Psalm 98

A psalm.

²² Who is the liar? Isn’t it the person who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This person is the antichrist: the one who denies the Father and the Son. ²³ Everyone who denies the Son does not have the Father, but the one who confesses the Son has the Father also.

²⁴ As for you, what you heard from the beginning must remain in you. If what you heard from the beginning remains in you, you will also remain in relationship to the Son and in the Father. ²⁵ This is the promise that he himself gave us: eternal life. ²⁶ I write these things to you about those who are attempting to deceive you. ²⁷ As for you, the anointing that you received from him remains on you, and you don’t need anyone to teach you the truth. But since his anointing teaches you about all things (it’s true and not a lie), remain in relationship to him just as he taught you.

Remaining until Jesus appears

²⁸ And now, little children, remain in relationship to Jesus, so that when he appears we can have confidence and not be ashamed in front of him when he comes. ²⁹ If you know that he is righteous, you also know that every person who practices righteousness is born from him.

John’s witness

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

²⁰ John confessed (he didn’t deny but confessed), “I’m not the Christ.”

²¹ They asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?”

John said, “I’m not.”

“Are you the prophet?”

John answered, “No.”

²² They asked, “Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”

²³ John replied,

²⁴ Those sent by the Pharisees ²⁵ asked, “Why do you baptize if you aren’t the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?”

²⁶ John answered, “I baptize with water. Someone greater stands among you, whom you don’t recognize. ²⁷ He comes after me, but I’m not worthy to untie his sandal straps.” ²⁸ This encounter took place across the Jordan in Bethany where John was baptizing.