The Testimony of John the Baptist

¹⁹ And this is the ^(A)testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, ^(B)“Who are you?” ^20 (C)He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” ²¹ And they asked him, “What then? ^(D)Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you ^(E)the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” ²² So they said to him, “Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” ²³ He said, “I am ^(F)the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight^[a] the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.”

²⁴ (Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.) ²⁵ They asked him, ^(G)“Then why are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” ²⁶ John answered them, ^(H)“I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know, ²⁷ even ^(I)he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.” ²⁸ These things took place in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

Behold, the Lamb of God

²⁹ The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, ^(J)the Lamb of God, who ^(K)takes away the sin ^(L)of the world! ³⁰ This is he of whom I said, ^(M)‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’ ³¹ I myself did not know him, but ^(N)for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.” ³² And John ^(O)bore witness: ^(P)“I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and ^(Q)it remained on him. ³³ I myself did not know him, but ^(R)he who sent me to baptize ^(S)with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, ^(T)this is he who baptizes ^(U)with the Holy Spirit.’ ³⁴ And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son^[b] of God.”

Sing to the Lord a New Song