1:7a
And: The word And here connects what John wore and ate to what John did and said. As with 1:6c, use a natural way in your language to connect this verse to the preceding verse. Many English versions start this verse with a separate sentence. For example:
He announced (God’s Word)
-or-
This is what John preached to the people (New Century Version)
he began to proclaim: The Greek clause that the Berean Standard Bible translates as he began to proclaim is literally “he was proclaiming/preaching, saying….” The word “proclaiming/preaching” is from the same Greek verb as “preaching” in 1:4b. See the note there.
This clause introduces a summary of what John preached regularly. But 1:4 indicates that he also preached about repentance and baptism. It is good to express 1:7a so that it does not imply that John’s message was only the words 1:7b–c. For example:
In the course of his preaching he said (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
John also told the people (Contemporary English Version)
1:7b
After me will come: The phrase After me means “later than me [in time].” John’s work had already started. Jesus would begin his work soon afterwards. The Greek verb form that the Berean Standard Bible translates as will come is more literally “is coming.” It indicates that Jesus was coming very soon. He was about to begin his work while John was still alive.
In some languages, a literal translation of After me may imply that Jesus did not come until after John died. If that is true in your language, you should translate in a different way. For example:
Someone is coming soon who is far greater than I am (New Living Translation, 1996 edition)
-or-
I have already started my work. Very soon someone else will arrive/come…
One more powerful than I: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as powerful here refers to greatness. The Christ was greater or more important than John. John was not saying that the Christ was physically stronger than he was.
1:7c
the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie: In Jewish culture, only a slave would untie someone’s sandals. John mentioned this action to indicate that Jesus was very important. Jesus was of such great status that John did not feel worthy even to serve as Jesus’ slave. If the meaning of this action is not clear to your readers, here are some options to consider:
• Mention the action and indicate the symbolic meaning. For example:
I feel inadequate to even serve him like a slave by stooping and loosening the ties of his sandals.
• Omit the action and translate only its meaning. For example, the New Living Translation, 1996 edition says:
I am not even worthy to be his slave. (New Living Translation, 1996 edition)
If you use a word like “slave,” be sure that your translation does not imply that Jesus owned slaves.
straps…sandals…untie: In some areas sandals are not used. In other areas, sandals do not need to be untied. If that is true in your area, you may use a more general word, such as shoes. It may also be more natural to focus on removing the shoes, since that was the purpose for untying the straps. For example:
I am not even qualified to bend down to take off his shoes.
-or-
Because of his greatness, I would be ashamed to even remove his shoes.
straps of whose sandals: The word sandals means a type of shoe. The sandals that people wore at that time were usually made from a piece of leather that formed the bottom of a shoe. People tied leather straps onto this piece of leather and then wrapped them around the foot and lower legs.
Section 1:9–11
John baptized Jesus
The previous section described how John the Baptizer prepared people for the coming of Jesus. The present section forms a transition from the work of John to the work of Jesus. Jesus came to John to be baptized. After John baptized Jesus, God’s Spirit descended on Jesus in the form of a dove, and God spoke to him from heaven. These were signs that Jesus was the Messiah whom God had sent.
You will probably want to translate this section before you decide on a section heading. Here is another example of a heading for this section:
The baptism of Jesus
There are parallel passages for this section in Matthew 3:13–17; Luke 3:21–22.
Paragraph 1:9–11
1:9a
In those days: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as In those days is literally “And it happened in those days.” This phrase introduces the event that follows. It refers to the time when John was preaching to people and baptizing them. While John was doing these things, Jesus arrived at the place where John was.
Most English versions do not translate the phrase “And it happened,” because it is not natural in English. Consider how your language introduces the next major part of a story. Translate in a way that is natural for your language.
Jesus came: Languages differ in the way they use words like “come” and “go.” In some languages it may be more natural to say “went” or “traveled” instead of came.
In some languages it may also be natural to make explicit that Jesus “arrived” at that location. It may be necessary to specify that he came to John or to where John was baptizing. This implicit information may fit in either 1:9a or 1>9b. For example:
During those days, Jesus traveled from Nazareth in Galilee and arrived in the wilderness where John was baptizing.
from Nazareth in Galilee: Nazareth was a town with about two thousand people. Galilee was an area in the northern part of the country of Israel. In some languages it may be helpful to indicate some of this information. For example:
from Nazareth in the province of Galilee (Good News Bible)
-or-
from Nazareth town in the region of Galilee
-or-
from Nazareth in the district of Galilee
It may also be helpful to include a footnote with more information. For example:
Nazareth was a town in the province/region of Galilee where Jesus and his parents lived. Jesus grew up there but later lived in Capernaum. About 2000 people lived in Nazareth.
1:9b
was baptized by John: The phrase was baptized by John is passive. In some languages it may be more natural to use an active phrase. For example, the Contemporary English Version says:
John baptized him in the Jordan River. (Contemporary English Version)
baptized: See the notes on 1:4a and 1:8a for ways to translate baptized.
in the Jordan: The Jordan refers to the Jordan River. In some languages you may need to make this explicit. For example:
in the river Jordan
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