSV And this is the testimony of John when the Jews sent priests and Levites out of Jerusalem, that they might question him, “Who are you?”

FBV This is what John publicly stated when the Jewish leaders sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?”

TCNT This was the testimony of John when the Jews [fn]sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are yoʋ?”

1:19 sent ¦ sent to him NA TH WH

T4T The Jewish leaders [SYN] in Jerusalem city sent some Jewish priests and ◄Levites/men who worked in the temple► to where John was, to ask him some questions. They said to him, “What do you claim about yourself?”

LEB ¶ And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent[fn] priests and Levites from Jerusalem so that they could ask him, “Who are you?”

1:19 Some manuscripts have “sent to him”

BBE And this is the witness of John when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to him with the question, Who are you?

Moff Now here is John's testimony. When the Jews of Jerusalem despatched priests and Levites to ask him, "Who are you?"

Wymth This also is John's testimony, when the Jews sent to him a deputation of Priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him who he was.

ASV And this is the witness of John, when the Jews sent unto him from Jerusalem priests and Levites to ask him, Who art thou?

DRA And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent from Jerusalem priests and Levites to him, to ask him: Who art thou?

YLT And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent out of Jerusalem priests and Levites, that they might question him, 'Who art thou?'

Drby And this is the witness of John, when the Jews sent from Jerusalem priests and Levites that they might ask him, Thou, who art thou?

RV And this is the witness of John, when the Jews sent unto him from Jerusalem priests and Levites to ask him, Who art thou?
(And this is the witness of John, when the Jews sent unto him from Yerusalem priests and Levites to ask him, Who art thou? )

SLT And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem that they might ask him, Who art thou?

Wbstr And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem, to ask him, Who art thou?

KJB-1769 ¶ And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou?
(¶ And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Yerusalem to ask him, Who art thou? )

KJB-1611 ¶ And this is the record of Iohn, when the Iewes sent Priests and Leuites from Hierusalem, to aske him, Who art thou?
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from capitalisation and punctuation)

Bshps And this is the recorde of Iohn: When the Iewes sent priestes and leuites from Hierusalem, to aske hym: What art thou?
(And this is the record of Yohn: When the Yews sent priests and levites from Yerusalem, to ask him: What art thou?)

Gnva Then this is the record of Iohn, when the Iewes sent Priestes and Leuites from Hierusalem, to aske him, Who art thou?
(Then this is the record of Yohn, when the Yews sent Priests and Levites from Yerusalem, to ask him, Who art thou? )

Cvdl And this is the recorde of Ihon, whan the Iewes sent prestes and Leuites fro Ierusalem, to axe him: Who art thou?
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from punctuation)

TNT And this is the recorde of Iohn: When the Iewes sent Prestes and Levites from Ierusalem to axe him what arte thou?
(And this is the record of Yohn: When the Yews sent Priests and Levites from Yerusalem to ask him what art thou? )

Wycl And this is the witnessyng of Joon, whanne Jewis senten fro Jerusalem prestis and dekenes to hym, that thei schulden axe hym, Who art thou?
(And this is the witnessing of Yohn, when Yews sent from Yerusalem priests and deacons to him, that they should axe him, Who art thou?)

Luth Und dies ist das Zeugnis Johannes, da die Juden sandten von Jerusalem Priester und Leviten, daß sie ihn fragten: Wer bist du?
(And this/these is the transcript Yohannes, there the Yews sent from Yerusalem priest(s) and Levites, that they/she/them him/it asked: Who are you(sg)?)

ClVg Et hoc est testimonium Joannis, quando miserunt Judæi ab Jerosolymis sacerdotes et Levitas ad eum ut interrogarent eum: Tu quis es?[fn]
(And this it_is testimony Yoannis, when they_sent Jews away Yerosolymis priests and Levitas to him as to_asknt him: You(sg) who/any you_are? )

1.19 Et hoc. Et hæc et cætera sequentia testimonia Joannis, exhibita sunt post baptizatum Christum, cum jam Jesus veniret invitare discipulos, quos Joannes suis testimoniis mittit ad eum. Testimonium contra hoc, quod occultus Christus: occultus quia humilis: humilis ut possit sperni et occidi, ut redimeret mundum. Tu quis es. Putabant Judæi Joannem esse Christum, qui in lege promittebatur. Alii putabant eum esse Eliam, propter nimiam abstinentiam et castitatem, et solitariam vitam, et asperrimam delictorum reprehensionem, et durissimum futuræ vindictæ terrorem. Alii dicebant eum esse unum de prophetis resuscitatum, propter prophetiæ gratiam.

1.19 And hoc. And these_things and the_rest following evidence Yoannis, exhibita are after baptizatum Christ/Messiah, when/with already Yesus would_come invitare disciples, which Yoannes to_his_own testimonys sends to him. Testimony on_the_contrary hoc, that occultus Christ/Messiah: occultus because humble: humble as can sperni and occidi, as to_redeemt the_world. You(sg) who/any you_are. Putabant Jews Yoannem to_be Christ/Messiah, who/which in/into/on lawfully promittebatur. Others they_thought him to_be Eliam, because too_much abstinentiam and castitatem, and solitude life, and asperrimam I_sinrum reprehensionem, and durissimum future revenge terror. Others they_said him to_be one from/about prophets resuscitatum, because prophecies grace.

UGNT καὶ αὕτη ἐστὶν ἡ μαρτυρία τοῦ Ἰωάννου, ὅτε ἀπέστειλαν οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι ἐξ Ἱεροσολύμων ἱερεῖς καὶ Λευείτας, ἵνα ἐρωτήσωσιν αὐτόν, σὺ τίς εἶ?
(kai hautaʸ estin haʸ marturia tou Yōannou, hote apesteilan hoi Youdaioi ex Hierosolumōn hiereis kai Leueitas, hina erōtaʸsōsin auton, su tis ei?)

