1:19 Now ¹  this was ²  John’s ³  testimony ⁴  when the Jewish leaders ⁵  sent ⁶  priests and Levites from Jerusalem ⁷  to ask him, “Who are you?” ⁸  1:20 He confessed – he did not deny but confessed – “I am not the Christ!” ⁹  1:21 So they asked him, “Then who are you? ¹⁰  Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not!” ¹¹  “Are you the Prophet?” ¹²  He answered, “No!” 1:22 Then they said to him, “Who are you? Tell us ¹³  so that we can give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”

1:23 John ¹⁴  said, “I am the voice of one shouting in the wilderness, ‘Make straight ¹⁵  the way for the Lord,’ ¹⁶  as Isaiah the prophet said.” 1:24 (Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. ¹⁷ ) ¹⁸  1:25 So they asked John, ¹⁹  “Why then are you baptizing if you are not the Christ, ²⁰  nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”

1:26 John answered them, ²¹  “I baptize with water. Among you stands one whom you do not recognize, ²²  1:27 who is coming after me. I am not worthy ²³  to untie the strap ²⁴  of his sandal!” 1:28 These things happened in Bethany ²⁵  across the Jordan River ²⁶  where John was baptizing.

1:29 On the next day John ²⁷  saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God ²⁸  who takes away the sin of the world! 1:30 This is the one about whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who is greater than I am, ²⁹  because he existed before me.’ 1:31 I did not recognize ³⁰  him, but I came baptizing with water so that he could be revealed to Israel.” ³¹ 

1:32 Then ³²  John testified, ³³  “I saw the Spirit descending like a dove ³⁴  from heaven, ³⁵  and it remained on him. ³⁶  1:33 And I did not recognize him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘The one on whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining – this is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ 1:34 I have both seen and testified that this man is the Chosen One of God.” ³⁷