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There was a man sent from God. His name was John.
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John himself was not the light. He came only as a witness to the light.
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John was a witness about the Word. John cried out and said, “This was the one I was talking about. I said, ‘He who comes after me is more important than I am. He is more important because he existed before I was born.’ ”
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John the Baptist Says That He Is Not the Messiah
The Jewish leaders in Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask John who he was. John spoke the truth to them.
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John replied, using the words of Isaiah the prophet. John said, “I’m the messenger who is calling out in the desert, ‘Make the way for the Lord straight.’ ” (Isaiah 40:3)
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“I baptize people with water,” John replied. “But someone is standing among you whom you do not know.
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This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan River. That was where John was baptizing.
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What John Says About Jesus
The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him. John said, “Look! The Lamb of God! He takes away the sin of the world!
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Then John told them, “I saw the Holy Spirit come down from heaven like a dove. The Spirit remained on Jesus.
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John’s Disciples Follow Jesus
The next day John was there again with two of his disciples.
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He saw Jesus walking by. John said, “Look! The Lamb of God!”
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Andrew was Simon Peter’s brother. Andrew was one of the two disciples who heard what John had said. He had also followed Jesus.
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And he brought Simon to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon, son of John. You will be called Cephas.” Cephas means Peter, or Rock.
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John the Baptist Is a Witness About Jesus
After this, Jesus and his disciples went out into the countryside of Judea. There he spent some time with them. And he baptized people there.
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John was also baptizing. He was at Aenon near Salim, where there was plenty of water. People were coming and being baptized.
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This was before John was put in prison.
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Some of John’s disciples and a certain Jew began to argue. They argued about special washings to make people “clean.”
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They came to John and here is what they said to him. “Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan River is baptizing people. He is the one you told us about. Everyone is going to him.”
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John replied, “A person can receive only what God gives them from heaven.
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Jesus Talks With a Woman From Samaria
Now Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard about him. They had heard that he was gaining and baptizing more disciples than John.
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“You have sent people to John the Baptist. He has been a witness to the truth.
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I do not accept what a person says. I only talk about what John says so that you can be saved.
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John was like a lamp that burned and gave light. For a while you chose to enjoy his light.
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“What I say about myself is more important than what John says about me. I am doing the works the Father gave me to finish. These works are a witness that the Father has sent me.
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Then Jesus went back across the Jordan River. He went to the place where John had been baptizing in the early days. There he stayed.
