JohntestifiedaboutHim and criedout, saying,"Thiswas He of whomI said,He who comesafterme hasa higher rankthan I, for He existedbeforeme.'"
"As for me, I baptizeyou with waterfor repentance,but He who is comingafterme is mightierthan I, and I amnot fitto removeHis sandals;He will baptizeyou with the HolySpiritand fire.
He is beforeallthings, and in Him all thingshold together.
"Now,Father,glorifyMe togetherwith Yourself,with the glorywhichI hadwith You beforethe worldwas.
Johnansweredand saidto them all,"As for me, I baptizeyou with water;but One is comingwho is mightierthan I, and I amnot fitto untiethe thongof His sandals;He will baptizeyou with the HolySpiritand fire.
"But as for you, BethlehemEphrathah,[Too] littleto be among the clansof Judah,From you One will goforthfor Me to be rulerin Israel.His goingsforthare from longago,From the daysof eternity."
Jesussaidto them, "Truly,truly,I sayto you, beforeAbrahamwas born,I am."
"And to the angelof the churchin Smyrnawrite:The firstand the last,whowas dead,and has come to life,saysthis:
JesusChrist[is] the sameyesterdayand todayand forever.
"[It is] He who comesafterme, the thongof whosesandalI amnot worthyto untie."
And he was preaching,and saying,"Afterme One is comingwho is mightierthan I, and I amnot fitto stoop downand untiethe thongof His sandals.
saying,"Writein a bookwhatyou see,and send[it] to the sevenchurches:to Ephesusand to Smyrnaand to Pergamumand to Thyatiraand to Sardisand to Philadelphiaand to Laodicea."
For a childwill be bornto us, a sonwill be givento us; And the governmentwill reston His shoulders;And His namewill be calledWonderfulCounselor,MightyGod,EternalFather,Princeof Peace.
"The LORDpossessedme at the beginningof His way,BeforeHis worksof old.
