⁶ There was a man sent from God whose name was John.^{(A) 7} He came as a witness to testify about the light, so that all might believe through him.^{[a] 8} He was not the light, but he came to testify^(B) about the light.

John the Baptist’s Testimony

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

²⁰ He didn’t deny it but confessed, “I am not the Messiah.”^(D)

²¹ “What then?” they asked him. “Are you Elijah?” ^(E)

“I am not,” he said.

“Are you the Prophet?” ^(F)

“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^[a](G)—just as Isaiah^(H) the prophet said.”

²⁴ Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.^{(I) 25} So they asked him, “Why then do you baptize if you aren’t the Messiah, or Elijah, or the Prophet?”

²⁶ “I baptize with^[b] water,”^(J) John answered them. “Someone stands among you, but you don’t know him.