John 1:15 John pointed him out and called, “This is the One! The One I told you was coming after me but in fact was ahead of me. He has always been ahead of me, has al...

1:15 MSG

逐節對照

The Message - John pointed him out and called, “This is the One! The One I told you was coming after me but in fact was ahead of me. He has always been ahead of me, has always had the first word.”
新标点和合本 - 约翰为他作见证，喊着说：“这就是我曾说：‘那在我以后来的，反成了在我以前的，因他本来在我以前。’”
和合本2010（上帝版-简体） - 约翰为他作见证，喊着说：“这就是我曾说：‘那在我以后来的先于我，因为在我以前，他已经存在。’”
和合本2010（神版-简体） - 约翰为他作见证，喊着说：“这就是我曾说：‘那在我以后来的先于我，因为在我以前，他已经存在。’”
当代译本 - 约翰为祂做见证，高声喊道：“这就是我以前所说的那位，‘祂在我之后来，却比我位分高，因为祂在我之前已经存在了。’”
圣经新译本 - 约翰为他作见证，大声说：“这一位就是我所说的：‘那在我以后来的，位分比我高，因为他本来是在我以前的。’”
中文标准译本 - 约翰为他做见证，呼喊说： “这一位就是我曾说过的， ‘那在我之后来的，已成为在我前面的，因为他在我之前就已经存在。’”
现代标点和合本 - 约翰为他作见证，喊着说：“这就是我曾说，‘那在我以后来的，反成了在我以前的，因他本来在我以前。’”
和合本（拼音版） - 约翰为他作见证，喊着说：“这就是我曾说，‘那在我以后来的，反成了在我以前的，因他本来在我以前。’”
New International Version - (John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ ”)
New International Reader's Version - John was a witness about the Word. John cried out and said, “This was the one I was talking about. I said, ‘He who comes after me is more important than I am. He is more important because he existed before I was born.’ ”
English Standard Version - (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”)
New Living Translation - John testified about him when he shouted to the crowds, “This is the one I was talking about when I said, ‘Someone is coming after me who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before me.’”
Christian Standard Bible - (John testified concerning him and exclaimed, “This was the one of whom I said, ‘The one coming after me ranks ahead of me, because he existed before me.’”)
New American Standard Bible - John *testified about Him and called out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who is coming after me has proved to be my superior, because He existed before me.’ ”
New King James Version - John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.’ ”
Amplified Bible - John testified [repeatedly] about Him and has cried out [testifying officially for the record, with validity and relevance], “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has a higher rank than I and has priority over me, for He existed before me.’ ”
American Standard Version - 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.
King James Version - 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.
New English Translation - John testified about him and shouted out, “This one was the one about whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is greater than I am, because he existed before me.’”
World English Bible - John testified about him. He cried out, saying, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me, for he was before me.’”
新標點和合本 - 約翰為他作見證，喊着說：「這就是我曾說：『那在我以後來的，反成了在我以前的，因他本來在我以前。』」
和合本2010（上帝版-繁體） - 約翰為他作見證，喊着說：「這就是我曾說：『那在我以後來的先於我，因為在我以前，他已經存在。』」
和合本2010（神版-繁體） - 約翰為他作見證，喊着說：「這就是我曾說：『那在我以後來的先於我，因為在我以前，他已經存在。』」
當代譯本 - 約翰為祂作見證，高聲喊道：「這就是我以前所說的那位，『祂在我之後來，卻比我位分高，因為祂在我之前已經存在了。』」
聖經新譯本 - 約翰為他作見證，大聲說：“這一位就是我所說的：‘那在我以後來的，位分比我高，因為他本來是在我以前的。’”
呂振中譯本 - 約翰為耶穌作見證，喊着說：『這一位就是我所說到：「那在我以後來的、位在我前頭，因為他本是比我先的」』。）
中文標準譯本 - 約翰為他做見證，呼喊說：「這一位就是我曾說過的，『那在我之後來的，已成為在我前面的，因為他在我之前就已經存在。』」
現代標點和合本 - 約翰為他作見證，喊著說：「這就是我曾說，『那在我以後來的，反成了在我以前的，因他本來在我以前。』」
文理和合譯本 - 約翰為之證、呼曰、我言後我來者、乃為我先、以其先我而在、即斯人也、
文理委辦譯本 - 約翰為之證、呼曰、我言後我來而先我在、以其本先我者、即斯人也、
施約瑟淺文理新舊約聖經 - 約翰為之證、呼曰、我曾言有人後我來而先我在、以其本先於我、所言者即斯人也、
吳經熊文理聖詠與新經全集 - 如望揚聲為之作證曰：『予向所言：「有一後我而來、居我之上、原在我先」者、即斯人矣！』
Nueva Versión Internacional - Juan dio testimonio de él, y a voz en cuello proclamó: «Este es aquel de quien yo decía: “El que viene después de mí es superior a mí, porque existía antes que yo”».
