20 He said quite openly and straightforwardly, I am not the Christ.
21 And they said to him, What then? Are you Elijah? And he said, I am not. Are you the prophet? And his answer was, I am not.
22 So they said to him, Who are you then? We have to give some answer to those who sent us. What have you to say about yourself?
23 He said, I am the voice of one crying in the waste land, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said Isaiah the prophet.
24 Those who had been sent came from the Pharisees.
25 And they put this question to him, saying, Why then are you giving baptism if you are not the Christ, or Elijah, or the prophet?
26 John's answer was: I give baptism with water; but there is one among you of whom you have no knowledge;