John Testifies to the Authorities

19

Here is Yochanan’s testimony: when the Judeans sent cohanim and L’vi’im from Yerushalayim to ask him, “Who are you?”

20

he was very straightforward and stated clearly, “I am not the Messiah.”

21

“Then who are you?” they asked him. “Are you Eliyahu?” “No, I am not,” he said. “Are you ‘the prophet,’ the one we’re expecting?” “No,” he replied.

22

So they said to him, “Who are you? — so that we can give an answer to the people who sent us. What do you have to say about yourself?”

23

He answered in the words of Yesha‘yahu the prophet, “I am The voice of someone crying out: ‘In the desert make the way of Adonai straight!’”

24

Some of those who had been sent were P’rushim.

25

They asked him, “If you are neither the Messiah nor Eliyahu nor ‘the prophet,’ then why are you immersing people?”

26

To them Yochanan replied, “I am immersing people in water, but among you is standing someone whom you don’t know.

27

He is the one coming after me — I’m not good enough even to untie his sandal!”

28

All this took place in Beit-Anyah, east of the Yarden, where Yochanan was immersing.