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.”
28. This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan River. This is where John was baptizing people.
29. The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him. John said, “Look, the Lamb of God. He takes away the sins of the world!
30. This is the One I was talking about. I said, ‘A man will come after me, but he is greater than I am, because he was living before me.’
31. Even I did not know who he was. But I came baptizing with water so that the people of Israel could know who he is.”
32-33. Then John said, “I did not know who the Christ was. But God sent me to baptize with water. And God told me, ‘You will see the Spirit come down and rest on a man. That man is the One who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’” John said, “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven. The Spirit looked like a dove and rested on him.
34. I have seen this happen. So I tell people: ‘He is the Son of God.’”