1:34

I have seen and testified: In this verse, John the Baptist refers back to what he said in 1:32. He repeats it to emphasize a point.

I have seen: This clause here indicates that John personally saw what God said would happen. He saw the Spirit come down on Jesus in the form of a dove. He heard God declare that Jesus was his beloved Son (Matthew 3:17, Mark 1:11, Luke 3:22). So he knew that Jesus was the one whom God was talking about. In some languages you may need to indicate what John had seen. For example:

I saw this happen (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
I saw this happen to Jesus (New Living Translation (2004))

testified: The Greek verb testified means “report what you saw and heard.” It is the same verb that appears in 1:32a.

this is the Son of God: There is a textual issue here.

(1) Some Greek manuscripts have the Son of God. For example:

the Son of God (Revised Standard Version)

(Berean Standard Bible, New International Version (1984), New Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, English Standard Version, King James Version, New American Standard Bible, Contemporary English Version, God’s Word, New Century Version)

(2) Some Greek manuscripts have “the Chosen One of God.” For example:

the Chosen One of God (New Jerusalem Bible)

(New Jerusalem Bible, NET Bible, New Living Translation (2004), Revised English Bible, NIV2011)

It is recommended that you follow option (1) because it has the best manuscript and English translation support. Many commentators also support it. However, if the major language translation in your area follows option (2), you may choose to follow that.

the Son of God: The phrase the Son of God is a title for Jesus. This title was often used to refer to a savior who would be a descendant of King David. God would send this savior to rescue his people. This person was often referred to as the “Messiah” or “Christ.”

The title the Son of God also indicates that Jesus has the same nature and character as God. The relationship between God the Father and Jesus, his Son, is similar in some way to the relationship of human fathers and sons. God the Father does not have a physical body. He did not have a sexual relationship with Mary that resulted in her becoming pregnant and giving birth to Jesus. The Son of God existed eternally as the Son with his Father.

In areas where people do not understand the title Son of God in this way, you may want to include a footnote that explains the correct meaning. Here is a suggested footnote:

This title refers to Jesus. It indicates that Jesus has the same nature and character as God. It does not mean that God the Father had a sexual relationship with Mary that resulted in her becoming pregnant and giving birth to Jesus. Mary became pregnant with Jesus in a miraculous way by the Holy Spirit of God.

In some languages, it is natural to speak of a son as a “child,” without specifying male or female. If that is true in your language, you may use a more general term. For example:

Child of God

Other verses will usually make clear that Jesus was a male child. If you use a phrase such as “the male child of God,” be sure that it does not imply that God had another child who was female.

General Comment on 1:33–34

In some languages it is more natural to reorder these verses. For example:

Then John said to the people, 33b “God sent me to baptize with water. He told me that I would see 33c the Holy Spirit come down and rest on a man. 33d That man is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit. 33a I did not know who that would be 34 but then I saw it happen to Jesus. I tell you this is the Son of God.”

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