John 1:15 - An Understandable Version (2005 edition)

¹⁵ John gave testimony about Jesus, shouting out, ”This person is the one about whom I said, ‘He who will come after me ranks above me because He existed before me.’”

More versions

King James Version (Oxford) 1769

¹⁵ John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.

Amplified Bible - Classic Edition

¹⁵ John testified about Him and cried out, This was He of Whom I said, He Who comes after me has priority over me, for He was before me. [He takes rank above me, for He existed before I did. He has advanced before me, because He is my Chief.]

American Standard Version (1901)

¹⁵ John beareth witness of him, and crieth, saying, This was he of whom I said, He that cometh after me is become before me: for he was before me.

Common English Bible

¹⁵ John testified about him, crying out, “This is the one of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is greater than me because he existed before me.’”

Catholic Public Domain Version

¹⁵ John offers testimony about him, and he cries out, saying: "This is the one about whom I said: 'He who is to come after me, has been placed ahead of me, because he existed before me.' "

Douay-Rheims version of The Bible - 1752 version

¹⁵ John beareth witness of him, and crieth out, saying: This was he of whom I spoke: He that shall come after me, is preferred before me: because he was before me.

John 1:15 Cross References

Matthew 3:11

“I certainly am immersing you in water following [your] repentance, but the One who follows me [i.e., in my ministry], whose sandals I do not deserve to remove [as His slave], will immerse you people with the Holy Spirit and with fire [i.e., the punishment in hell. See verses 10 and 12].

Mark 1:7

In his preaching John said, “One who is more powerful than I am will follow my ministry. I am not [even] worthy to stoop down and loosen the straps of His sandals [i.e., to serve as His slave].

Luke 3:16

John answered [their concerns] by saying to all of them, “I am [the one] immersing you in water, but One who is more powerful than I will follow my [ministry]. I am not [even] worthy to loosen the straps of His sandals. He will immerse you people with the Holy Spirit and with fire [i.e., the punishment of hell. See Matt. 3:10-12].

John 1:27

He is the One who will follow my ministry; [and] I do not deserve to untie his sandal lace.”

John 17:5

And now, Father, honor me in your presence with the honor I had with you before the world was [created].

John 8:58

Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I tell you, before Abraham was born, I am.” [Note: The words “I am” were probably construed as a reference to being Deity. See Ex. 3:14].

Colossians 1:17

And He existed before all things and all things are held together by Him.

Hebrews 13:8

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

Revelation 1:11

saying, “Write down in a book what you see and send it to the seven churches: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicia.” [Note: These seven congregations were all located in western Asia Minor].

Revelation 2:8

“And write [this] to the angel of the church at Smyrna: These things are the words of the First and the Last [i.e., Jesus], who was dead, but has come [back] to life: