John 1:32

32 John said, "I saw the Spirit come down as a dove from heaven and stay on him.

John 1:32 Meaning and Commentary

John 1:32

And John bare record
The same day that he said the above things, and at the same time:

saying, I saw the Spirit;
that is, of God, as is said in ( Matthew 3:16 ) and which Nonnus here expresses; and the Ethiopic version reads, "the Holy Ghost",

descending from heaven like a dove;
at the time of his baptism; (See Gill on Matthew 3:16).

And it abode upon him;
for some time; so long as that John had a full sight of it, and so was capable of giving a perfect account of it, and bearing a certain and distinct testimony to it.

John 1:32 In-Context

30 He is the one I spoke about when I said, 'A man who comes after me was before me because he existed before I did.'

31 I didn't know who he was. However, I came to baptize with water to show him to the people of Israel."

32 John said, "I saw the Spirit come down as a dove from heaven and stay on him.

33 I didn't know who he was. But God, who sent me to baptize with water, had told me, 'When you see the Spirit come down and stay on someone, you'll know that person is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.'

34 I have seen this and have declared that this is the Son of God."