John was coming to the end of his work.‘ Who do you suppose I am?’ he said.‘ I am not the one you are looking for. But there is someone coming after me. I am not good enough to untie his sandals.’

约翰将行尽他的程途说：‘你们以为我是谁？我不是基督；只是有一位在我以后来的，我解他脚上的鞋带也是不配的。’

约翰快走完他的人生路程时，说：‘你们以为我是谁？我不是；但是有一位在我以后来的，我就是解他脚上的鞋带也不配。’

约翰快走完他的人生路程时，说：‘你们以为我是谁？我不是；但是有一位在我以后来的，我就是解他脚上的鞋带也不配。’

约翰在工作快要完成的时候说，‘你们以为我是谁？我不是基督。在我之后来的那位，我连给祂解鞋带也不配。’

约翰快要跑完他的路程的时候，说：‘你们以为我是谁？我不是基督。他是在我以后来的，我就是给他解脚上的鞋带也不配。’

当约翰快要跑尽该跑的路程时，说：‘你们认为我是谁？我不是那一位。看哪，他要在我以后来，我就是为他解脚上的鞋带也不配。’

約翰將行盡他的程途說：『你們以為我是誰？我不是基督；只是有一位在我以後來的，我解他腳上的鞋帶也是不配的。』

約翰快走完他的人生路程時，說：『你們以為我是誰？我不是；但是有一位在我以後來的，我就是解他腳上的鞋帶也不配。』

約翰快走完他的人生路程時，說：『你們以為我是誰？我不是；但是有一位在我以後來的，我就是解他腳上的鞋帶也不配。』

約翰在工作快要完成的時候說，『你們以為我是誰？我不是基督。在我之後來的那位，我連給祂解鞋帶也不配。』

約翰快要跑完他的路程的時候，說：‘你們以為我是誰？我不是基督。他是在我以後來的，我就是給他解腳上的鞋帶也不配。’

約翰將要完盡他的跑程時、曾經說了：「你們所猜想我的、我並不是。不，有一位在我以後來的、他腳上的鞋我並不配脫。」

當約翰快要跑盡該跑的路程時，說：『你們認為我是誰？我不是那一位。看哪，他要在我以後來，我就是為他解腳上的鞋帶也不配。』

迨畢其職、曰、爾意我為誰、我非其人也、有後我來者、即解其履、我亦弗堪、

約翰將卒事、曰、爾以我為誰、我非基督、有後我來者、其履我不堪解、

約翰職事將竣、曰、爾曹意我為誰、我非基督、彼後我而來、其足之履、我亦不堪解、

迨其使命將畢、如望恆曰：「爾等以吾為誰？實非基督；惟有後我來者、吾雖為之解履、猶愧未稱、」

As John was completing his work, he said:‘ Who do you suppose I am? I am not the one you are looking for. But there is one coming after me whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.’

And as John was finishing his course, he said,‘ What do you suppose that I am? I am not he. No, but behold, after me one is coming, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.’

As John was finishing his ministry he asked,‘ Do you think I am the Messiah? No, I am not! But he is coming soon— and I’m not even worthy to be his slave and untie the sandals on his feet.’

Now as John was completing his mission, he said,‘ Who do you think I am? I am not the one. But one is coming after me, and I am not worthy to untie the sandals on his feet.’

And while John was completing his course, he kept saying,‘ What do you suppose that I am? I am not He. But behold, one is coming after me, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.’

And as John was finishing his course, he said,‘ Who do you think I am? I am not He. But behold, there comes One after me, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to loose.’

And as John was fulfilling his course, he said, What suppose ye that I am? I am not he. But behold, there cometh one after me the shoes of whose feet I am not worthy to unloose.

Then as John was completing his life’s work, he said,‘ Who do you think I am? I am not the One. But look! Someone is coming after me, and I am not worthy to untie the sandals on His feet.’

And as John fulfilled his course, he said, Whom think ye that I am? I am not[ he]. But, behold, there cometh one after me, whose shoes of[ his] feet I am not worthy to loose.

But while John was completing his mission, he said repeatedly,‘ What do you think I am? I am not he. But look, one is coming after me. I am not worthy to untie the sandals on his feet!’

