John 1:15-25

15 (John testified to him and cried out, "This was he of whom I said, "He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he was before me.' ")

16 From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.

17 The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

18 No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, ^[a] who is close to the Father's heart, ^[b] who has made him known.

19 This is the testimony given by John when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?"

20 He confessed and did not deny it, but confessed, "I am not the Messiah." ^[c]

21 And they asked him, "What then? Are you Elijah?" He said, "I am not." "Are you the prophet?" He answered, "No."

22 Then they said to him, "Who are you? Let us have an answer for those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?"

23 He said, "I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, "Make straight the way of the Lord,' " as the prophet Isaiah said.

24 Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.

25 They asked him, "Why then are you baptizing if you are neither the Messiah, ^[d] nor Elijah, nor the prophet?"

Footnotes

• [a] Other ancient authorities read [It is an only Son, God,] or [It is the only Son]
• [b] Gk [bosom]
• [c] Or [the Christ]
• [d] Or [the Christ]