23. He said, “I am a voice of one crying out in the wilderness: Make straight the way of the Lord — just as Isaiah the prophet said.”
24. Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.
25. So they asked him, “Why then do you baptize if you aren’t the Messiah, or Elijah, or the Prophet? ”
26. “I baptize with water,” John answered them. “Someone stands among you, but you don’t know Him.
27. He is the One coming after me, whose sandal strap I’m not worthy to untie.”
28. All this happened in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
29. The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Here is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
30. This is the One I told you about: ‘After me comes a man who has surpassed me, because He existed before me.’
31. I didn’t know Him, but I came baptizing with water so He might be revealed to Israel.”
32. And John testified, “I watched the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He rested on Him.
33. I didn’t know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The One you see the Spirit descending and resting on — He is the One who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’
34. I have seen and testified that He is the Son of God! ”
35. Again the next day, John was standing with two of his disciples.
36. When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look! The Lamb of God! ”
37. The two disciples heard him say this and followed Jesus.
38. When Jesus turned and noticed them following Him, He asked them, “What are you looking for? ”They said to Him, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are You staying? ”
39. “Come and you’ll see,” He replied. So they went and saw where He was staying, and they stayed with Him that day. It was about 10 in the morning.
40. Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard John and followed Him.
41. He first found his own brother Simon and told him, “We have found the Messiah! ” (which means “Anointed One”),
42. and he brought Simon to Jesus.When Jesus saw him, He said, “You are Simon, son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which means “Rock”).
43. The next day He decided to leave for Galilee. Jesus found Philip and told him, “Follow Me! ”