Luke 1:17
1:17 And he will go as forerunner before the Lord
in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers back to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just,
to make ready for the Lord a people prepared for him.”
John 1:15
1:15 John
testified
about him and shouted out,
“This one was the one about whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is greater than I am,
because he existed before me.’”
John 1:26-27
1:26 John answered them, “I baptize with water. Among you stands one whom you do not recognize,
1:27 who is coming after me. I am not worthy to untie the strap of his sandal!”
John 1:30
1:30 This is the one about whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who is greater than I am,
because he existed before me.’
John 1:34
1:34 I have both seen and testified that this man is the Chosen One of God.”
John 3:23-36
3:23 John
was also baptizing at Aenon near Salim,
because water was plentiful there, and people were coming
to him
and being baptized.
3:24 (For John had not yet been thrown into prison.)
3:25 Now a dispute came about between some of John’s disciples and a certain Jew concerning ceremonial washing.
3:26 So they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, the one who was with you on the other side of the Jordan River, about whom you testified – see, he is baptizing, and everyone is flocking to him!”
3:27 John replied, “No one can receive anything unless it has been given to him from heaven.
3:28 You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but rather, ‘I have been sent before him.’
3:29 The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands by and listens for him, rejoices greatly when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. This then is my joy, and it is complete.
3:30 He must become more important while I become less important.”
3:31 The one who comes from above is superior to all. The one who is from the earth belongs to the earth and speaks about earthly things. The one who comes from heaven is superior to all.
3:32 He testifies about what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony.
3:33 The one who has accepted his testimony has confirmed clearly that God is truthful.
3:34 For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for he does not give the Spirit sparingly.
3:35 The Father loves the Son and has placed all things under his authority.
3:36 The one who believes in the Son has eternal life. The one who rejects the Son will not see life, but God’s wrath remains on him.