John 1:7 BSB — MannaFest

John 1:7

He came as a witness to testify about the Light, so that through him everyone might believe.

BSB

Parallel translations (2) ▾

ASV

The same came for witness, that he might bear witness of the light, that all might believe through him.

KJV

The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.

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Commentary

5 voices

Cyril of Alexandria

Commentary on the Gospel of John, Book 1 (444)

And since (according to what was said by God through Moses), At the mouth of two and three witnesses shall every word be established, wisely does he bring in addition to himself the blessed Baptist, and introduces him along with himself a most noteworthy witness. For he did not suppose that he ought, even if of gravest weight, to demand of the readers in his book concerning our Saviour credence above that of the law, and that they should believe him by himself when declaring things above our understanding and sense.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices

John Wesley

1703–1791

Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament (1755)

What St. Matthew, Mark, and Luke term the Gospel, in respect of the promise going before, St. John usually terms the testimony, intimating the certain knowledge of the relator; to testify of the light - Of Christ.

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

(2.) The design of his testimony: That all men through him might believe; not in him, but in Christ, whose way he was sent to prepare. He taught men to look through him, and pass through him, to Christ; through the doctrine of repentance for sin to that of faith in Christ.

The Nineteenth Century2 voices

Albert Barnes

1798–1870

Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)

For a witness - To give testimony. He came to prepare the minds of the people to receive him Matt. 3; Luke 3; to lead them by repentance to God; and to point out the Messiah to Israel when he came, Joh 1:31. Of the Light - That is, of the Messiah. Compare Isa 60:1. That all men ... - It was the object of John’s testimony that all people might believe.

J.C. Ryle

1816–1900

Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: John (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1869)

John, after beginning his gospel with a statement of our Lord's nature as God, proceeds to speak of His forerunner, John the Baptist. The contrast between the language used about the Savior, and that used about His forerunner, ought not to be overlooked. Of Christ we are told that He was the eternal God—the Creator of all things—the source of life and light. Of John the Baptist we are told simply, that "there was a man sent from God, whose name was John." We see, firstly, in these verses, the true nature of a Christian minister's office.

Voices on this verse

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Original language & word study

14 tagged words

Original	Transliteration	Meaning	Word study
οὗτος	houtos	He	G3778 →
ἦλθεν	ēlthen	came	G2064 →
εἰς	eis	as	G1519 →
μαρτυρίαν	marturian	a witness	G3141 →
ἵνα	ina	that	G2443 →
μαρτυρήσῃ	marturēsē	he may testify	G3140 →
περὶ	peri	concerning	G4012 →
τοῦ	tou	the	G3588 →
φωτός,	phōtos	Light,	G5457 →
ἵνα	ina	that	G2443 →
πάντες	pantes	all	G3956 →
πιστεύσωσιν	pisteusōsin	may believe	G4100 →
δι᾽	di᾽	through	G1223 →
αὐτοῦ.	autou	him.	G846 →

Rare words are the text's own signal of a deliberate thread: the fewer the occurrences, the more the places it appears belong together.

The walk

The walk8

Where the connections lead

Follow this verse’s cross-references two steps out. Each card is a verse this one points to, and beneath it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several different paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it. Every stop shows its own words, and every stop is a page.

Through
John 1:12
But to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God—
leads to
- Galatians 3:26
  You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.
- Romans 8:14
  For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
- 1 John 3:1
  Behold what manner of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God. And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is…
- 2 Corinthians 6:17–18
  “Therefore come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.”
- Galatians 4:6
  And because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!”
Through
John 1:36
When he saw Jesus walking by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!”
leads to
- John 1:29
  The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
- 1 Peter 1:19–20
  but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or spot.
Through
Acts 19:4
Paul explained: “John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the One coming after him, that is, in Jesus.”
leads to
- John 1:29–34
  The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!