19 And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou? 20 And he confessed and denied not, but confessed, I am not the Christ. 21 And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elijah? And he said, I am not. Art thou the prophet? And he answered, No. 22 Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to those that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself? 23 He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Isaiah.
24 And those who were sent were of the Pharisees. 25 And they asked him and said unto him, Why dost thou baptize then if thou art not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the prophet? 26 John answered them, saying, I baptize with water, but there stands one among you, whom ye know not; 27 he it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe’s latchet I am not worthy to unloose. 28 These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing.