John 1:15-36 John is continuing witnessing about It (or: Him) and has cried out, repeatedly saying, "This One was the One of Whom I said, 'The One progressively coming behind me has come to be in front of me (or: has taken precedence of me),' because He was existing first, before me (or: ‘that He was first in place and station in regard to me’),"

JMNT⁽ⁱ⁾ ¹⁵ John is continuing witnessing about It (or: Him) and has cried out, repeatedly saying, "This One was the One of Whom I said, 'The One progressively coming behind me has come to be in front of me (or: has taken precedence of me),' because He was existing first, before me (or: ‘that He was first [in place and station] in regard to me’)," ¹⁶ because we all at some point receive (take with our hands) from out of the result of His filling (or: the effect of Its full contents; that which fills Him up): even grace in the place of grace (or: favor corresponding to and facing favor; a [new fresh] gracious favor in the place of and replacing [the previous] gracious favor; [one] joyous favor after and exchanged for [another] joyous favor), ¹⁷ because the Law was given through Moses, yet grace and truth are birthed (or: joyous favor and reality came to be) through Jesus Christ. ¹⁸ No one at any time has seen God. The only-begotten (uniquely-born) God [other MSS: Son], the One continuously existing, [moving, directed and leading] into the Father’s place of safety and intimacy (bosom; breast; chest; folds of a garment; inlet or bay), that One interprets and explains by unfolding and bringing [Him] out. 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] ²⁶ John replies distinctly to them, saying, "I am repeatedly immersing (baptizing) within water. He, Whom you men have not seen or perceived, and have no knowledge of or acquaintance with, has stood in your midst [other MSS: continues presently standing in your midst]. ²⁷ "He is the very One, Who, progressively coming behind me, has come to be in front of me, of Whom I am not worthy (equal of value) that I should loose the lace (strap; thong) of His sandal." ²⁸ These things occurred (or: came into being) in Bethany, on the other side of the Jordan, where John was living his life (or: was existing), repeatedly immersing. ²⁹ The next day (or: On the morrow) he is looking at and observing Jesus progressively coming toward him, and he begins saying, "Look! (Pay attention, see and perceive)! God’s Lamb (or: the Lamb from God; the Lamb having the character and qualities of God; or, in apposition: the Lamb which is God), the One continuously lifting up and progressively carrying away the Sin of the world, and removing the sin which belongs to and is a part of the System (or: habitually picking up and taking away the failure and error brought on by the organized system; progressively removing the falling short and the missing of the goal from the world of culture, religion, economy and government [= from humanity and secular society])! ³⁰ "This One is He over whose situation [other MSS: concerning Whom] I said, 'An adult male is progressively coming behind me Who has come to be in front of me,' because he was existing before me (or: was continuously being first in rank and importance in regard to me). ³¹ "And I had not seen Him to know, recognize or be aware of Him, but nevertheless, to the end that He may be brought to light in (or: for) Israel (or: be manifested to Israel) – because of this – I came continuously immersing (or: baptizing) in water." ³² And John testified (gave witness), repeatedly saying that, "I have viewed and continued gazing at, so that I can now visualize, the Spirit progressively stepping down (or: the Breath-effect continuously descending), as a dove, forth from out of [the] atmosphere (or: as a pigeon out of the sky, or from heaven), and It remains and dwells upon Him (or: It abode upon Him). ³³ "And yet, I had not seen Him to know or be aware of Him! But further, the One sending me to be habitually immersing (baptizing) in water, that One said to me, 'Upon whomever you may see the Spirit progressively stepping down (or: the Breath-effect continuously descending) and then continuously remaining (dwelling; abiding) upon Him, this One is (continuously exists being) the One progressively (or: habitually) immersing (or: baptizing) within a set-apart spirit (or: in [the] Holy Spirit; in union with the Sacred Breath).' ³⁴ "And so I myself have seen and given witness, and thus now bear testimony, that this One is God’s Son (or: continuously exists being the Son which is God; or: the Son having the character and qualities of God; or: the Son from God)." ³⁵ The next day (or: On the morrow) John, and two from among his disciples, again had taken a stand and now stood [there]. ³⁶ Later, gazing upon Jesus progressively walking around, he is saying, "Look (Pay attention and perceive; See and consider)! God’s Lamb (or: The Lamb whose origin is God; or: the Lamb which is God)."