현대인의 성경 - 요한은 그분에 대하여 이렇게 외치며 증거하였다. “내가 전에 내 뒤에 오시는 분이 나보다 위대한 것은 그분이 나보다 먼저 계셨기 때문이라고 말했는데 그가 바로 이분이시다.”
Новый Русский Перевод - Иоанн свидетельствовал о Нем, провозглашая: – Это Тот, о Ком я говорил: «Идущий за мной – выше меня, потому что Он существовал еще до меня».
Восточный перевод - Яхия свидетельствовал о Нём, провозглашая: – Это Тот, о Ком я говорил: «Идущий за мной – выше меня, потому что Он существовал ещё до меня».
Восточный перевод, версия с «Аллахом» - Яхия свидетельствовал о Нём, провозглашая: – Это Тот, о Ком я говорил: «Идущий за мной – выше меня, потому что Он существовал ещё до меня».
Восточный перевод, версия для Таджикистана - Яхьё свидетельствовал о Нём, провозглашая: – Это Тот, о Ком я говорил: «Идущий за мной – выше меня, потому что Он существовал ещё до меня».
La Bible du Semeur 2015 - Jean , son témoin, a proclamé publiquement : Voici celui dont je vous ai parlé lorsque j’ai dit : Celui qui vient après moi m’a précédé , car il existait déjà avant moi.
リビングバイブル - バプテスマのヨハネは、人々にキリストを紹介しました。「私が今まで、『まもなく来られる方は、私よりはるかに偉大な方だ。私が生まれるずっと前からおられたからだ』と言ってきたのは、まさにこの方のことです。」
Nestle Aland 28 - Ἰωάννης μαρτυρεῖ περὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ κέκραγεν λέγων· οὗτος ἦν ὃν εἶπον· ὁ ὀπίσω μου ἐρχόμενος ἔμπροσθέν μου γέγονεν, ὅτι πρῶτός μου ἦν.
unfoldingWord® Greek New Testament - Ἰωάννης μαρτυρεῖ περὶ αὐτοῦ, καὶ κέκραγεν λέγων, οὗτος ἦν ὃν εἶπον, ὁ ὀπίσω μου ἐρχόμενος, ἔμπροσθέν μου γέγονεν, ὅτι πρῶτός μου ἦν.
Nova Versão Internacional - João dá testemunho dele. Ele exclama: “Este é aquele de quem eu falei: aquele que vem depois de mim é superior a mim, porque já existia antes de mim”.
Hoffnung für alle - Johannes wies immer wieder auf ihn hin. »Diesen habe ich gemeint«, rief er, »wenn ich sagte: ›Nach mir wird einer kommen, der weit über mir steht. Denn er war schon da, bevor ich geboren wurde!‹«
Kinh Thánh Hiện Đại - Giăng lớn tiếng giới thiệu Chúa: “Đây là Người tôi thường nhắc đến khi tôi nói: ‘Người đến sau tôi nhưng cao cả hơn tôi vì Người có trước tôi.’”
พระคริสตธรรมคัมภีร์ไทย ฉบับอมตธรรมร่วมสมัย - ยอห์นเป็นพยานเกี่ยวกับพระองค์ เขาร้องประกาศว่า “นี่คือผู้ซึ่งเราได้บอกไว้ว่า ‘พระองค์ผู้เสด็จมาภายหลังเราทรงยิ่งใหญ่กว่าเราเพราะพระองค์ทรงดำรงอยู่ก่อนเรา’ ”
พระคัมภีร์ ฉบับแปลใหม่ - ยอห์นร้องประกาศเพื่อยืนยันถึงพระองค์ว่า “พระองค์คือผู้ที่ข้าพเจ้ากล่าวถึงว่า ‘ผู้ที่มาภายหลังข้าพเจ้าเหนือยิ่งกว่าข้าพเจ้า เพราะว่าพระองค์ดำรงอยู่ก่อนข้าพเจ้า’”

交叉引用

Mark 1:7 - As he preached he said, “The real action comes next: The star in this drama, to whom I’m a mere stagehand, will change your life. I’m baptizing you here in the river, turning your old life in for a kingdom life. His baptism—a holy baptism by the Holy Spirit—will change you from the inside out.”
