John 1:19-25

JMNT(i) 19 And this is (or: continues being) the testimony of John (the witness having its source in John), when the [religious authorities of the] Jews sent forth the priests and the Levites [note: thus, these may have included some Sadducees] as emissaries out of Jerusalem toward (or: to) him – to the end that they may ask him, "You, who are you?" – 20 and he confessed and did not deny, even agreed that, "I am not the Christ (the Anointed One; = the Messiah)." 21 And so they asked him, "What, then? Are you Elijah?" And then he continues saying, "I am not." "Are you The Prophet?" Then he distinctly replied, "No!" 22 Therefore they said to him, "Who are you, so that we may give a decided reply to the ones sending us – what are you in the habit of saying about yourself?" 23 He affirmed, "I am a voice (or: [the] sound) of one repeatedly calling out loudly (crying out; exclaiming; imploring) within the desolate place (the wilderness; the uninhabited region; the lonely place), 'Straighten the way of [the] Lord (the Lord’s road; the path pertaining to [the] Lord [= Yahweh or Christ, the Messiah]) (or: habitually shouting, ‘Make straight in the wilderness the way originating in [the] Owner [= Yahweh or Christ] ’)!' [Isa. 40:3] just as Isaiah, the prophet, said." 24 Now the folks having been sent as emissaries were [sent] from the Pharisees. 25 And then they asked him, and said to him, "Why, then, are you continuously immersing (or: baptizing), since (or: if) you are not the Christ nor Elijah nor The Prophet?" [note: by immersing folks, either John was treating the Jews as non-Jewish proselytes, or else it should be the Messiah, or His representative, initiating Israel into the new Age – if all the Jews were now supposed to be immersed]