NIV
New International Version · 1978 (rev. 2011)
John the Baptist Denies Being the Christ Now this was John’s testimony when the Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was.
27 words · Balance of accuracy and readability
John 1:19 — Compare Translations
Read this verse in 6 Bible translations — from word-for-word to thought-for-thought.
Dynamic equivalence
KJV
King James Version · 1611
And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou?
22 words · Formal / word-for-word
ESV
English Standard Version · 2001 (rev. 2016)
And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?”
22 words · Essentially literal
NLT
New Living Translation · 1996 (rev. 2015)
This was John’s testimony when the Jewish leaders sent priests and Temple assistants from Jerusalem to ask John, “Who are you?”
21 words · Thought-for-thought clarity
MSG
The Message · 2002
When Jews from Jerusalem sent a group of priests and officials to ask John who he was, he was completely honest.
21 words · Contemporary paraphrase
NASB
New American Standard Bible · 1971 (rev. 2020)
This is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent to him priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, 'Who are you?'
23 words · Most literal English translation
Translation Length Comparison
NIV
27 words
KJV
22 words
ESV
22 words
NLT
21 words
MSG
21 words
NASB
23 words
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Bible translations are there for John 1:19?
Bible Verse Randomizer offers John 1:19 in 6 translations: New International Version, King James Version, English Standard Version, New Living Translation, The Message, New American Standard Bible. Each uses a different translation philosophy — from word-for-word (KJV, ESV, NASB) to thought-for-thought (NIV, NLT) to paraphrase (MSG).
Which translation of John 1:19 is best?
No single translation is "best" — it depends on your purpose. For deep study, use the ESV or NASB (word-for-word). For devotional reading, the NIV balances accuracy and readability. The NLT and MSG are excellent for understanding the general meaning in modern English. Comparing multiple translations helps grasp the full richness of the text.
What is the difference between literal and dynamic Bible translations?
Literal (formal equivalence) translations like KJV, ESV, and NASB translate word-for-word from the original Hebrew/Greek. Dynamic equivalence translations like NIV and NLT translate thought-for-thought for clarity. The MSG is a paraphrase that captures the spirit in contemporary language. Each approach has strengths — that's why comparing translations is valuable.