4. The Testimony of John the Baptist

The Testimony of John the Baptist

John 1:15-28

John testified about him. He cried out, saying, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me, for he was before me.’”

¹⁶ From his fullness we all received grace upon grace. ¹⁷ For the law was given through Moses. Grace and truth were realised through Jesus Christ. ¹⁸ No one has seen God at any time. The one and only Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he has declared him.

¹⁹ This is John’s testimony, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?”

²⁰ He declared, and didn’t deny, but he declared, “I am not the Christ.”

²¹ They asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the prophet?” He answered, “No.”

²² They said therefore to him, “Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”

²³ He said, “I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as Isaiah the prophet said.”

²⁴ The ones who had been sent were from the Pharisees. ²⁵ They asked him, “Why then do you baptise, if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?”

²⁶ John answered them, “I baptise in water, but among you stands one whom you don’t know. ²⁷ He is the one who comes after me, who is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I’m not worthy to loosen.”

²⁸ These things were done in Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John was baptising.

Behold, the Lamb of God

John 1:29-34

The next day, he saw Jesus coming to him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! ³⁰ This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who is preferred before me, for he was before me.’ ³¹ I didn’t know him, but for this reason I came baptising in water: that he would be revealed to Israel.”

³² John testified, saying, “I have seen the Spirit descending like a dove out of heaven, and it remained on him. ³³ I didn’t recognise him, but he who sent me to baptise in water, he said to me, ‘On whomever you will see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he who baptises in the Holy Spirit.’ ³⁴ I have seen, and have testified that this is the Son of God.”

John the Baptist Exalts Christ

John 3:22-36

After these things, Jesus came with his disciples into the land of Judea. He stayed there with them, and baptised. ²³ John also was baptising in Enon near Salim, because there was much water there. They came, and were baptised. ²⁴ For John was not yet thrown into prison. ²⁵ There arose therefore a questioning on the part of John’s disciples with some Jews about purification.

²⁶ They came to John, and said to him, “Rabbi, he who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified, behold, the same baptises, and everyone is coming to him.”

²⁷ John answered, “A man can receive nothing, unless it has been given him from heaven. ²⁸ You yourselves testify that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent before him.’ ²⁹ He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. This, my joy, therefore is made full. ³⁰ He must increase, but I must decrease.

³¹ “He who comes from above is above all. He who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all. ³² What he has seen and heard, of that he testifies; and no one receives his witness. ³³ He who has received his witness has set his seal to this, that God is true. ³⁴ For he whom God has sent speaks the words of God; for God gives the Spirit without measure. ³⁵ The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into his hand. ³⁶ One who believes in the Son has eternal life, but one who disobeys the Son won’t see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.”