King James Bible
"This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me."
John the Baptist identifies Jesus as the one he previously prophesied about, fulfilling his role as the forerunner. This declaration connects John's earlier testimony to the present moment when Jesus appears publicly. Though Jesus began his ministry after John chronologically, John acknowledges Jesus' superior rank and authority. The term 'preferred' indicates divine appointment and greater honor, reflecting John's humble recognition of his subordinate role. John reveals the paradox of Jesus' preexistence—though younger in earthly years, Christ existed eternally before John's birth. This statement affirms Jesus' divine nature and eternal existence as the Word who was with God from the beginning.