What Does John 1:15 Mean?

“John”

joannes (i.e., jochanan), the name of four israelites

“bare witness”

to be a witness, i.e., testify (literally or figuratively)

“of”

properly, through (all over), i.e., around; figuratively with respect to; used in various applications, of place, cause or time (with the genitive cas

“him”

the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative g1438) of the third person, and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons

“and”

and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words

“cried”

properly, to "croak" (as a raven) or scream, i.e., (genitive case) to call aloud (shriek, exclaim, intreat)

“saying”

properly, to "lay" forth, i.e., (figuratively) relate (in words (usually of systematic or set discourse; whereas g2036 and g5346 generally refer to an

“This”

the he (she or it), i.e., this or that (often with article repeated)

“he was”

i (thou, etc.) was (wast or were)

“of whom”

the relatively (sometimes demonstrative) pronoun, who, which, what, that

“I spake”

to speak or say (by word or writing)

the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)

“after”

to the back, i.e., aback (as adverb or preposition of time or place; or as noun)

“me”

of me

“He that cometh”

to come or go (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively)

“before”

in front of (in place (literally or figuratively) or time)

“me”

of me

“is preferred”

to cause to be ("gen"-erate), i.e., (reflexively) to become (come into being), used with great latitude (literal, figurative, intensive, etc.)

“for”

demonstrative, that (sometimes redundant); causative, because

“before”

foremost (in time, place, order or importance)

“me”

of me

“he was”

i (thou, etc.) was (wast or were)