Outline/Summary

The Lamb of God takes away the sins of the world

The day after the Jewish leaders questioned John, he saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the world’s sins! This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ I myself did not know him, but the reason I am baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.”

Then John gave this testimony, “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit. I have seen, and I testify that this is God’s Chosen One.”

What the story means to us today

Jesus died for our sins

John the Baptist continues to emphasize that Jesus is “God’s Chosen One.” As Jesus approaches, he exclaims, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”

The act of sacrificing a lamb was known by the Israelites to be a memorial of Abraham’s son being bound for sacrifice, as mentioned in Genesis 22:0. To proclaim Jesus as “the Lamb of God” was an outward acknowledgment that Jesus was to be the sacrifice for the sins of all mankind.

Christians often say that Jesus died for our sins. This statement means that Jesus’ death was an act of sacrifice—a willing gift of man’s most precious treasure—life itself—to serve as the symbolic sacrifice for the forgiveness of everyone’s sins. We love, honor, and worship God because he is the creator of everything. Without him, we wouldn’t exist. The same is true for Jesus, which is why Christians worship him too. He died for all our sins. Without his selfless sacrifice, our sins would condemn us all.

Deeper thoughts and additional considerations

John the Baptist does not “know” Jesus

John says, “I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.”

Clearly, John is not saying that he did not know who Jesus was. After all, Luke suggests they were second cousins, so they probably knew each other in youth. Rather, John is emphasizing that he did not recognize Jesus as God’s Chosen One.

The Spirit descends on Jesus like a dove

John the Baptist testifies, “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him.” The significance of the vision is revealed in the next verse. God told John to baptize with water and revealed that “the man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.”

A dove landing on Jesus after his baptism is mentioned in all four gospels. It served as a message from God, revealing the anointed Messiah to the world.

Translation notes

God’s Chosen One or the Son of God?

In John 1:34, John the Baptist says, “I have seen, and I testify that this is God’s Chosen One.” Some manuscripts say this is the “Son of God” rather than “God’s Chosen One.” Others go a step further and combine the two into the “Chosen Son of God.”

The earliest manuscripts read “God’s Chosen One,” which is likely the correct translation. John uses the phrase “Son of God” multiple times in his writings. It is believed that later scribes changed “God’s Chosen One” to “Son of God,” since John often describes Jesus as such.

Bible text

NIV

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! 30 This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ 31 I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.” 

32 Then John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. 33 And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 I have seen, and I testify that this is God’s Chosen One.”

WEB

29 The next day, he saw Jesus coming to him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who is preferred before me, for he was before me.’ 31 I didn’t know him, but for this reason, I came baptizing in water, that he would be revealed to Israel.” 32 John testified, saying, “I have seen the Spirit descending like a dove out of heaven, and it remained on him. 33 I didn’t recognize him, but he who sent me to baptize in water said to me, ‘On whomever you will see the Spirit descending and remaining on him is he who baptizes in the Holy Spirit.’ 34 I have seen and have testified that this is the Son of God.”

NET Bible

1:29 On the next day, John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! 1:30 This is the one about whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who is greater than I am, because he existed before me.’ 1:31 I did not recognize him, but I came baptizing with water so that he could be revealed to Israel.” 

1:32 Then John testified, “I saw the Spirit descending like a dove from heaven, and it remained on him. 1:33 And I did not recognize him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘The one on whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining—this is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ 1:34 I have both seen and testified that this man is the Chosen One of God.”

NKJV

29 The next day, John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is He of whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me.’ 31 I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water.”

32 And John bore witness, saying, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him. 33 I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.”

The Message

29–31 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.”

32–34 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.”

KJV

29 The next day, John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which ||taketh away the sin of the world. 30 This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me. 31 And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water. 32 And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him. 33 And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. 34 And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.