Revelation 1:17 - “Don’t fear: I am First, I am Last, I’m Alive. I died, but I came to life, and my life is now forever. See these keys in my hand? They open and lock Death’s doors, they open and lock Hell’s gates. Now write down everything you see: things that are, things about to be. The Seven Stars you saw in my right hand and the seven-branched gold menorah—do you want to know what’s behind them? The Seven Stars are the Angels of the seven churches; the menorah’s seven branches are the seven churches.”
Matthew 3:13 - Jesus then appeared, arriving at the Jordan River from Galilee. He wanted John to baptize him. John objected, “I’m the one who needs to be baptized, not you!”
Matthew 3:15 - But Jesus insisted. “Do it. God’s work, putting things right all these centuries, is coming together right now in this baptism.” So John did it.
Matthew 3:16 - The moment Jesus came up out of the baptismal waters, the skies opened up and he saw God’s Spirit—it looked like a dove—descending and landing on him. And along with the Spirit, a voice: “This is my Son, chosen and marked by my love, delight of my life.”
Revelation 2:8 - Write this to Smyrna, to the Angel of the church. The Beginning and Ending, the First and Final One, the Once Dead and Then Come Alive, speaks:
John 5:34 - “But my purpose is not to get your vote, and not to appeal to mere human testimony. I’m speaking to you this way so that you will be saved. John was a torch, blazing and bright, and you were glad enough to dance for an hour or so in his bright light. But the witness that really confirms me far exceeds John’s witness. It’s the work the Father gave me to complete. These very tasks, as I go about completing them, confirm that the Father, in fact, sent me. The Father who sent me, confirmed me. And you missed it. You never heard his voice, you never saw his appearance. There is nothing left in your memory of his Message because you do not take his Messenger seriously. * * *
Luke 3:16 - But John intervened: “I’m baptizing you here in the river. The main character in this drama, to whom I’m a mere stagehand, will ignite the kingdom life, a fire, the Holy Spirit within you, changing you from the inside out. He’s going to clean house—make a clean sweep of your lives. He’ll place everything true in its proper place before God; everything false he’ll put out with the trash to be burned.”
Proverbs 8:22 - “God sovereignly made me—the first, the basic— before he did anything else. I was brought into being a long time ago, well before Earth got its start. I arrived on the scene before Ocean, yes, even before Springs and Rivers and Lakes. Before Mountains were sculpted and Hills took shape, I was already there, newborn; Long before God stretched out Earth’s Horizons, and tended to the minute details of Soil and Weather, And set Sky firmly in place, I was there. When he mapped and gave borders to wild Ocean, built the vast vault of Heaven, and installed the fountains that fed Ocean, When he drew a boundary for Sea, posted a sign that said no trespassing, And then staked out Earth’s Foundations, I was right there with him, making sure everything fit. Day after day I was there, with my joyful applause, always enjoying his company, Delighted with the world of things and creatures, happily celebrating the human family.
John 1:29 - The very next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and yelled out, “Here he is, God’s Passover Lamb! He forgives the sins of the world! This is the man I’ve been talking about, ‘the One who comes after me but is really ahead of me.’ I knew nothing about who he was—only this: that my task has been to get Israel ready to recognize him as the God-Revealer. That is why I came here baptizing with water, giving you a good bath and scrubbing sins from your life so you can get a fresh start with God.”
John 1:32 - John clinched his witness with this: “I watched the Spirit, like a dove flying down out of the sky, making himself at home in him. I repeat, I know nothing about him except this: The One who authorized me to baptize with water told me, ‘The One on whom you see the Spirit come down and stay, this One will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ That’s exactly what I saw happen, and I’m telling you, there’s no question about it: This is the Son of God.”
