John 1:19–27

¹⁹This is John’s testimony, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?”↗

²⁰He declared, and didn’t deny, but he declared, “I am not the Christ.”↗

²¹They asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the prophet?” He answered, “No.”↗

²²They 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?”↗

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

²⁴The ones who had been sent were from the Pharisees.↗

²⁵They asked him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?”↗

²⁶John answered them, “I baptize in water, but among you stands one whom you don’t know.↗

²⁷He is the one who comes after me, who is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I’m not worthy to loosen.”↗