John 1:19-23

The Testimony of John the Baptist

19 And this is the ¹testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, ²“Who are you? ”

20 ³He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ. ”

21 And they asked him, “What then? ⁴Are you Elijah? ” He said, “I am not. ” “Are you ⁵the Prophet? ” And he answered, “No. ”

22 So they said to him, “Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself? ”

23 He said, “I am ⁶the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight^[a] the way of the Lord, ’ as the prophet Isaiah said. ”

Cross References

• 1. 1:19 ch. 3:26
• 2. 1:19 [ch. 8:25]
• 3. 1:20 ver. 8; ch. 3:28; Acts 13:25; [Luke 3:15]
• 4. 1:21 [Matt. 11:14; 16:14]
• 5. 1:21 See Deut. 18:15, 18
• 6. 1:23 Cited from Isa. 40:3; See Matt. 3:3

Footnotes

• [a] 1:23 Or 'crying out, “In the wilderness make straight'