20. John didn’t refuse to answer. He told them clearly, “I’m not the Messiah.”
21. They asked him, “Well, are you Elijah?”John answered, “No, I’m not.”Then they asked, “Are you the prophet?”John replied, “No.”
22. So they asked him, “Who are you? Tell us so that we can take an answer back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”
23. John said, “I’m a voice crying out in the desert, ‘Make the way for the Lord straight,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.”
24. Some of those who had been sent were Pharisees.
25. They asked John, “Why do you baptize if you’re not the Messiah or Elijah or the prophet?”
26. John answered them, “I baptize with water. Someone you don’t know is standing among you.
27. He’s the one who comes after me. I am not worthy to untie his sandal strap.”
28. This happened in Bethany on the east side of the Jordan River, where John was baptizing.
29. John saw Jesus coming toward him the next day and said, “Look! This is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.