8. John was not the light. But he came to tell people about the light.
9. The true light was coming into the world. This is the true light that gives light to all people.
10. The Word was already in the world. The world was made through him, but the world did not know him.
11. He came to the world that was his own. And his own people did not accept him.
12. But some people did accept him. They believed in him, and he gave them the right to become children of God.
13. They became God’s children, but not in the way babies are usually born. It was not because of any human desire or plan. They were born from God himself.
14. The Word became a man and lived among us. We saw his divine greatness—the greatness that belongs to the only Son of the Father. The Word was full of grace and truth.
15. John told people about him. He said loudly, “This is the one I was talking about when I said, ‘The one who is coming after me is greater than I am, because he was living before I was even born.’”
16. Yes, the Word was full of grace and truth, and from him we all received one blessing after another.
17. That is, the law was given to us through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
18. No one has ever seen God. The only Son is the one who has shown us what God is like. He is himself God and is very close to the Father.
19. The Jewish leaders in Jerusalem sent some priests and Levites to John to ask him, “Who are you?” He told them the truth.
20. Without any hesitation he said openly and plainly, “I am not the Messiah.”
21. They asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?” He answered, “No, I am not Elijah.” They asked, “Are you the Prophet?” He answered, “No, I am not the Prophet.”
22. Then they said, “Who are you? Tell us about yourself. Give us an answer to tell the people who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”
23. John told them the words of the prophet Isaiah: “I am the voice of someone shouting in the desert: ‘Make a straight road ready for the Lord.’” Isaiah 40:3
24. These Jews were sent from the Pharisees.
25. They said to John, “You say you are not the Messiah. You say you are not Elijah or the Prophet. Then why do you baptize people?”
26. John answered, “I baptize people with water. But there is someone here with you that you don’t know.
27. He is the one who is coming later. I am not good enough to be the slave who unties the strings on his sandals.”
28. These things all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan River. This is where John was baptizing people.