Chapter II

CHRIST DECLARED TO BE THE MESSIAH, AND COMMENCING HIS MINISTRY.

1 [1:19]AND this is the testimony of John, when the Jews from Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him, Who are you? [1:20]And he confessed and denied not, and confessed, I am not the Christ. [1:21]And they asked him, What then? are you Elijah? And he said, I am not. Are you the prophet? And he answered, No. [1:22]Then they said to him, Who are you? that we may give an answer to them that sent us; what say you of yourself? [1:23]He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as Isaiah the prophet said.

2 [1:24]And those sent were of the Pharisees. [1:25]And they asked him, and said to him, Why then do you baptize, if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the prophet? [1:26]John answered them saying, I baptize with water; but among you stands one whom you know not. [1:27]He is the one coming after me, the strings of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie. [1:28]These things occurred in Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

3 [1:29]On the next day he saw Jesus coming to him, and said, Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. [1:30]This is he of whom I said, After me comes a man who was before me, for he was before me. [1:31]And I knew him not; but that he might be made manifest to Israel, for this reason have I come baptizing with water. [1:32]And John testified saying, I saw the Spirit descend like a dove from heaven, and it remained on him. [1:33]And I knew him not, but he that sent me to baptize with water, he said to me, On whom you see the Spirit descend and remain on him, this is he that baptizes with the Holy Spirit. [1:34]And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.

4 [1:35]On the next day John was again standing, and two of his disciples, [1:36]and looking at Jesus as he walked, he said, Behold the Lamb of God. [1:37]And his two disciples heard him say this, and followed Jesus. [1:38]And Jesus turning around, and seeing them following, said to them, What do you seek? And they said to him, Rabbi, which interpreted signifies Teacher, where do you stay? [1:39]He said to them, Come and see. Then they went and saw where he staid, and staid with him that day; it was about the tenth hour. [1:40]Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, was one of the two who heard from John, and followed him; [1:41]he first found his brother Simon, and said to him, We have found the Messiah; which is interpreted, Christ [Anointed]. [1:42]He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looking at him said, You are Simon, the son of Jonas; you shall be called Cephas; which is interpreted, Peter [Rock].

5 [1:43]On the next day he wished to go to Galilee, and he found Philip. And Jesus said to him, Follow me. [1:44]Now Philip was from Bethsaida, of the city of Andrew and Peter. [1:45]Philip found Nathanael, and said to him, We have found him of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, wrote, Jesus, the son of Joseph, from Nazareth. [1:46]And Nathanael said to him, Can any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip said to him, Come and see. [1:47]Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and said of him, See an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile. [1:48]Nathanael said to him, Whence do you know me? Jesus answered and said to him, Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree I saw you. [1:49]Nathanael answered him, Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel. [1:50]Jesus answered and said to him, Because I said to you I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe? You shall see greater things than these. [1:51]And he said to him, I tell you most truly, you shall see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.