John 1:31

I did not recognize ¹  him, but I came baptizing with water so that he could be revealed to Israel.” ² 

Isa 40:3-5; Mal 3:1; Mal 4:2-5; Mt 3:6; Mr 1:3-5; Lu 1:17,76-79; Lu 1:80; Lu 2:39-42; Lu 3:3,4; Joh 1:7; Joh 1:33; Ac 19:4

¹ tn Or “know.”

² sn John the Baptist, who has been so reluctant to elaborate his own role, now more than willingly gives his testimony about Jesus. For the author, the emphasis is totally on John the Baptist as a witness to Jesus. No attention is given to the Baptist’s call to national repentance and very little to his baptizing. Everything is focused on what he has to say about Jesus: so that he could be revealed to Israel.