YHN 1:21 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) [ref]So they asked him again, “Are you Eliyah come back to life?”
¶ And he answered, “No, I’m not.”
¶ They asked, “Are you the prophet?”
¶ Again he answered, “No, I’m not.”

Key: khaki:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject, orange:accusative/object, red:negative.
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 they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” And he says, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.”

UST Then they asked him, “If that is so, then who are you? Are you Elijah?” He said, “No.” They asked again, “Are you the Prophet whom God said would come?” John answered, “No.”

BSB “Then who [are you]?” they inquired. “Are you Elijah?”
§ He said, “I am not.”
§ “Are you the Prophet?”
§ He answered, “No.”

MSB “Then who [are you]?” they inquired. “Are you Elijah?”
§ He said, “I am not.”
§ “Are you the Prophet?”
§ He answered, “No.”

BLB And they asked him, "What then? Are you Elijah?" And he says, "I am not." "Are you the prophet?" And he answered, "No."

AICNT And they asked him [[again]],[fn] “What then? [Are you][fn] Elijah?” [And][fn] He says, “I am not.” “[[What then,]][fn] Are you the prophet?” And {he answered, “No.”}[fn]

1:21, again: Some manuscripts include. ℵ(01) Latin(a b e ff² ) Syriac(sy^p)

1:21, are you: Absent from some manuscripts. ℵ(01) Latin(a)

1:21, And: Absent from some manuscripts. ℵ(01) Latin(a b)

1:21, What then: Some manuscripts include. Latin(a b ff² )

1:21, he answered, “No”: Some manuscripts read “he says, ‘I am not.’ ” Latin(e)

OEB ‘What then?’ they asked. ‘Are you Elijah?’
¶ ‘No,’ he said, ‘I am not.’
¶ ‘Are you “the prophet”?’ He answered, ‘No.’

LSB And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” And he said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.”

WEBBE They asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?”
¶ He said, “I am not.”
¶ “Are you the prophet?”
¶ He answered, “No.”

WMBB (Same as above)

NET So they asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not!” “Are you the Prophet?” He answered, “No!”

LSV And they questioned him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” And he says, “I am not.” “Are you the prophet?” And he answered, “No.”

FBV “So then, who are you?” they asked. “Elijah?”
¶ “No, I'm not,” he answered.
¶ “Are you the Prophet?”[fn]
¶ “No,” he replied.

1:21 In Jewish thought a special prophet was expected before the End.

TCNT So they asked him, “What then? Are yoʋ Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are yoʋ the Prophet?” He answered, “No.”

T4T Then they asked him, “Then what do you say about yourself? Are you the prophet Elijah that was prophesied to return {◄someone/another prophet► prophesied would return} before the Messiah?” He replied, “No, I am not.” Then they asked him, “Are you the prophet like Moses that ◄we are waiting for/God promised to send►?” He replied, “No.”

LEB And they asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?” And he said, “I am not!” “Are you the Prophet?”[fn] And he answered, “No!”

1:21 A reference to the “Prophet like Moses” of Deut 18:15 |link-href="None"(seeActs 3:22|link-href="None" )

BBE And they said to him, What then? Are you Elijah? And he said, I am not. Are you the prophet? And his answer was, I am not.

Moff They asked him, "Then what are you? Elijah?" He said, "I am not." "Are you the Prophet?" "No," he answered.

Wymth "What then?" they inquired; "are you Elijah?" "I am not," he said. "Are you the Prophet?" "No," he answered.

ASV And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elijah? And he saith, I am not. Art thou the prophet? And he answered, No.

DRA And they asked him: What then? Art thou Elias? And he said: I am not. Art thou the prophet? And he answered: No.

YLT And they questioned him, 'What then? Elijah art thou?' and he saith, 'I am not.' — 'The prophet art thou?' and he answered, 'No.'

Drby And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he says, I am not. Art thou the prophet? And he answered, No.

RV And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elijah? And he saith, I am not. Art thou the prophet? And he answered, No.
(And they asked him, What then? Art thou/you Elijah? And he saith/says, I am not. Art thou/you the prophet? And he answered, No. )

SLT And they asked, What then? Art thou Elias? And he says, I am not. Art thou a prophet? And he answered, No.

Wbstr And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elijah? and he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No.

KJB-1769 And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No.
(And they asked him, What then? Art thou/you Elias/Elijah? And he saith/says, I am not. Art thou/you that prophet? And he answered, No. )

KJB-1611 And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou [fn]that Prophet? And hee answered, No.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from capitalisation and footnotes)

1:21 Or, a Prophet.

