John 1:19–34

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. 

John Identifies Jesus as the Lamb of God

²⁹John saw Jesus coming toward him the next day and said, “Look! This is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. ³⁰He is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘A man who comes after me was before me because he existed before I did.’ ³¹I didn’t know who he was. However, I came to baptize with water to show him to the people of Israel.” 

³²John said, “I saw the Spirit come down as a dove from heaven and stay on him. ³³I didn’t know who he was. But God, who sent me to baptize with water, had told me, ‘When you see the Spirit come down and stay on someone, you’ll know that person is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ ³⁴I have seen this and have declared that this is the Son of God.”