John 1:19-34

The Testimony of John

19 This is ¹the testimony of John, when ²the Jews sent to him priests and Levites ³from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?"

20 And he confessed and did not deny, but confessed, "⁴I am not ^[a]the Christ."

21 They asked him, "What then? Are you ⁵Elijah?" And he said, "I am not." "Are you ⁶the 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 ⁷A 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 ^[b]Christ, nor Elijah, nor ⁸the Prophet?"

26 John answered them saying, "⁹I baptize ^[c]in water, but among you stands One whom you do not know.

27 "It is ¹⁰He who comes after me, the ¹¹thong of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie."

28 These things took place in Bethany ¹²beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

29 The next day he saw Jesus coming to him and said, "Behold, ¹³the Lamb of God who ¹⁴takes away the sin of the world!

30 "This is He on behalf of whom I said, '¹⁵After me comes a Man who ^[d]has a higher rank than I, ¹⁶for He existed before me.'

31 "I did not recognize ^[e]Him, but so that He might be manifested to Israel, I came baptizing ^[f]in water."

32 John ¹⁷testified saying, "¹⁸I have seen the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven, and He remained upon Him.

33 "I did not recognize ^[g]Him, but He who sent me to baptize ^[h]in water said to me, 'He upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining upon Him, ¹⁹this is the One who baptizes ^[i]in the Holy Spirit.'

34 "I myself have seen, and have testified that this is ²⁰the Son of God."

Cross References

• 1. John 1:7
• 2. John 2:18, 20; John 5:10, 15f, 18; John 6:41, 52; John 7:1, 11, 13, 15, 35; John 8:22, 48, 52, 57; John 9:18, 22; John 10:24, 31, 33
• 3. Matthew 15:1
• 4. Luke 3:15; John 3:28
• 5. Matthew 11:14; Matthew 16:14
• 6. Deuteronomy 18:15, 18; Matthew 21:11; John 1:25
• 7. Isaiah 40:3; Matthew 3:3; Mark 1:3; Luke 3:4
• 8. Deuteronomy 18:15, 18; Matthew 21:11; John 1:21
• 9. Matthew 3:11; Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16; Acts 1:5
• 10. Matthew 3:11; John 1:30
• 11. Matthew 3:11; Mark 1:7; Luke 3:16
• 12. John 3:26; John 10:40
• 13. Isaiah 53:7; John 1:36; Acts 8:32; 1 Peter 1:19; Revelation 5:6, 8, 12; Revelation 6:1
• 14. Matthew 1:21; 1 John 3:5
• 15. Matthew 3:11; John 1:27
• 16. John 1:15
• 17. John 1:7
• 18. Matthew 3:16; Mark 1:10; Luke 3:22
• 19. Matthew 3:11; Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16; Acts 1:5
• 20. Matthew 4:3; John 1:49

Footnotes

• [a] I.e. the Messiah
• [b] I.e. Messiah
• [c] The Gr here can be translated "in, with" or "by"
• [d] Lit "has become before me"
• [e] I.e. as the Messiah
• [f] The Gr here can be translated "in, with" or "by"
• [g] I.e. as the Messiah
• [h] The Gr here can be translated "in", "with" or "by"
• [i] The Gr here can be translated "in", "with" or "by"