The Testimony of John

19 This is athe testimony of John, when bthe Jews sent to him priests and Levites cfrom Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?”

20 And he confessed and did not deny, but confessed, “aI am not 1the Christ.”

21 They asked him, “What then? Are you aElijah?” And he * said, “I am not.” “Are you bthe Prophet?” And he answered, “No.”

22 Then they said to him, “Who are you, so that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?”

23 He said, “I am aa voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as Isaiah the prophet said.”

24 Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.

25 They asked him, and said to him, “Why then are you baptizing, if you are not the 1Christ, nor Elijah, nor athe Prophet?”

26 John answered them saying, “aI baptize 1in water, but among you stands One whom you do not know.

27 “It is aHe who comes after me, the bthong of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.”

28 These things took place in Bethany abeyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

29 The next day he * saw Jesus coming to him and * said, “Behold, athe Lamb of God who btakes away the sin of the world!

30 “This is He on behalf of whom I said, ‘aAfter me comes a Man who 1has a higher rank than I, bfor He existed before me.’

31 “I did not recognize 1Him, but so that He might be manifested to Israel, I came baptizing 2in water.”

32 John atestified saying, “bI have seen the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven, and He remained upon Him.

33 “I did not recognize 1Him, but He who sent me to baptize 2in water said to me, ‘He upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining upon Him, athis is the One who baptizes 2in the Holy Spirit.’

34 “I myself have seen, and have testified that this is athe Son of God.”