John 3:27 - John answered, “It’s not possible for a person to succeed—I’m talking about eternal success—without heaven’s help. You yourselves were there when I made it public that I was not the Messiah but simply the one sent ahead of him to get things ready. The one who gets the bride is, by definition, the bridegroom. And the bridegroom’s friend, his ‘best man’—that’s me—in place at his side where he can hear every word, is genuinely happy. How could he be jealous when he knows that the wedding is finished and the marriage is off to a good start?
John 3:29 - “That’s why my cup is running over. This is the assigned moment for him to move into the center, while I slip off to the sidelines.
John 3:31 - “The One who comes from above is head and shoulders over other messengers from God. The earthborn is earthbound and speaks earth language; the heavenborn is in a league of his own. He sets out the evidence of what he saw and heard in heaven. No one wants to deal with these facts. But anyone who examines this evidence will come to stake his life on this: that God himself is the truth.
John 3:34 - “The One that God sent speaks God’s words. And don’t think he rations out the Spirit in bits and pieces. The Father loves the Son extravagantly. He turned everything over to him so he could give it away—a lavish distribution of gifts. That is why whoever accepts and trusts the Son gets in on everything, life complete and forever! And that is also why the person who avoids and distrusts the Son is in the dark and doesn’t see life. All he experiences of God is darkness, and an angry darkness at that.”
John 8:58 - “Believe me,” said Jesus, “I am who I am long before Abraham was anything.”
John 1:1 - The Word was first, the Word present to God, God present to the Word. The Word was God, in readiness for God from day one.
Micah 5:2 - But you, Bethlehem, David’s country, the runt of the litter— From you will come the leader who will shepherd-rule Israel. He’ll be no upstart, no pretender. His family tree is ancient and distinguished. Meanwhile, Israel will be in foster homes until the birth pangs are over and the child is born, And the scattered brothers come back home to the family of Israel. He will stand tall in his shepherd-rule by God’s strength, centered in the majesty of God-Revealed. And the people will have a good and safe home, for the whole world will hold him in respect— Peacemaker of the world!
Matthew 3:11 - “I’m baptizing you here in the river, turning your old life in for a kingdom life. The real action comes next: The main character in this drama—compared to him I’m a mere stagehand—will ignite the kingdom life within you, a fire within you, the Holy Spirit within you, changing you from the inside out. He’s going to clean house—make a clean sweep of your lives. He’ll place everything true in its proper place before God; everything false he’ll put out with the trash to be burned.” * * *

逐節對照

交叉引用

The Message - John pointed him out and called, “This is the One! The One I told you was coming after me but in fact was ahead of me. He has always been ahead of me, has always had the first word.”
新标点和合本 - 约翰为他作见证，喊着说：“这就是我曾说：‘那在我以后来的，反成了在我以前的，因他本来在我以前。’”
和合本2010（上帝版-简体） - 约翰为他作见证，喊着说：“这就是我曾说：‘那在我以后来的先于我，因为在我以前，他已经存在。’”
和合本2010（神版-简体） - 约翰为他作见证，喊着说：“这就是我曾说：‘那在我以后来的先于我，因为在我以前，他已经存在。’”
当代译本 - 约翰为祂做见证，高声喊道：“这就是我以前所说的那位，‘祂在我之后来，却比我位分高，因为祂在我之前已经存在了。’”
圣经新译本 - 约翰为他作见证，大声说：“这一位就是我所说的：‘那在我以后来的，位分比我高，因为他本来是在我以前的。’”
中文标准译本 - 约翰为他做见证，呼喊说： “这一位就是我曾说过的， ‘那在我之后来的，已成为在我前面的，因为他在我之前就已经存在。’”
现代标点和合本 - 约翰为他作见证，喊着说：“这就是我曾说，‘那在我以后来的，反成了在我以前的，因他本来在我以前。’”
和合本（拼音版） - 约翰为他作见证，喊着说：“这就是我曾说，‘那在我以后来的，反成了在我以前的，因他本来在我以前。’”
New International Version - (John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ ”)
New International Reader's Version - John was a witness about the Word. John cried out and said, “This was the one I was talking about. I said, ‘He who comes after me is more important than I am. He is more important because he existed before I was born.’ ”
English Standard Version - (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”)
New Living Translation - John testified about him when he shouted to the crowds, “This is the one I was talking about when I said, ‘Someone is coming after me who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before me.’”
Christian Standard Bible - (John testified concerning him and exclaimed, “This was the one of whom I said, ‘The one coming after me ranks ahead of me, because he existed before me.’”)