As John was fulfilling his course, he said,‘ What do you suppose that I am? I am not he. But behold, one comes after me, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.’

“ I baptize you with water, calling you to turn away from your sins. But after me, someone is coming who is more powerful than I am. I’m not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

Here is what John was preaching.“ After me, there is someone coming who is more powerful than I am. I’m not good enough to bend down and untie his sandals.

But my life means nothing to me. My only goal is to finish the race. I want to complete the work the Lord Jesus has given me. He wants me to tell others about the good news of God’s grace.

“ I baptize people with water,” John replied.“ But someone is standing among you whom you do not know.He is the one who comes after me. I am not good enough to untie his sandals.”

He did not try to hide the truth. He spoke to them openly. He said,“ I am not the Messiah.”They asked him,“ Then who are you? Are you Elijah?” He said,“ I am not.”“ Are you the Prophet we’ve been expecting?” they asked.“ No,” he answered.They asked one last time,“ Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”John replied, using the words of Isaiah the prophet. John said,“ I’m the messenger who is calling out in the desert,‘ Make the way for the Lord straight.’ ”( Isaiah 40:3)

The people were waiting. They were expecting something. They were all wondering in their hearts if John might be the Messiah.John answered them all,“ I baptize you with water. But one who is more powerful than I am will come. I’m not good enough to untie the straps of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

Jesus said,“ My food is to do what my Father sent me to do. My food is to finish his work.

The message we preach is not about ourselves. Our message is about Jesus Christ. We say that he is Lord. And we say that we serve you because of Jesus.

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him. John said,“ Look! The Lamb of God! He takes away the sin of the world!

I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith.

He saw Jesus walking by. John said,“ Look! The Lamb of God!”

When they have finished speaking, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will attack them. He will overpower them and kill them.

Later, Jesus knew that everything had now been finished. He also knew that what Scripture said must come true. So he said,“ I am thirsty.”A jar of wine vinegar was there. So they soaked a sponge in it. They put the sponge on the stem of a hyssop plant. Then they lifted it up to Jesus’ lips.After Jesus drank he said,“ It is finished.” Then he bowed his head and died.

Paul said,“ John baptized people, calling them to turn away from their sins. He told them to believe in the one who was coming after him. Jesus is that one.”

John replied,“ A person can receive only what God gives them from heaven.You yourselves are witnesses that I said,‘ I am not the Messiah. I was sent ahead of him.’The bride belongs to the groom. The friend who helps the groom waits and listens for him. He is full of joy when he hears the groom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete.

I have seen it happen. I am a witness that this is God’s Chosen One.”

But when Herod heard this, he said,“ I had John’s head cut off. And now he has been raised from the dead!”In fact, it was Herod himself who had given orders to arrest John. He had him tied up and put in prison. He did this because of Herodias. She was the wife of Herod’s brother Philip. But now Herod was married to her.John had been saying to Herod,“ It is against the Law for you to be married to your brother’s wife.”Herodias couldn’t forgive John for saying that. She wanted to kill him. But she could not,because Herod was afraid of John. So he kept John safe. Herod knew John was a holy man who did what was right. When Herod heard him, he was very puzzled. But he liked to listen to John.Finally the right time came. Herod gave a banquet on his birthday. He invited his high officials and military leaders. He also invited the most important men in Galilee.Then the daughter of Herodias came in and danced. She pleased Herod and his dinner guests. The king said to the girl,“ Ask me for anything you want. I’ll give it to you.”And he gave her his promise. He said to her,“ Anything you ask for I will give you. I’ll give you up to half my kingdom.”She went out and said to her mother,“ What should I ask for?”“ The head of John the Baptist,” she answered.At once the girl hurried to ask the king. She said,“ I want you to give me the head of John the Baptist on a big plate right now.”The king was very upset. But he thought about his promise and his dinner guests. So he did not want to say no to the girl.He sent a man right away to bring John’s head. The man went to the prison and cut off John’s head.He brought it back on a big plate. He gave it to the girl, and she gave it to her mother.

Whoever speaks on their own does it to get personal honor. But someone who works for the honor of the one who sent him is truthful. Nothing about him is false.

“ David carried out God’s purpose while he lived. Then he died. He was buried with his people. His body rotted away.