John the Baptist Denies Being the Messiah

¹⁹ Now this was John’s^(A) testimony when the Jewish leaders^[a](B) in Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. ²⁰ He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, “I am not the Messiah.”^(C)

²¹ They asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?”^(D)

He said, “I am not.”

“Are you the Prophet?”^(E)

He answered, “No.”

²² Finally they said, “Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”

²³ John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, “I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness,^(F) ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’”^[b](G)

²⁴ Now the Pharisees who had been sent ²⁵ questioned him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”

²⁶ “I baptize with^[c] water,”^(H) John replied, “but among you stands one you do not know. ²⁷ He is the one who comes after me,^(I) the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.”^(J)

²⁸ This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan,^(K) where John was baptizing.

John Testifies About Jesus

²⁹ The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God,^(L) who takes away the sin of the world!^{(M) 30} This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’^{(N) 31} I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.”

³² Then John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him.^{(O) 33} And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water^(P) told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’^{(Q) 34} I have seen and I testify that this is God’s Chosen One.”^[d](R)

John’s Disciples Follow Jesus^(S)

³⁵ The next day John^(T) was there again with two of his disciples. ³⁶ When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!”^(U)

³⁷ When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus.

John Testifies Again About Jesus

²² After this, Jesus and his disciples went out into the Judean countryside, where he spent some time with them, and baptized.^{(A) 23} Now John^(B) also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water, and people were coming and being baptized. ²⁴ (This was before John was put in prison.)^{(C) 25} An argument developed between some of John’s disciples and a certain Jew over the matter of ceremonial washing.^{(D) 26} They came to John and said to him, “Rabbi,^(E) that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan—the one you testified^(F) about—look, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him.”

²⁷ To this John replied, “A person can receive only what is given them from heaven. ²⁸ You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah but am sent ahead of him.’^{(G) 29} The bride belongs to the bridegroom.^(H) The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete.^{(I) 30} He must become greater; I must become less.”^[a]

³¹ The one who comes from above^(J) is above all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth.^(K) The one who comes from heaven is above all. ³² He testifies to what he has seen and heard,^(L) but no one accepts his testimony.^{(M) 33} Whoever has accepted it has certified that God is truthful. ³⁴ For the one whom God has sent^(N) speaks the words of God, for God^[b] gives the Spirit^(O) without limit. ³⁵ The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands.^{(P) 36} Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life,^(Q) but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.