New American Standard Bible - John *testified about Him and called out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who is coming after me has proved to be my superior, because He existed before me.’ ”
New King James Version - John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.’ ”
Amplified Bible - John testified [repeatedly] about Him and has cried out [testifying officially for the record, with validity and relevance], “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has a higher rank than I and has priority over me, for He existed before me.’ ”
American Standard Version - 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.
King James Version - 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.
New English Translation - John testified about him and shouted out, “This one was the one about whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is greater than I am, because he existed before me.’”
World English Bible - John testified about him. He cried out, saying, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me, for he was before me.’”
新標點和合本 - 約翰為他作見證，喊着說：「這就是我曾說：『那在我以後來的，反成了在我以前的，因他本來在我以前。』」
和合本2010（上帝版-繁體） - 約翰為他作見證，喊着說：「這就是我曾說：『那在我以後來的先於我，因為在我以前，他已經存在。』」
和合本2010（神版-繁體） - 約翰為他作見證，喊着說：「這就是我曾說：『那在我以後來的先於我，因為在我以前，他已經存在。』」
當代譯本 - 約翰為祂作見證，高聲喊道：「這就是我以前所說的那位，『祂在我之後來，卻比我位分高，因為祂在我之前已經存在了。』」
聖經新譯本 - 約翰為他作見證，大聲說：“這一位就是我所說的：‘那在我以後來的，位分比我高，因為他本來是在我以前的。’”
呂振中譯本 - 約翰為耶穌作見證，喊着說：『這一位就是我所說到：「那在我以後來的、位在我前頭，因為他本是比我先的」』。）
中文標準譯本 - 約翰為他做見證，呼喊說：「這一位就是我曾說過的，『那在我之後來的，已成為在我前面的，因為他在我之前就已經存在。』」
現代標點和合本 - 約翰為他作見證，喊著說：「這就是我曾說，『那在我以後來的，反成了在我以前的，因他本來在我以前。』」
文理和合譯本 - 約翰為之證、呼曰、我言後我來者、乃為我先、以其先我而在、即斯人也、
文理委辦譯本 - 約翰為之證、呼曰、我言後我來而先我在、以其本先我者、即斯人也、
施約瑟淺文理新舊約聖經 - 約翰為之證、呼曰、我曾言有人後我來而先我在、以其本先於我、所言者即斯人也、
吳經熊文理聖詠與新經全集 - 如望揚聲為之作證曰：『予向所言：「有一後我而來、居我之上、原在我先」者、即斯人矣！』
Nueva Versión Internacional - Juan dio testimonio de él, y a voz en cuello proclamó: «Este es aquel de quien yo decía: “El que viene después de mí es superior a mí, porque existía antes que yo”».
현대인의 성경 - 요한은 그분에 대하여 이렇게 외치며 증거하였다. “내가 전에 내 뒤에 오시는 분이 나보다 위대한 것은 그분이 나보다 먼저 계셨기 때문이라고 말했는데 그가 바로 이분이시다.”
Новый Русский Перевод - Иоанн свидетельствовал о Нем, провозглашая: – Это Тот, о Ком я говорил: «Идущий за мной – выше меня, потому что Он существовал еще до меня».
Восточный перевод - Яхия свидетельствовал о Нём, провозглашая: – Это Тот, о Ком я говорил: «Идущий за мной – выше меня, потому что Он существовал ещё до меня».
Восточный перевод, версия с «Аллахом» - Яхия свидетельствовал о Нём, провозглашая: – Это Тот, о Ком я говорил: «Идущий за мной – выше меня, потому что Он существовал ещё до меня».
Восточный перевод, версия для Таджикистана - Яхьё свидетельствовал о Нём, провозглашая: – Это Тот, о Ком я говорил: «Идущий за мной – выше меня, потому что Он существовал ещё до меня».
La Bible du Semeur 2015 - Jean , son témoin, a proclamé publiquement : Voici celui dont je vous ai parlé lorsque j’ai dit : Celui qui vient après moi m’a précédé , car il existait déjà avant moi.