Bshps And they asked hym: What then? art thou Elias? And he sayth, I am not. Art thou that prophete? And he aunswered, no.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from capitalisation and punctuation)

Gnva And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he said, I am not. Art thou that Prophet? And he answered, No.
(And they asked him, What then? Art thou/you Elias/Elijah? And he said, I am not. Art thou/you that Prophet? And he answered, No. )

Cvdl And they axed him: What the? Art thou Elias? He sayde: I am not. Art thou the Prophet? And he answered: No.
(And they asked him: What the? Art thou/you Elias/Elijah? He said: I am not. Art thou/you the Prophet? And he answered: No.)

TNT And they axed him: what then? arte thou Helyas? And he sayde: I am not. Arte thou a Prophete? And he answered no.
(And they asked him: what then? art thou/you Elias/Elijah? And he said: I am not. Arte thou/you a Prophete? And he answered no. )

Wycl And thei axiden hym, What thanne? Art thou Elie? And he seide, Y am not. Art thou a profete? And he answeride, Nay.
(And they asked him, What then? Art thou/you Elie? And he said, I am not. Art thou/you a prophet? And he answered, Nay.)

Luth Und sie fragten ihn: Was denn? Bist du Elia? Er sprach: Ich bin‘s nicht. Bist du ein Prophet? Und er antwortete: Nein.
(And they/she/them asked him/it: What because/than? Bist you(sg) Elia? He spoke: I it's_me not. Bist you(sg) a Prophet? And he replied: No.)

ClVg Et interrogaverunt eum: Quid ergo? Elias es tu? Et dixit: Non sum. Propheta es tu? Et respondit: Non.[fn]
(And they_asked him: What therefore? Elias you_are you(sg)? And he/she_said: Not/No I_am. Propheta you_are you(sg)? And answered: Non. )

1.21 Elias es tu? Cum omnes scirent nomen Christi, sciebant etiam quod Elias præcessurus sit eum. Sed ipse Elias præcessurus, in potestate judicaturum, Joannes figuraliter Elias eumdem judicandum, ut sint duo præcones sicut duo adventus ejusdem, unde: Non sum Elias, id est, non præco: potentiam indicans; sed in quam offenditis ostendo humilitatem: quasi dicat: Servite humili antequam excelsus judicet. Ecce nec ego Christus, nec a parte potentiæ judex.

1.21 Elias you_are you(sg)? Since everyone to_knownt name Christi, sciebant also that Elias beforecessurus be him. But exactly_that/himself Elias beforecessurus, in/into/on power is_judgedum, Yoannes figure/formliter Elias the_same judgendum, as let_them_be two heralds like two arrivals of_the_same, from_where/who: Not/No I_am Elias, that it_is, not/no I_beg: power indicans; but in/into/on how offendsis ostendo humility: as_if let_him_say: Servite humble before high/elevated he_will_judge. Behold but_not I Christ/Messiah, but_not from in_part/partly of_power the_judge.

UGNT καὶ ἠρώτησαν αὐτόν, τί οὖν? σὺ Ἠλείας εἶ? καὶ λέγει, οὐκ εἰμί. ὁ προφήτης εἶ σύ? καὶ ἀπεκρίθη, οὔ.
(kai aʸrōtaʸsan auton, ti oun? su Aʸleias ei? kai legei, ouk eimi. ho profaʸtaʸs ei su? kai apekrithaʸ, ou.)

SBL-GNT καὶ ἠρώτησαν αὐτόν· Τί οὖν; ⸂σὺ Ἠλίας εἶ⸃; καὶ λέγει· Οὐκ εἰμί. Ὁ προφήτης εἶ σύ; καὶ ἀπεκρίθη· Οὔ.
(kai aʸrōtaʸsan auton; Ti oun; ⸂su Aʸlias ei⸃; kai legei; Ouk eimi. Ho profaʸtaʸs ei su; kai apekrithaʸ; Ou.)

RP-GNT Καὶ ἠρώτησαν αὐτόν, Τί οὖν; Ἠλίας εἶ σύ; Καὶ λέγει, Οὐκ εἰμί. Ὁ προφήτης εἶ σύ; Καὶ ἀπεκρίθη, Οὔ.
(Kai aʸrōtaʸsan auton, Ti oun; Aʸlias ei su; Kai legei, Ouk eimi. Ho profaʸtaʸs ei su; Kai apekrithaʸ, Ou.)

TC-GNT Καὶ ἠρώτησαν αὐτόν, Τί οὖν; [fn]Ἠλίας εἶ σύ; Καὶ λέγει, Οὐκ εἰμί. Ὁ προφήτης εἶ σύ; Καὶ ἀπεκρίθη, Οὔ.
(Kai aʸrōtaʸsan auton, Ti oun; Aʸlias ei su; Kai legei, Ouk eimi. Ho profaʸtaʸs ei su; Kai apekrithaʸ, Ou. )

1:21 ηλιας ει συ ¦ συ ηλιας ει NA SBL ¦ συ ηλειας ει TH WH

Key for above GNTs: yellow:punctuation differs, 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.

1:21a

“Then who are you?” they inquired.

