And this is the witness of John, when the Jews from Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him, ‘Who are you?’ And he acknowledged and was truthful, reporting, “I am not the Messiah!”

And they asked him, “Who then? Are you Elijah?” And he said, “No! I am not.” Are you then the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.”

Then they said to him, “Who are you then, that we may report to those who sent us? Tell us about yourself.” He said, “‘I am a voice of one crying in the wilderness: make straight the way of the Lord’, as foretold by Isaiah, the prophet.”

And others, who were sent by the Pharisees asked him, “Why do you perform mikvehs then, if you are not the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”

Answering them, John said, “I immerse in water, but in your midst stands one whom you do not know. It is he, who, though coming after me, excels me where I am not even worthy to remove his shoes.” These things were done in Bethany on the Jordan, where John was baptizing.