リビングバイブル - バプテスマのヨハネは、人々にキリストを紹介しました。「私が今まで、『まもなく来られる方は、私よりはるかに偉大な方だ。私が生まれるずっと前からおられたからだ』と言ってきたのは、まさにこの方のことです。」
Nestle Aland 28 - Ἰωάννης μαρτυρεῖ περὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ κέκραγεν λέγων· οὗτος ἦν ὃν εἶπον· ὁ ὀπίσω μου ἐρχόμενος ἔμπροσθέν μου γέγονεν, ὅτι πρῶτός μου ἦν.
unfoldingWord® Greek New Testament - Ἰωάννης μαρτυρεῖ περὶ αὐτοῦ, καὶ κέκραγεν λέγων, οὗτος ἦν ὃν εἶπον, ὁ ὀπίσω μου ἐρχόμενος, ἔμπροσθέν μου γέγονεν, ὅτι πρῶτός μου ἦν.
Nova Versão Internacional - João dá testemunho dele. Ele exclama: “Este é aquele de quem eu falei: aquele que vem depois de mim é superior a mim, porque já existia antes de mim”.
Hoffnung für alle - Johannes wies immer wieder auf ihn hin. »Diesen habe ich gemeint«, rief er, »wenn ich sagte: ›Nach mir wird einer kommen, der weit über mir steht. Denn er war schon da, bevor ich geboren wurde!‹«
Kinh Thánh Hiện Đại - Giăng lớn tiếng giới thiệu Chúa: “Đây là Người tôi thường nhắc đến khi tôi nói: ‘Người đến sau tôi nhưng cao cả hơn tôi vì Người có trước tôi.’”
พระคริสตธรรมคัมภีร์ไทย ฉบับอมตธรรมร่วมสมัย - ยอห์นเป็นพยานเกี่ยวกับพระองค์ เขาร้องประกาศว่า “นี่คือผู้ซึ่งเราได้บอกไว้ว่า ‘พระองค์ผู้เสด็จมาภายหลังเราทรงยิ่งใหญ่กว่าเราเพราะพระองค์ทรงดำรงอยู่ก่อนเรา’ ”
พระคัมภีร์ ฉบับแปลใหม่ - ยอห์นร้องประกาศเพื่อยืนยันถึงพระองค์ว่า “พระองค์คือผู้ที่ข้าพเจ้ากล่าวถึงว่า ‘ผู้ที่มาภายหลังข้าพเจ้าเหนือยิ่งกว่าข้าพเจ้า เพราะว่าพระองค์ดำรงอยู่ก่อนข้าพเจ้า’”

Mark 1:7 - As he preached he said, “The real action comes next: The star in this drama, to whom I’m a mere stagehand, will change your life. I’m baptizing you here in the river, turning your old life in for a kingdom life. His baptism—a holy baptism by the Holy Spirit—will change you from the inside out.”
Revelation 1:17 - “Don’t fear: I am First, I am Last, I’m Alive. I died, but I came to life, and my life is now forever. See these keys in my hand? They open and lock Death’s doors, they open and lock Hell’s gates. Now write down everything you see: things that are, things about to be. The Seven Stars you saw in my right hand and the seven-branched gold menorah—do you want to know what’s behind them? The Seven Stars are the Angels of the seven churches; the menorah’s seven branches are the seven churches.”
Matthew 3:13 - Jesus then appeared, arriving at the Jordan River from Galilee. He wanted John to baptize him. John objected, “I’m the one who needs to be baptized, not you!”
Matthew 3:15 - But Jesus insisted. “Do it. God’s work, putting things right all these centuries, is coming together right now in this baptism.” So John did it.
Matthew 3:16 - The moment Jesus came up out of the baptismal waters, the skies opened up and he saw God’s Spirit—it looked like a dove—descending and landing on him. And along with the Spirit, a voice: “This is my Son, chosen and marked by my love, delight of my life.”
Revelation 2:8 - Write this to Smyrna, to the Angel of the church. The Beginning and Ending, the First and Final One, the Once Dead and Then Come Alive, speaks:
John 5:34 - “But my purpose is not to get your vote, and not to appeal to mere human testimony. I’m speaking to you this way so that you will be saved. John was a torch, blazing and bright, and you were glad enough to dance for an hour or so in his bright light. But the witness that really confirms me far exceeds John’s witness. It’s the work the Father gave me to complete. These very tasks, as I go about completing them, confirm that the Father, in fact, sent me. The Father who sent me, confirmed me. And you missed it. You never heard his voice, you never saw his appearance. There is nothing left in your memory of his Message because you do not take his Messenger seriously. * * *
Luke 3:16 - But John intervened: “I’m baptizing you here in the river. The main character in this drama, to whom I’m a mere stagehand, will ignite the kingdom life, a fire, the Holy Spirit within you, changing you from the inside out. He’s going to clean house—make a clean sweep of your lives. He’ll place everything true in its proper place before God; everything false he’ll put out with the trash to be burned.”
