1 ¹⁹ And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?" 1 ²⁰ He confessed, he did not deny, but confessed, "I am not the Christ." 1 ²¹ And they asked him, "What then? Are you Elijah?" He said, "I am not." "Are you the prophet?" And he answered, "No." 1 ²² They said to him then, "Who are you? Let us have an answer for those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?" 1 ^{23 [ Is.40.3. ]} He said, "I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, 'Make straight the way of the Lord,' as the prophet Isaiah said."

1 ²⁴ Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. 1 ²⁵ They asked him, "Then why are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?" 1 ²⁶ JOHN answered them, "I baptize with water; but among you stands one whom you do not know, 1 ²⁷ even he who comes after me, the thong of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie." 1 ²⁸ This took place in Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.