King James Bible
"The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world."
John the Baptist encounters Jesus following his baptism and temptation narrative. This temporal marker emphasizes the deliberate timing of John's prophetic declaration, as he recognizes Jesus approaching after having prepared the way through his ministry of repentance. John identifies Jesus using sacrificial imagery from the Jewish temple system, where unblemished lambs were offered for sin. This title uniquely combines the Passover lamb that delivered Israel from death with Isaiah's suffering servant who would be led like a lamb to slaughter, marking Jesus as God's own provision. The present tense 'taketh away' indicates an ongoing removal rather than mere covering of sin, surpassing the temporary nature of animal sacrifices. The scope extends beyond Israel to 'the world,' revealing the universal reach of Jesus' redemptive mission from the Gospel's opening chapter.