John 1:26
Translations
King James Version (KJV)
John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there stands one among you, whom you know not;
American King James Version (AKJV)
John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there stands one among you, whom you know not;
American Standard Version (ASV)
John answered them, saying, I baptize in water: in the midst of you standeth one whom ye know not,
Basic English Translation (BBE)
John's answer was: I give baptism with water; but there is one among you of whom you have no knowledge;
Webster's Revision
John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not;
World English Bible
John answered them, "I baptize in water, but among you stands one whom you don't know.
English Revised Version (ERV)
John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: in the midst of you standeth one whom ye know not,
Definitions for John 1:26
Clarke's John 1:26 Bible Commentary
I baptize with water - See on Mark 1:8 (note). I use the common form, though I direct the baptized to a different end, viz. that they shall repent of their sins, and believe in the Messiah.
There standeth one among you - That is, the person whose forerunner I am is now dwelling in the land of Judea, and will shortly make his appearance among you. Christ was not present when John spoke thus, as may be seen from John 1:29.
Barnes's John 1:26 Bible Commentary
I baptize - He did not deny it; nor did he condescend to state his authority. That he had given. He "admitted" that he had introduced an important "change" in the rites of religion, and he goes on to tell them that this was not all. Greater and more important changes would soon take place without their authority. The Messiah was about to come, and the "power" was about to depart from "their" hands.
There standeth one - There is one.
Among you - In the midst of you. He is undistinguished among the multitude. The Messiah had already come, and was about to be manifested to the people. It was not until the next day John 1:29 that Jesus was manifested or proclaimed as the Messiah; but it is not improbable that he was then among the people that were assembled near the Jordan, and mingled with them, though he was undistinguished. He had gone there, probably, with the multitudes that had been drawn thither by the fame of John, and had gone without attracting attention, though his real object was go receive baptism in this public manner, and to be exhibited and proclaimed as the Messiah.
Whom ye know not - Jesus was not yet declared publicly to be the Christ. Though it is probable that he was then among the multitude, yet he was not known as the Messiah. We may hence learn:
1. That there is often great excellency in the world that is obscure, undistinguished, and unknown. Jesus was near to all that people, but they were not conscious of his presence, for he was retired and obscure. Though the greatest personage ever in the world, yet he was not externally distinguished from others.
2. Jesus may be near to men of the world, and yet they know him not. He is everywhere by his Spirit, yet few know it, and few are desirous of knowing it.
Wesley's John 1:26 Bible Commentary
1:26 John answered, I baptize - To prepare for the Messiah; and indeed to show that Jews, as well as Gentiles, must be proselytes to Christ, and that these as well as those stand in need of being washed from their sins.