Study Desk

This is ^(C1)the testimony of John, when ^(C2)the Jews sent priests and Levites to him ^(C3)from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?"

And he confessed and did not deny; and this is what he confessed: "^(C1)I am not the ^(F1)Christ."

And so they asked him, "What then? Are you ^(C1)Elijah?" And he ^(*)said, "I am not." "Are you ^(C2)the Prophet?" And he answered, "No."

Then they said to him, "Who are you? Tell us, so that we may give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?"

He said, "I am ^(C1)THE VOICE OF ONE CALLING ^(F1)OUT IN THE WILDERNESS, 'MAKE THE WAY OF THE LORD STRAIGHT,' as Isaiah the prophet said."

And the messengers had been sent from the Pharisees.

They asked him, and said to him, "Why then are you baptizing, if you are not the ^(F1)Christ, nor Elijah, nor ^(C1)the Prophet?"

John answered them, saying, "^(C1)I baptize ^(F1)in water, but among you stands One whom you do not know.

"It is ^(C1)He who comes after me, of whom I am not worthy even to untie the ^(C2)strap of His sandal."

These things took place in Bethany ^(C1)beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing people.

The next day he ^(*)saw Jesus coming to him, and ^(*)said, "Behold, ^(C1)the Lamb of God who ^(C2)takes away the sin of the world!

"This is He in behalf of whom I said, '^(C1)After me is coming a Man who has proved to be ^(F1)my superior, ^(C2)because He existed before me.'

"And I did not recognize ^(F1)Him, but so that He would be revealed to Israel, I came baptizing ^(F2)in water."

And John ^(C1)testified, saying, "^(C2)I have seen the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven, and He remained upon Him.

"And I did not recognize ^(F1)Him, but He who sent me to baptize ^(F2)in water said to me, 'He upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining upon Him, ^(C1)this is the One who baptizes ^(F2)in the Holy Spirit.'

"And I myself have seen, and have testified that this is ^(C1)the ^(F1)Son of God."