John 1:15–28

¹⁵(John declared the truth about him when he said loudly, “This is the person about whom I said, ‘The one who comes after me was before me because he existed before I did.’ ”) 

¹⁶Each of us has received one gift after another because of all that the Word is. ¹⁷Laws were given through Moses, but kindness and truth came into existence through Jesus Christ. ¹⁸No one has ever seen God. God’s only Son, the one who is closest to the Father’s heart, has made him known. 

John Prepares the Way—Matthew 3:1–12; Mark 1:1–8; Luke 3:1–18

¹⁹This was John’s answer when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” ²⁰John didn’t refuse to answer. He told them clearly, “I’m not the Messiah.” 

²¹They asked him, “Well, are you Elijah?” 

John answered, “No, I’m not.” 

Then they asked, “Are you the prophet?” 

John replied, “No.” 

²²So they asked him, “Who are you? Tell us so that we can take an answer back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” 

²³John said, “I’m a voice crying out in the desert, ‘Make the way for the Lord straight,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.” 

²⁴Some of those who had been sent were Pharisees. ²⁵They asked John, “Why do you baptize if you’re not the Messiah or Elijah or the prophet?” 

²⁶John answered them, “I baptize with water. Someone you don’t know is standing among you. ²⁷He’s the one who comes after me. I am not worthy to untie his sandal strap.” 

²⁸This happened in Bethany on the east side of the Jordan River, where John was baptizing.