John 1:15-23 Christian Standard Bible (CSB)

¹⁵ (John testified concerning him and exclaimed, “This was the one of whom I said, ‘The one coming after me ranks ahead of me, because he existed before me.’”) ¹⁶ Indeed, we have all received grace upon^[a] grace from his fullness, ¹⁷ for the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. ¹⁸ No one has ever seen God. The one and only Son, who is himself God and is at the Father’s side^[b]— he has revealed him.

John the Baptist’s Testimony

¹⁹ This was John’s testimony when the Jews from Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him, “Who are you?”

²⁰ He didn’t deny it but confessed: “I am not the Messiah.”

²¹ “What then?” they asked him. “Are you Elijah?”

“I am not,” he said.

“Are you the Prophet?”

“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^[c]—just as Isaiah the prophet said.”