³³ You have sent to John, ^(A)and he has borne witness to the truth.

²⁶ And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, He who was with you beyond the Jordan, ^(A)to whom you have testified—behold, He is baptizing, and all ^(B)are coming to Him!”

²⁷ John answered and said, ^(C)“A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven. ²⁸ You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ^(D)‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ^(E)‘I have been sent before Him.’ ^29 (F)He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but ^(G)the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled. ^30 (H)He must increase, but I must decrease. ^31 (I)He who comes from above ^(J)is above all; ^(K)he who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of the earth. ^(L)He who comes from heaven is above all. ³² And ^(M)what He has seen and heard, that He testifies; and no one receives His testimony. ³³ He who has received His testimony ^(N)has certified that God is true. ^34 (O)For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God does not give the Spirit ^(P)by measure. ^35 (Q)The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into His hand. ^36 (R)He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the ^(S)wrath of God abides on him.”

The Lamb of God^(A)

²⁹ The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! ^(B)The Lamb of God ^(C)who takes away the sin of the world! ³⁰ This is He of whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who ^[a]is preferred before me, for He was before me.’ ³¹ I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, ^(D)therefore I came baptizing with water.”

^32 (E)And John bore witness, saying, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him. ³³ I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, ^(F)this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ ³⁴ And I have seen and testified that this is the ^(G)Son of God.”

^15 (A)John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ^(B)‘He who comes after me ^[a]is preferred before me, ^(C)for He was before me.’ ”

^16 [b]And of His ^(D)fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. ¹⁷ For ^(E)the law was given through Moses, but ^(F)grace and ^(G)truth came through Jesus Christ. ^18 (H)No one has seen God at any time. ^(I)The only begotten ^[c]Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.

A Voice in the Wilderness^(J)

¹⁹ Now this is ^(K)the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?”

^20 (L)He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.”

²¹ And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?”

He said, “I am not.”

“Are you ^(M)the Prophet?”

And he answered, “No.”

²² Then they said to him, “Who are you, that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?”

²³ He said: ^(N)“I am

as the prophet Isaiah said.”

²⁴ Now those who were sent were from the Pharisees. ²⁵ And they asked him, saying, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”

²⁶ John answered them, saying, ^(P)“I baptize with water, ^(Q)but there stands One among you whom you do not know. ^27 (R)It is He who, coming after me, ^[d]is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose.”

John’s Witness: The True Light

⁶ There was a ^(A)man sent from God, whose name was John. ⁷ This man came for a ^(B)witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might ^(C)believe. ⁸ He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that ^(D)Light.