SBL-GNT Καὶ αὕτη ἐστὶν ἡ μαρτυρία τοῦ Ἰωάννου ὅτε ⸀ἀπέστειλαν οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι ἐξ Ἱεροσολύμων ἱερεῖς καὶ Λευίτας ἵνα ἐρωτήσωσιν αὐτόν· Σὺ τίς εἶ;
(Kai hautaʸ estin haʸ marturia tou Yōannou hote ⸀apesteilan hoi Youdaioi ex Hierosolumōn hiereis kai Leuitas hina erōtaʸsōsin auton; Su tis ei;)

RP-GNT Καὶ αὕτη ἐστὶν ἡ μαρτυρία τοῦ Ἰωάννου, ὅτε ἀπέστειλαν οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι ἐξ Ἱεροσολύμων ἱερεῖς καὶ Λευΐτας ἵνα ἐρωτήσωσιν αὐτόν, Σὺ τίς εἶ;
(Kai hautaʸ estin haʸ marturia tou Yōannou, hote apesteilan hoi Youdaioi ex Hierosolumōn hiereis kai Leuitas hina erōtaʸsōsin auton, Su tis ei;)

TC-GNT Καὶ αὕτη ἐστὶν ἡ μαρτυρία τοῦ [fn]Ἰωάννου, ὅτε [fn]ἀπέστειλαν οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι ἐξ Ἱεροσολύμων ἱερεῖς καὶ [fn]Λευΐτας ἵνα ἐρωτήσωσιν αὐτόν, Σὺ τίς εἶ;
(Kai hautaʸ estin haʸ marturia tou Yōannou, hote apesteilan hoi Youdaioi ex Hierosolumōn hiereis kai Leuitas hina erōtaʸsōsin auton, Su tis ei; )

1:19 ιωαννου ¦ ιωανου WH

1:19 απεστειλαν ¦ απεστειλαν προς αυτον NA TH WH

1:19 λευιτας ¦ λευειτας TH WH

Key for above GNTs: yellow:punctuation differs, orange:accents differ, red:words differ (from our SR-GNT base).

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 1:19–28: John the Baptist said that he was not the Messiah

In this section John the Baptist told messengers from the Jewish leaders that he himself was not the Messiah. He had come to prepare people for the coming of someone else, someone much greater than he was. He was referring to Jesus.

Here are other possible section headings:

John the Baptist said that he prepared people for someone much greater than him

John the Baptist told about his mission

John the Baptist was not the Messiah

Paragraph 1:19–23

The Jewish religious leaders sent priests and Levites to John to ask him who he claimed to be. They believed that he had no right to baptize if God had not sent him. He told them that he was preparing people to believe in the Messiah, the Chosen One. He quoted from Isaiah the prophet about a voice shouting in the wilderness to describe himself.

1:19a

And this was John’s testimony

¶ This was what John said about what he witnessed
¶ Here is what John testified/answered

And: The Greek conjunction that the BSB translates as And introduces the next event in the story. In some languages it may be more natural not to translate it. You should introduce this new event in the story in a way that is natural in your language.

this was John’s testimony: The word this refers forward to the testimony John gave in 1:20, “I am not the Christ.” (The word testimony means a statement where you tell what you know.) See the General Comment after 1:20 for a possible way to reorder this information.

Here are other ways to translate this clause:

This was John’s answer (GW)

Here is the truth John told (NCV)

testimony: The Greek word that the BSB translates as testimony can also be translated as “statement about what one saw.” See the note on 1:7a, where the same word refers to a person, John the Baptist himself. Here it refers to John the Baptist’s message. In some languages it is more natural to use a verb phrase instead of a noun. For example:

John told what he witnessed, saying….

John declared the truth in this way:

1:19b

when the Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites

when the leaders of the Jewish nation sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem
when the religious leaders in Jerusalem sent priests and other Levites from there

when the Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites: The phrase the Jews here probably refers to the Jewish religious leaders. They lived and worked in the city of Jerusalem. In some languages it is more natural to make it explicit that these Jews were leaders based in Jerusalem. For example:

the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem sent priests and Levites (NIV)

The Jewish authorities in Jerusalem sent some priests and Levites (GNT)

The leaders in Jerusalem sent priests and temple helpers (CEV)

The priests and the Levites were probably from Jerusalem, in addition to the Jewish leaders. In your translation, you should indicate that they all lived in Jerusalem. Also indicate that the leaders sent a group of priests and Levites from Jerusalem to question John. John was not in Jerusalem, but in a desert where nobody lived.

priests: Jewish priests were men who served God in the temple in Jerusalem. They served as mediators between God and the Jewish people. They offered animal sacrifices to God for the people. The priests also did other religious rituals and were in charge of the ceremonies in the temple. Here are some other ways to translate priests:

sacrificers

men who offer sacrifices

men who are representatives of people to God

1:19c

to ask him, “Who are you?”

to John to ask, “Who are you^(sing)?”
to ask John who he was. (CEV)

to ask him, “Who are you?”: The pronouns him and you both refer to John the Baptist. The Jewish leaders wanted to know what his authority was; in other words, what right did he have to baptize people.

In some languages it may be better to use indirect speech for this question. For example:

to ask him who he was (NIV)

to ask John who he was (CEV)

Refer to the General Comment after 1:23 on indirect speech in 1:19–23.

Parallel YHN 1:19

Section 1:19–28: John the Baptist said that he was not the Messiah

Paragraph 1:19–23

1:19a

1:19b

1:19c