John 1:19-23

New International Version

John the Baptist Denies Being the Messiah

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

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

He said, “I am not.”

“Are you the Prophet?”^(E)

He answered, “No.”

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

²³John 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)

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Footnotes

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.
John 1:23 Isaiah 40:3

John 1:32-34

New International Version

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