John 1:23-30 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. just as Isaiah, the prophet, said."

JMNT⁽ⁱ⁾ 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).