Joh 1:15-23, 33-34, 3:28-30, Act 13:24-25, 19:4 | ESV | STEP | ( John bore witness about him , and cried out, This was he of whom I said , He who comes after me ranks before me , because he was before me . )

rCited from Isa. 40:3; See Matt. 3:3

t ver. 6; Luke 3:2

u[ch. 3:5]

v Matt. 3:11; Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16; Acts 1:5

w[ch. 3:5]

xSee ch. 1:20

y Mal. 3:1; Mark 1:2; Luke 1:17; Acts 19:4

zSee Matt. 25:1

aa Judg. 14:20; Song 5:1

ab Matt. 9:15

ac Matt. 3:11

ae ch. 1:22; Matt. 3:1

af ch. 19:4; Mark 1:4; Luke 3:3; [ch. 2:38; Matt. 3:11]

ag John 1:20, 27; [Matt. 3:11; Mark 1:7; Luke 3:16]

ah[See ver. 3 above]

ai John 1:7

John 1:15-23

15 ( ^aJohn bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ^b‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”) 16 For from ^chis fullness we have all received, ^dgrace upon grace. ^{▼▼Or grace in place of grace} 17 For ^fthe law was given through Moses; ^ggrace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 ^hNo one has ever seen God; ⁱthe only God, ^{▼▼Or the only One, who is God; some manuscripts the only Son} who is at the Father’s side, ^{▼▼Greek in the bosom of the Father} ^lhe has made him known.

The Testimony of John the Baptist

19 And this is the ^mtestimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, ⁿ“Who are you?” 20 ^oHe confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” 21 And they asked him, “What then? ^pAre you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you ^qthe Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” 22 So they said to him, “Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” 23 He said, “I am ^rthe voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight ^{▼▼Or crying out, ‘In the wilderness make straight} the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.”

John 1:33-34

33 I myself did not know him, but ^the who sent me to baptize ^uwith water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, ^vthis is he who baptizes ^wwith the Holy Spirit.’ 34 And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.”

John 3:28-30

28 You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ^x‘I am not the Christ, but ^yI have been sent before him.’ 29 ^zThe one who has the bride is the bridegroom. ^aaThe friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, ^abrejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete. 30 ^acHe must increase, but I must decrease.” ^{▼▼Some interpreters hold that the quotation continues through verse 36}

Acts 13:24-25

24 Before his coming, ^aeJohn had proclaimed ^afa baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. 25 And as John was finishing his course, ^aghe said, ‘What do you suppose that I am? I am not he. No, but behold, after me one is coming, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.’

Acts 19:4

4 And Paul said, ^ah“John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people ^aito believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.”