John 1:18-25

New International Version

¹⁸ No one has ever seen God,^(A) but the one and only Son, who is himself God and^[a](B) is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.

John the Baptist Denies Being the Messiah

¹⁹ Now this was John’s^(C) testimony when the Jewish leaders^[b](D) in Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. ²⁰ He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, “I am not the Messiah.”^(E)

²¹ They asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?”^(F)

He said, “I am not.”

“Are you the Prophet?”^(G)

He answered, “No.”

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

²³ John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, “I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness,^(H) ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’”^[c](I)

²⁴ Now the Pharisees who had been sent ²⁵ questioned him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”