¹⁵ And the people are looking forward, and all are reasoning in their hearts concerning John, whether or not he may be the Christ;

¹⁹ And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent out of Jerusalem priests and Levites, that they might question him, `Who art thou?'

²⁰ and he confessed and did not deny, and confessed -- `I am not the Christ.'

²¹ And they questioned him, `What then? Elijah art thou?' and he saith, `I am not.' -- `The prophet art thou?' and he answered, `No.'

²² They said then to him, `Who art thou, that we may give an answer to those sending us? what dost thou say concerning thyself?'

²³ He said, `I `am' a voice of one crying in the wilderness: Make straight the way of the Lord, as said Isaiah the prophet.'

²⁴ And those sent were of the Pharisees,

²⁵ and they questioned him and said to him, `Why, then, dost thou baptize, if thou art not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?'

²⁶ John answered them, saying, `I baptize with water, but in midst of you he hath stood whom ye have not known, this one it is who is coming after me, who hath been before me,

²⁷ of whom I am not worthy that I may loose the cord of his sandal.'

²⁸ These things came to pass in Bethabara, beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing,

²⁸ ye yourselves do testify to me that I said, I am not the Christ, but, that I am having been sent before him;

²⁹ he who is having the bride is bridegroom, and the friend of the bridegroom, who is standing and hearing him, with joy doth rejoice because of the voice of the bridegroom; this, then, my joy hath been fulfilled.

²⁴ the Jews, therefore, came round about him, and said to him, `Till when our soul dost thou hold in suspense? if thou art the Christ, tell us freely.'