1:30a

This is He of whom I said: This and He and whom all refer to Jesus. Jesus was related to John the Baptist (Luke 1:36), so John surely recognized him. Here are other ways to translate this clause:

This is the one I was talking about when I said (Good News Translation)
-or-
He is the one I told you about when I said (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
Here is the man I was referring to when I told you that

1:30b

A man who comes after me has surpassed me: John continued to talk about Jesus. Jesus was born after John and began his ministry after John, and he was greater than John. See the notes on 1:15d, where the same clause is quoted. You should translate the clause the same way in both verses. For example:

After me comes a man who is greater than I am. (NET Bible)
-or-
Behind me comes one who has passed ahead of me. (New Jerusalem Bible)

has surpassed me: This clause means that Jesus is more important than John the Baptist. Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

who is far greater than I am (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
He is greater than I am (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
is more important than I am

1:30c

because He was before me: This clause states the reason why Jesus ranked ahead of John: Jesus existed before John was born. This is why he is greater than John. Because Jesus was younger than John, this implies that he existed with God before he was born. See the notes on 1:15e. Translate the clause the same way here and in 1:15e. For example:

because he existed before me (NET Bible)
-or-
because he was alive before I was born (Contemporary English Version)

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