John 1:19-34
Holman Christian Standard Bible
John the Baptist’s Testimony
19 This is John’s testimony when the Jews from Jerusalem(A) sent priests(B) and Levites(C) to ask him, “Who are you?”
20 He did not refuse to answer, but he declared: “I am not the Messiah.”(D)
21 “What then?” they asked him. “Are you Elijah?”(E)
“I am not,” he said.
“No,” he answered.
22 “Who are you, then?” they asked. “We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What can you tell us about yourself?”
23 He said, “I am a voice of one crying out in the wilderness: Make straight the way of the Lord(G)[b]—just as Isaiah(H) the prophet said.”
24 Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.(I) 25 So they asked him, “Why then do you baptize if you aren’t the Messiah, or Elijah, or the Prophet?”
26 “I baptize with[c] water,”(J) John answered them. “Someone stands among you, but you don’t know Him. 27 He is the One coming after me,[d](K) whose sandal strap I’m not worthy to untie.”
28 All this happened in Bethany[e] across the Jordan,[f](L) where John was baptizing.
The Lamb of God
29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Here is the Lamb of God,(M) who takes away the sin(N) of the world! 30 This is the One I told you about: ‘After me comes a man who has surpassed me, because He existed before me.’ 31 I didn’t know Him,(O) but I came baptizing with[g] water so He might be revealed(P) to Israel.”
32 And John testified, “I watched the Spirit(Q) descending from heaven like a dove, and He rested on Him.(R) 33 I didn’t know Him, but He[h] who sent me to baptize with[i] water told me, ‘The One you see the Spirit descending and resting on—He is the One who baptizes with[j] the Holy Spirit.’(S) 34 I have seen and testified that He is the Son of God!”[k](T)
Read full chapterFootnotes
- John 1:21 Probably the Prophet in Dt 18:15
- John 1:23 Is 40:3
- John 1:26 Or in
- John 1:27 Other mss add who came before me
- John 1:28 Other mss read in Bethabara
- John 1:28 Another Bethany, near Jerusalem, was the home of Lazarus, Martha, and Mary; Jn 11:1.
- John 1:31 Or in
- John 1:33 He refers to God the Father, who gave John a sign to help him identify the Messiah. Vv. 32-34 indicate that John did not know that Jesus was the Messiah until the Spirit descended upon Him at His baptism.
- John 1:33 Or in
- John 1:33 Or in
- John 1:34 Other mss read is the Chosen One of God
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