John 1:32

32 Then John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him.

John 1:32 in Other Translations

32 And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.

32 And John bore witness: "I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him.

32 Then John testified, “I saw the Holy Spirit descending like a dove from heaven and resting upon him.

32 John clinched his witness with this: "I watched the Spirit, like a dove flying down out of the sky, making himself at home in him.

32 And John testified, "I watched the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He rested 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 This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’

31 I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.”

32 Then John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him.

33 And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’

34 I have seen and I testify that this is God’s Chosen One.”

Cross References

• 1. Matthew 3:16; Mark 1:10