So they asked him, “Then who are you?^(sing)
The priests and temple helpers questioned him: “So who are you?^(sing)
The priests and helpers in the House of God then asked him to identify himself.

Then who are you?: The priests and Levites asked this question to introduce their next question, “Are you Elijah?” John had told them who he was not, but they still needed to learn who he was.

Here is another way to translate this question:

Who are you, then? (GNT)

Then: The Greek word that the BSB translates as Then can also be translated as “therefore” or “so.” It is a short way of saying “if that is the situation,” or “if you are not the Christ.”

they inquired: The pronoun they refers to the priests and Levites. In some languages it is more natural to say this explicitly. For example:

These priests and Levites asked

1:21b

“Are you Elijah?”

Are you^(sing) the prophet called Elijah?”
Are you^(sing) the prophet Elijah who has returned?”
Was he the messenger from God called Elijah who was supposed to return?

Are you Elijah?: The priests and Levites thought that John might be the prophet Elijah, who lived about eight hundred years before. They thought this because there was a prophecy that Elijah would come before the Messiah (see Malachi 4:5–6). Also, John was dressed like Elijah had dressed. You may want to explain this in a footnote.

The men were not asking if John’s name was Elijah. They knew his name was John. They were asking if he was fulfilling the prophecy by doing the work of Elijah.

In some languages it may be good to include the information that Elijah was a prophet from long ago. For example:

And they said, “Are you^(sing) Elijah, the prophet from long ago?”

And these priests and Levites asked if he were Elijah, the prophet who was to announce the Messiah.

1:21c

He said, “I am not.”

John said, “I am not Elijah.”
John replied, “I am not that one/man.”
He denied this, too.

He said: The pronoun He refers to John the Baptist. In some languages it is more natural to make that explicit. For example:

John answered (GNT)

I am not: John stated that he was not Elijah. In some languages the name Elijah should be included in the answer. For example:

I am not Elijah.

1:21d

“Are you the Prophet?”

“Are you^(sing) the prophet who is to come?”
Then they asked, “Are you^(sing) the prophet whom Moses wrote about?”
Then they asked him if he was the prophet who was to come in the future.

Are you the Prophet?: This is another question that the men asked John. In some languages it may be natural to introduce it with a phrase such as “They asked”:

Then they asked, “Are you the Prophet?” (GW)

And when they asked if he were the Prophet…. (CEV)

“Are you the Prophet?” they asked. (NCV)

the Prophet: The men were referring to a particular prophet, a prophet who was to be in some way “like Moses.” See KBT Prophet 1(c), The prophet. This person was predicted in Deuteronomy 18:15, 18–19. Moses lived over a thousand (1000) years before. However, the Israelites expected someone “like Moses” to return at the time of the Messiah. In some languages, it is more natural to include some of this information, because the first-century audience knew about it. For example:

Again they asked, “Are you^(sing) perhaps the prophet who is written about in the Law?”

And they said, “Is it possible that you^(sing) are the special prophet whom God will send to us?”

Prophet: A Prophet was a man who spoke as a representative of God. He told people what God revealed to him. God gave some prophets power to do miracles. These miracles helped people realize that God sent the prophet.

Here are some ways to translate Prophet:

a messenger/representative for God

a man who speaks God’s words

God’s message-speaker

It is good to use a general term that does not only refer to predicting the future. Although prophets did predict the future, they also gave people other messages from God. They especially told them to stop sinning and to obey God.

When choosing a term for Prophet, consider how you will distinguish it from other words that are similar in meaning, such as “angel,” “apostle,” and “preacher.”

1:21e

He answered, “No.”

John answered the men, “No, I am not the Prophet.”
This he also denied.

He answered, “No.”: The pronoun He refers to John the Baptist. In some languages it is natural to include both John’s name and what he was denying. For example:

John answered, “No, I am not the prophet.”

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: writing-pronouns

ἠρώτησαν

˱they˲_asked

Here, they refers to “the Jews,” mentioned in the previous verse. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state it explicitly. Alternate translation: [the Jews asked]

τί οὖν?

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Καί ἠρώτησαν αὐτόν Τί οὖν σύ Ἠλίας Εἶ Καί λέγει οὐκ Εἰμί ὁ προφήτης Εἶ σύ Καί ἀπεκρίθη Οὒ)

Alternate translation: [If you are not the Messiah, then who are you?]

Note 2 topic: translate-names

Ἠλείας

Elijah was the name of a prophet whom the Jews expected to return to earth shortly become the arrival of the Messiah.

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / pastforfuture

λέγει

˱he˲_˓is˒_saying

John uses the present tense in past narration in order to call attention to a development in the story.

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

ὁ προφήτης

the prophet

Here, the Prophet refers to a prophet for whom the Jews were waiting, based on God’s promise to send a prophet like Moses, a promise recorded in Deuteronomy 18:15. You could include this information if that would be helpful to your readers. Alternate translation: [the prophet whom God promised to send to us]