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. 27 He is the one coming after me,[c](K) whose sandal strap I’m not worthy to untie.” 28 All this happened in Bethany[d] across the Jordan,(L) where John was baptizing.

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Footnotes

  1. 1:23 Is 40:3
  2. 1:26 Or in, also in vv. 31,33
  3. 1:27 Other mss add who came before me
  4. 1:28 Other mss read in Bethabara

The Testimony of John the Baptist(A)

19 This was John’s testimony when the Jewish leaders[a] sent priests and descendants of Levi to him from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?”

20 He spoke openly and, remaining true to himself,[b] admitted, “I am not the Messiah.”[c]

21 So they asked him, “Well then, are you Elijah?”

John[d] said, “I am not.”

“Are you the Prophet?”

He answered, “No.”

22 “Who are you?” they asked him. “We must give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”

23 He replied, “I am

‘…a voice crying out in the wilderness,
    “Prepare the Lord’s[e] highway,”’[f]

as the prophet Isaiah said.”

24 Now those men[g] had been sent from the Pharisees. 25 They asked him, “Why, then, are you baptizing if you are not the Messiah,[h] or Elijah, or the Prophet?”

26 John answered them, “I am baptizing with[i] water, but among you stands a man whom you do not know, 27 the one who is coming after me, whose sandal straps I am not worthy to untie.” 28 This happened in Bethany[j] on the other side[k] of the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

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Footnotes

  1. John 1:19 I.e. Judean leaders; lit. the Jews
  2. John 1:20 Lit. and did not deny
  3. John 1:20 Or Christ
  4. John 1:21 Lit. He
  5. John 1:23 MT source citation reads Lord’s
  6. John 1:23 Cf. Isa 40:3
  7. John 1:24 Lit. Now they
  8. John 1:25 Or Christ
  9. John 1:26 Or in
  10. John 1:28 Other mss. read Bethabara
  11. John 1:28 I.e. the east side