John 1:19–34

John the Baptist’s Testimony

¹⁹This is John’s testimony when the Jews from Jerusalem ^dsent priests ^eand Levites ^fto ask him, “Who are you?”

²⁰He did not refuse to answer, but he declared: “I am not the Messiah.” ^g

²¹“What then?” they asked him. “Are you Elijah?” ^h

“I am not,” he said.

“Are you the Prophet?” ^ij

“No,” he answered.

²²“Who are you, then?” they asked. “We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What can you tell us about yourself?”

²³He said, “I am a voice of one crying out in the wilderness: Make straight the way of the Lord ^kl—just as Isaiah ^mthe prophet said.”

²⁴Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. ⁿ²⁵So they asked him, “Why then do you baptize if you aren’t the Messiah, or Elijah, or the Prophet?”

²⁶“I baptize with ^owater,” ^pJohn answered them. “Someone stands among you, but you don’t know Him. ²⁷He is the One coming after me, ^qrwhose sandal strap I’m not worthy to untie.”

²⁸All this happened in Bethany ^sacross the Jordan, ^tuwhere John was baptizing.

The Lamb of God

²⁹The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Here is the Lamb of God, ^vwho takes away the sin ^wof the world! ³⁰This is the One I told you about: ‘After me comes a man who has surpassed me, because He existed before me.’ ³¹I didn’t know Him, ^xbut I came baptizing with ^ywater so He might be revealed ^zto Israel.”

³²And John testified, “I watched the Spirit ^adescending from heaven like a dove, and He rested on Him. ^b33I didn’t know Him, but He ^cwho sent me to baptize with ^dwater told me, ‘The One you see the Spirit descending and resting on—He is the One who baptizes with ^ethe Holy Spirit.’ ^f34I have seen and testified that He is the Son of God!” ^gh