Acts 13:24-25

13:24 Before 1  Jesus 2  arrived, John 3  had proclaimed a baptism for repentance 4  to all the people of Israel. 13:25 But while John was completing his mission, 5  he said repeatedly, 6  ‘What do you think I am? I am not he. But look, one is coming after me. I am not worthy to untie the sandals on his feet!’ 7 

1 tn Grk “John having already proclaimed before his coming a baptism…,” a genitive absolute construction which is awkward in English. A new sentence was begun in the translation at this point.

2 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the context for clarity, since God is mentioned in the preceding context and John the Baptist in the following clause.

3 sn John refers here to John the Baptist.

4 tn Grk “a baptism of repentance”; the genitive has been translated as a genitive of purpose.

5 tn Or “task.”

6 tn The verb ἔλεγεν (elegen) has been translated as an iterative imperfect, since John undoubtedly said this or something similar on numerous occasions.

7 tn Literally a relative clause, “of whom I am not worthy to untie the sandals of his feet.” Because of the awkwardness of this construction in English, a new sentence was begun here.