约翰的洗礼是从天上来的？是从人间来的呢？你们可以回答我。”

约翰的洗礼是从天上来的，还是从人间来的呢？你们回答我吧。”

约翰的洗礼是从天上来的，还是从人间来的呢？你们回答我吧。”

约翰的洗礼是从天上来的还是从人来的？请回答我！”

约翰的洗礼是从天上来的，还是从人来的呢？你们回答我吧。”

约翰的洗礼是来自天上，还是来自人间呢？你们回答我！”

約翰的洗禮是從天上來的？是從人間來的呢？你們可以回答我。」

約翰的洗禮是從天上來的，還是從人間來的呢？你們回答我吧。」

約翰的洗禮是從天上來的，還是從人間來的呢？你們回答我吧。」

約翰的洗禮是從天上來的還是從人來的？請回答我！」

約翰的洗禮是從天上來的，還是從人來的呢？你們回答我吧。”

約翰的洗禮是由於天呢？還是由於人？請回答我。』

約翰的洗禮是來自天上，還是來自人間呢？你們回答我！」

約翰之洗、自天乎、自人乎、爾其答之、

約翰施洗、由天乎、由人乎、請答我、

約翰之施洗、自天乎、自人乎、可答我、

如望之洗、自天乎？抑自人乎？請答。』

John’s baptism— was it from heaven, or of human origin? Tell me!”

Was John’s baptism from heaven? Or did it come from human authority? Tell me!”

Was the baptism of John from heaven or from man? Answer me.”

“ Did John’s authority to baptize come from heaven, or was it merely human? Answer me!”

Was John’s baptism from heaven or of human origin? Answer me.”

Was the baptism of John from heaven, or from men? Answer Me.”

The baptism of John— was it from heaven or from men? Answer Me.”

The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or from men? answer me.

Was John’s baptism from heaven or from men? Answer Me.”

The baptism of John, was[ it] from heaven, or of men? answer me.

John’s baptism– was it from heaven or from people? Answer me.”

The baptism of John— was it from heaven, or from men? Answer me.”

But I tell you, Elijah has come, and they have done to him everything they wished, just as it is written about him.” (niv)

In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judeaand saying,“ Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah:“ A voice of one calling in the wilderness,‘ Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’”John’s clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey.People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan.Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them:“ You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.And do not think you can say to yourselves,‘ We have Abraham as our father.’ I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.“ I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John.But John tried to deter him, saying,“ I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”Jesus replied,“ Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented.As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him.And a voice from heaven said,“ This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” (niv)

The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God,as it is written in Isaiah the prophet:“ I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way”—“ a voice of one calling in the wilderness,‘ Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’”And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey.And this was his message:“ After me comes the one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie.I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.Just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove.And a voice came from heaven:“ You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” (niv)

An argument developed between some of John’s disciples and a certain Jew over the matter of ceremonial washing.They came to John and said to him,“ Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan— the one you testified about— look, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him.”To this John replied,“ A person can receive only what is given them from heaven.You yourselves can testify that I said,‘ I am not the Messiah but am sent ahead of him.’The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete.He must become greater; I must become less.”The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth. The one who comes from heaven is above all.He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony.Whoever has accepted it has certified that God is truthful.For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit.The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands.Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them. (niv)

In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar— when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, Herod tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and Traconitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene—during the high- priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness.He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet:“ A voice of one calling in the wilderness,‘ Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill made low. The crooked roads shall become straight, the rough ways smooth.And all people will see God’s salvation.’”John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him,“ You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves,‘ We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”“ What should we do then?” the crowd asked.John answered,“ Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same.”Even tax collectors came to be baptized.“ Teacher,” they asked,“ what should we do?”“ Don’t collect any more than you are required to,” he told them.Then some soldiers asked him,“ And what should we do?” He replied,“ Don’t extort money and don’t accuse people falsely— be content with your pay.”The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John might possibly be the Messiah.John answered them all,“ I baptize you with water. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”And with many other words John exhorted the people and proclaimed the good news to them.But when John rebuked Herod the tetrarch because of his marriage to Herodias, his brother’s wife, and all the other evil things he had done,Herod added this to them all: He locked John up in prison. (niv)

( John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying,“ This is the one I spoke about when I said,‘ He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’”)Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given.For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.Now this was John’s testimony when the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was.He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely,“ I am not the Messiah.”They asked him,“ Then who are you? Are you Elijah?” He said,“ I am not.”“ Are you the Prophet?” He answered,“ No.”Finally they said,“ Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet,“ I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness,‘ Make straight the way for the Lord.’”Now the Pharisees who had been sentquestioned him,“ Why then do you baptize if you are not the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”“ I baptize with water,” John replied,“ but among you stands one you do not know.He is the one who comes after me, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.”This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing.The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said,“ Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!This is the one I meant when I said,‘ A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.”Then John gave this testimony:“ I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him.And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me,‘ The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’I have seen and I testify that this is God’s Chosen One.”The next day John was there again with two of his disciples.When he saw Jesus passing by, he said,“ Look, the Lamb of God!” (niv)

There was a man sent from God whose name was John.He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe.He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. (niv)