The Complete Jewish Bible CJB
New International Version NIV
19 Here is Yochanan's testimony: when the Judeans sent cohanim and L'vi'im from Yerushalayim to ask him, "Who are you?"
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Now this was John’s testimony when the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was.
20 he was very straightforward and stated clearly, "I am not the Messiah."
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He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, “I am not the Messiah.”
21 "Then who are you?" they asked him. "Are you Eliyahu?" "No, I am not," he said. "Are you `the prophet,' the one we're expecting?" "No," he replied.
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They asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” He answered, “No.”
22 So they said to him, "Who are you? -- so that we can give an answer to the people who sent us. What do you have to say about yourself?"
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Finally they said, “Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”
23 He answered in the words of Yesha`yahu the prophet, "I am The voice of someone crying out: `In the desert make the way of ADONAI straight!'"
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John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, “I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’ ”
24 Some of those who had been sent were P'rushim.
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Now the Pharisees who had been sent
25 They asked him, "If you are neither the Messiah nor Eliyahu nor `the prophet,' then why are you immersing people?"
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questioned him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”
26 To them Yochanan replied, "I am immersing people in water, but among you is standing someone whom you don't know.
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“I baptize with water,” John replied, “but among you stands one you do not know.
27 He is the one coming after me -- I'm not good enough even to untie his sandal!"
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He is the one who comes after me, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.”
28 All this took place in Beit-Anyah, east of the Yarden, where Yochanan was immersing.
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This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.