Was standing there (Anchor, New American Bible “was there,” Jerusalem Bible “stood there”) is rendered “was standing” in most translations. The verb means simply that John was present, but one commentator sees in it a picture of John the Baptist standing and waiting for Jesus. The reader is not told where John was, but the implication is that these events take place the same locality as the previous events, that is in Bethany, on the east side of the Jordan river (verse 28).

Two of John the Baptist’s disciples were present with him; one of these was Andrew (verse 40), but the other is not definitely known. All four Gospels agree that John the Baptist had a group of close followers, called disciples. He taught them specific prayers (Luke 11.1; compare 5.33), and they had their own rules for fasting (Mark 2.18).

Terms for disciples are normally of two types: the first based on the meaning of “learning” or “being taught”; the second based on the concept of “following,” “being associated with.” or “being an adherent of.” It is important in such a context to be able to use exactly the same term for the disciples of John as for those of Jesus, even though the Greek term often rendered “disciples” must be translated in some portions of Acts as “believers.” Though an expression based upon the concept of “learning” or “being taught” is often useful, it may suggest a kind of classroom relationship between teacher and pupil. Jesus did teach his disciples, but they were more than just his pupils. They were chosen to be with him and to be sent out to preach (Mark 3.14). For that reason translators increasingly prefer to use some term which means “follower of” or “adherent to,” rather than one which would suggest “pupils” in a classroom.

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on the Gospel of John. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1980. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .