John 1:19-28 ▼

19 And this is John's testimony, when the Jewish leaders sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, |Who are you?|

20 And he confessed, and did not deny, but he confessed, |I am not the Christ.|

21 And they asked him, |What then? Are you Elijah?| And he said, |I am not.| |Are you the Prophet?| And he answered, |No.|

22 They said therefore to him, |Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?|

23 He said, |I am the 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 And they asked him, |Why then do you baptize, if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?|

26 John answered them, saying, |I baptize in water, but among you stands one whom you do not know.

27 He is the one who comes after me, whose sandal strap I'm not worthy to loosen.|

28 These things were done in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.