He is coming after me (see 1.15,30) must be taken in a temporal sense. In rendering this clause it may be necessary to make a significant shift in the tense, since Jesus’ ministry was to take place after this statement by John the Baptist. Therefore, one may translate “He will be coming after me.” In many languages, however, just to employ a verb “to come” is not enough, for it is a matter not of movement but of coming into prominence. Therefore it may be necessary to say “He will become conspicuous after I am no longer conspicuous” or “He will come into prominence when I am no longer prominent.”

It was the task of the slave to untie his master’s sandals; John indicates that he is not good enough to perform even this humble task for the one who is coming after him. In most languages it is quite clear that untying another person’s sandals is a menial task and the significance of this statement of John the Baptist is readily understood. However, if this is not so in the language concerned, one can either introduce a marginal note or specify the humble character of such an act by saying “I am not even important enough to do such a humble thing as to untie his sandals for him,” or “… to be his servant.”

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 .