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

20 He declared, and didn’t deny, but he declared, “I am not the Christ.”

21 They asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?”

He said, “I am not.”

“Are you the prophet?”

He answered, “No.”

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

23 He said, “I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’Isaiah 40:3 as Isaiah the prophet said.”

24 The ones who had been sent were from the Pharisees. 25 They asked him, “Why then do you baptize, if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?”

26 John answered them, “I baptize in water, but among you stands one whom you don’t know. 27 He is the one who comes after me, who is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I’m not worthy to loosen.” 28 These things were done in Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

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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