⁶ God sent a man named John, ⁷who came to tell about the light and to lead all people to have faith. ⁸ John wasn’t that light. He came only to tell about the light.

^19-20 The Jewish leaders in Jerusalem sent priests and temple helpers to ask John who he was. He told them plainly, “I am not the Messiah.”²¹ Then when they asked him if he were Elijah, he said, “No, I am not!” And when they asked if he were the Prophet,he also said “No!”

²² Finally, they said, “Who are you then? We have to give an answer to the ones who sent us. Tell us who you are!”

²³ John answered in the words of the prophet Isaiah, “I am only someone shouting in the desert, ‘Get the road ready for the Lord!’”

²⁴ Some Pharisees had also been sent to John.²⁵ They asked him, “Why are you baptizing people, if you are not the Messiah or Elijah or the Prophet?”

²⁶ John told them, “I use water to baptize people. But here with you is someone you don’t know.²⁷ Even though I came first, I am not good enough to untie his sandals.”²⁸ John said this as he was baptizing east of the Jordan River in Bethany.