NIV
New International Version · 1978 (rev. 2011)
They asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” He answered, “No.”
22 words · Balance of accuracy and readability
John 1:21 — 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 they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No. <sup>that prophet: or, a prophet?</sup>
28 words · Formal / word-for-word
ESV
English Standard Version · 2001 (rev. 2016)
And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.”
22 words · Essentially literal
NLT
New Living Translation · 1996 (rev. 2015)
“Well then, who are you?” they asked. “Are you Elijah?” “No,” he replied. “Are you the Prophet we are expecting?” “No.”
21 words · Thought-for-thought clarity
MSG
The Message · 2002
They pressed him, "Who, then? Elijah?" "I am not." "The Prophet?" "No."
12 words · Contemporary paraphrase
NASB
New American Standard Bible · 1971 (rev. 2020)
They asked him, 'What then? Are you Elijah?' And he said, 'I am not.' 'Are you the Prophet?' And he answered, 'No.'
22 words · Most literal English translation
Translation Length Comparison
NIV
22 words
KJV
28 words
ESV
22 words
NLT
21 words
MSG
12 words
NASB
22 words
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Bible translations are there for John 1:21?
Bible Verse Randomizer offers John 1:21 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 1:21 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.