John's Testimony

John was baptizing at Bethany beyond the Jordan River. And he gave this testimony: The leaders of the Jews in Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask John, “Who are you?” 

John did not refuse to confess, but openly declared, “I am not the Messiah.” 

“Then who are you?” they inquired. “Are you Elijah, who was foretold?” 

He said, “I am not.” 

“Are you the Prophet, who was foretold?” 

He answered, “No.” 

So they said to him, “Who are you? We need an answer for those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” 

John replied in the words of the prophet Isaiah: “I am a voice of one calling in the wilderness,  ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’ ” 

Then the Pharisees who had been sent asked him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” 

“I baptize with water for repentance,” John replied, “but among you stands One you do not know. He is the One who comes after me, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. He is ready to separate the chaff from the wheat with His winnowing fork. Then He will clean up the threshing area and gather the wheat into His barn. But He will burn the chaff with never-ending fire." 

(See Deuteronomy 18:15-19; Malachi 4:5; Matthew 3:11-12; Mark 1:1-8; Luke 3:15-18: John 1:19-28)

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