11. He came to the world that was his own. But his own people did not accept him.
12. But some people did accept him. They believed in him. To them he gave the right to become children of God.
13. They did not become his children in the human way. They were not born because of the desire or wish of some man. They were born of God.
14. The Word became a man and lived among us. We saw his glory—the glory that belongs to the only Son of the Father. The Word was full of grace and truth.
15. John told about him. He said, “This is the One I was talking about. I said, ‘The One who comes after me is greater than I am. He was living before me.’”
16. The Word was full of grace and truth. From him we all received more and more blessings.
17. The law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
18. No man has ever seen God. But God the only Son is very close to the Father. And the Son has shown us what God is like.
19. The Jews in Jerusalem sent some priests and Levites to John. The Jews sent them to ask, “Who are you?”
20. John spoke freely and did not refuse to answer. He said clearly, “I am not the Christ.”
21. So they asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?”He answered, “No, I am not Elijah.”Then they asked, “Are you the Prophet?”He answered, “No, I am not the Prophet.”
22. Then they said, “Who are you? Give us an answer to tell those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”
23. John told them in the words of the prophet Isaiah:“I am the voice of a mancalling out in the desert:‘Make the road straight for the Lord.’” Isaiah 40:3
24. In the group of Jews who were sent, there were some Pharisees.
25. They said to John: “You say you are not the Christ. 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 one here with you that you don’t know.
27. He is the One who comes after me. I am not good enough to untie the strings of his sandals.”