Proverbs 8:22 - “God sovereignly made me—the first, the basic— before he did anything else. I was brought into being a long time ago, well before Earth got its start. I arrived on the scene before Ocean, yes, even before Springs and Rivers and Lakes. Before Mountains were sculpted and Hills took shape, I was already there, newborn; Long before God stretched out Earth’s Horizons, and tended to the minute details of Soil and Weather, And set Sky firmly in place, I was there. When he mapped and gave borders to wild Ocean, built the vast vault of Heaven, and installed the fountains that fed Ocean, When he drew a boundary for Sea, posted a sign that said no trespassing, And then staked out Earth’s Foundations, I was right there with him, making sure everything fit. Day after day I was there, with my joyful applause, always enjoying his company, Delighted with the world of things and creatures, happily celebrating the human family.
John 1:29 - The very next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and yelled out, “Here he is, God’s Passover Lamb! He forgives the sins of the world! This is the man I’ve been talking about, ‘the One who comes after me but is really ahead of me.’ I knew nothing about who he was—only this: that my task has been to get Israel ready to recognize him as the God-Revealer. That is why I came here baptizing with water, giving you a good bath and scrubbing sins from your life so you can get a fresh start with God.”
John 1:32 - John clinched his witness with this: “I watched the Spirit, like a dove flying down out of the sky, making himself at home in him. I repeat, I know nothing about him except this: The One who authorized me to baptize with water told me, ‘The One on whom you see the Spirit come down and stay, this One will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ That’s exactly what I saw happen, and I’m telling you, there’s no question about it: This is the Son of God.”
John 3:27 - John answered, “It’s not possible for a person to succeed—I’m talking about eternal success—without heaven’s help. You yourselves were there when I made it public that I was not the Messiah but simply the one sent ahead of him to get things ready. The one who gets the bride is, by definition, the bridegroom. And the bridegroom’s friend, his ‘best man’—that’s me—in place at his side where he can hear every word, is genuinely happy. How could he be jealous when he knows that the wedding is finished and the marriage is off to a good start?
John 3:29 - “That’s why my cup is running over. This is the assigned moment for him to move into the center, while I slip off to the sidelines.
John 3:31 - “The One who comes from above is head and shoulders over other messengers from God. The earthborn is earthbound and speaks earth language; the heavenborn is in a league of his own. He sets out the evidence of what he saw and heard in heaven. No one wants to deal with these facts. But anyone who examines this evidence will come to stake his life on this: that God himself is the truth.
John 3:34 - “The One that God sent speaks God’s words. And don’t think he rations out the Spirit in bits and pieces. The Father loves the Son extravagantly. He turned everything over to him so he could give it away—a lavish distribution of gifts. That is why whoever accepts and trusts the Son gets in on everything, life complete and forever! And that is also why the person who avoids and distrusts the Son is in the dark and doesn’t see life. All he experiences of God is darkness, and an angry darkness at that.”
John 8:58 - “Believe me,” said Jesus, “I am who I am long before Abraham was anything.”
John 1:1 - The Word was first, the Word present to God, God present to the Word. The Word was God, in readiness for God from day one.
Micah 5:2 - But you, Bethlehem, David’s country, the runt of the litter— From you will come the leader who will shepherd-rule Israel. He’ll be no upstart, no pretender. His family tree is ancient and distinguished. Meanwhile, Israel will be in foster homes until the birth pangs are over and the child is born, And the scattered brothers come back home to the family of Israel. He will stand tall in his shepherd-rule by God’s strength, centered in the majesty of God-Revealed. And the people will have a good and safe home, for the whole world will hold him in respect— Peacemaker of the world!
Matthew 3:11 - “I’m baptizing you here in the river, turning your old life in for a kingdom life. The real action comes next: The main character in this drama—compared to him I’m a mere stagehand—will ignite the kingdom life within you, a fire within you, the Holy Spirit within you, changing you from the inside out. He’s going to clean house—make a clean sweep of your lives. He’ll place everything true in its proper place before God; everything false he’ll put out with the trash to be burned.” * * *