John 1:17-27

For the Law was given through Moses, but grace [the unearned, undeserved favor of God] and truth came through Jesus Christ. [Ex 20:1] No one has seen God [His essence, His divine nature] at any time; the [One and] only begotten God [that is, the unique Son] who is in the intimate presence of the Father, He has explained Him [and interpreted and revealed the awesome wonder of the Father]. [Prov 8:30] This is the testimony of John [the Baptist] when the Jews sent priests and Levites to him from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” And he confessed [truthfully] and did not deny [that he was only a man], but acknowledged, “I am not the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed)!” They asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” And he said, “I am not.” “Are you the [promised] Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” [Deut 18:15, 18; Mal 4:5] Then they said to him, “Who are you? Tell us, so that we may give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” He said, “I am THE VOICE OF ONE SHOUTING IN THE WILDERNESS, ‘MAKE STRAIGHT THE WAY OF THE LORD,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.” [Is 40:3] Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. They asked him, “Why then are you baptizing, if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” John answered them, “I baptize [only] in water, but among you there stands One whom you do not recognize and of whom you know nothing. [Mal 3:1] It is He [the preeminent One] who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie [even as His slave].”