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John 1:33

ESV I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’
NIV 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.'
NASB And I did not recognize Him, but He who sent me to baptize in water said to me, ‘He upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining upon Him, this is the One who baptizes in the Holy Spirit.’
CSB I didn't know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water told me, 'The one you see the Spirit descending and resting on--he is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.'
NLT I didn’t know he was the one, but when God sent me to baptize with water, he told me, ‘The one on whom you see the Spirit descend and rest is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’
KJV 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.

What does John 1:33 mean?

John the Baptist seemed to recognize Jesus as the Promised One when they were both in the womb (Luke 1:41). However, they probably didn't see each other all that often as children. We can't be sure, from the Bible, how well the Baptist knew Jesus personally prior to this. Verse 33 repeats John the Baptist's comment from verse 31, that he hadn't immediately recognized Jesus. Now, he partly explains why. The Baptist's directions from God were to baptize and preach repentance, waiting for the Messiah to appear. When the Promised One came, he would see the Holy Spirit on Him. In verse 32, the Baptist had claimed to see this exact vision with respect to Jesus. The Baptist also makes a point of mentioning that Jesus has come to baptize with the Holy Spirit, in contrast to his own ministry of water baptism. This spiritual baptism would not be complete until the day of Pentecost, after Jesus' resurrection.
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