When John was finishing his work, he said, ‘Who do you think I am? I am not the Christ. {\cf2\super [266]} He is coming later. I am not worthy to untie his shoes.’
“I baptize {\cf2\super [41]} you with water to show that you changed your hearts and lives. But there is a person coming later that is greater than I am. I am not good enough to take off his shoes for him. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit {\cf2\super [42]} and with fire.
Any person that teaches his own ideas is trying to get honor for himself. But a person that tries to bring honor to the one that sent him—that person speaks the truth. There is nothing false in him.
Paul said, “John told people to be baptized {\cf2\super [379]} to show they wanted to change their lives. John told people to believe in the One who would come after him. That person is Jesus.”
I don’t care about my own life. The most important thing is that I finish my work. I want to finish the work that the Lord Jesus gave me to do—to tell people the Good News about God’s grace (kindness).
When the two witnesses have finished telling their message, the animal will fight against them. This is the animal that comes up from the bottomless pit. The animal will defeat them and kill them.