Act I

Abstract

19–28. And this is the witness of John when the Jews sent unto him from Jerusalem priests and Levites that they might ask him ‘Thou, who art thou?’ And he confessed and denied not; and he confessed ‘I am not the Christ’. And they asked him ‘What then? Art thou Elijah?’ And he saith ‘I am not’. ‘Art thou the prophet?’ And he answered ‘No’. They said therefore to him ‘Who art thou? That we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself?’ He said ‘I am a voice of one crying in the wilderness “Make straight the way of the Lord” as said Isaiah the prophet’. And they had been sent from the Pharisees. And they asked him and said to him ‘Why then baptisest thou if thou art not the Christ nor Elijah nor the prophet?’ John answered them saying ‘I baptise with water. In the midst of you standeth one whom ye know not, who cometh after me, of whom I am not worthy to loose the shoe-latchet.’ This happened in Bethany beyond Jordan where John was, baptising.