John 1:14-31
English Standard Version
Chapter 1
14And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15(John bore witness about him, and cried out, "This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’") 16For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18No one has ever seen God; God the only Son, who is at the Father 's side, he has made him known.
19And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?"
20He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, "I am not the Christ."
21And they asked him, "What then? Are you Elijah?" He said, "I am not." "Are you the Prophet?" And he answered, "No."
22So they said to him, "Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?"
23He 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.)
25They asked him, "Then why are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?"
26John answered them, "I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know,
27even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie."
28These things took place in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
29The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
30This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’
31I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel."