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19 And this is the witnessing of John, when Jews sent from Jerusalem priests and deacons to him, that they should ask him, Who art thou?

20 [And] He acknowledged, and denied not, and he acknowledged, For I am not Christ.

21 And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he said, I am not. Art thou a prophet [Art thou the prophet]? And he answered, Nay.

22 Therefore they said to him, Who art thou? That we give an answer to these that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself?

23 He said, I am a voice of a crier in desert [I am a voice of a man crying in desert], Dress ye the way of the Lord, as Esaias, the prophet, said.

24 And they that were sent, were of the Pharisees.

25 And they asked him, and said to him, What then baptizest thou, if thou art not Christ, neither Elias, neither a prophet?

26 John answered to them, and said [saying], I baptize in water, but in the middle of you hath stand one, that ye know not [whom ye know not];

27 he it is, that shall come after me [he it is, that is to coming after me], that was made before me, of whom I am not worthy to loose the thong of his shoe.

28 These things were done in Bethany beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing.

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19 And this is the witness of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who are you? 20 He acknowledged, and did not deny but said plainly, I am not the Christ.

21 And they asked him, What then? Are you Elijah?

And he said, I am not.

Are you a prophet?

And he answered, No.

22 Then said they to him, Who are you, so that we may give an answer to those who sent us: what do you say about yourself?

23 He said, I am the voice of a crier in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord! as the prophet Isaiah said.

24 And those who were sent were of the Pharisees. 25 And they asked him and said to him, Why do you baptize then, if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor a prophet?

26 John answered them, saying, I baptize with water, but one is come among you whom you do not know. 27 He it is that comes after me, who was before me, whose shoe latchet I am not worthy to loose.

28 These things were done in Bethabara beyond the Jordan, where John did baptize.

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19 [a]Then this is the record of John, when the Jews sent Priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou?

20 And he [b]confessed and [c]denied not, and said plainly, I (A)am not that Christ.

21 And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elijah? And he said, [d]I am not. Art thou [e]that Prophet? And he answered, No.

22 Then said they unto him, Who art thou, that we may give an answer to them that sent us? What sayest thou of thyself?

23 He said, I (B)am the voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the Prophet Isaiah.

24 [f]Now they which were sent, were of the Pharisees.

25 And they asked him, and said unto him, [g]Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, neither Elijah, nor that Prophet?

26 John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there is one [h]among you, whom ye know not.

27 (C)He it is that cometh after me, which was before me, whose shoe latchet I am not worthy to unloose.

28 These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John did baptize.

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Footnotes

  1. John 1:19 John is neither the Messiah, nor like to any of the other Prophets, but is the herald of Christ, who is now present.
  2. John 1:20 He did acknowledge him, and spake of him plainly and openly.
  3. John 1:20 This repeating of the one and the selfsame thing, though in divers words, is used much of the Hebrews, and it hath great force: for they used to speak one thing twice, to set it out more certainly and plainly.
  4. John 1:21 The Jews thought that Elijah should come again before the days of Messiah, and they took the ground of that their opinion out of Mal. 4:5, which place is to be understood of John, Matt. 11:14. And yet John denieth that he is Elijah, answering them indeed according as they meant.
  5. John 1:21 They inquire of some great Prophet, and not of Christ, for John denied before, that he is Christ, for they thought that some great Prophet should be sent like unto Moses, wresting to that purpose that place of Deut. 18:15, which is to be understood of all the company of the Prophets and ministers, which have been and shall be to the end, and especially of Christ, who is the head of all Prophets.
  6. John 1:24 Christ is the author of baptism, and not John: and therefore the force thereof consisteth not in John, who is the minister, but wholly in Christ the Lord.
  7. John 1:25 Hereby we may prove that the Jews knew there should be some change in religion under Messiah.
  8. John 1:26 Whom all the world seeth not, and is even amongst you.

19 And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou? 20 And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ. 21 And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No. 22 Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself? 23 He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.

24 And they which were sent were of the Pharisees. 25 And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet? 26 John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not; 27 he it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe’s latchet I am not worthy to unloose. 28 These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing.

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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.

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Footnotes

  1. John 1:19 The Greek term traditionally translated the Jews (hoi Ioudaioi) refers here and elsewhere in John’s Gospel to those Jewish leaders who opposed Jesus; also in 5:10, 15, 16; 7:1, 11, 13; 9:22; 18:14, 28, 36; 19:7, 12, 31, 38; 20:19.
  2. John 1:23 Isaiah 40:3
  3. John 1:26 Or in; also in verses 31 and 33 (twice)