John 1:8 (DRB)

Passage

He was not the light, but was to give testimony of the light.

Nearby Context

John 1:6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.

John 1:7 This man came for a witness, to give testimony of the light, that all men might believe through him.

John 1:8 He was not the light, but was to give testimony of the light.

John 1:9 That was the true light, which enlighteneth every man that cometh into this world.

John 1:10 He was in the world: and the world was made by him: and the world knew him not.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "light", "give", and "testimony". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "light" and "give", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 7's "This man came for a witness to..." into verse 9's "That was the true light which enlighteneth...", so "light" and "give" belong inside that flow. In John context, the local focus is the identity of Jesus, new birth, eternal life, and belief and unbelief.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "light" and "give" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.