The Jewsthengathered aroundHim, and were sayingto Him, "How longwill You keepus in suspense?IfYou are the Christ,tellus plainly."
Elijahcamenearto allthe peopleand said,"Howlong[will] you hesitatebetweentwoopinions?Ifthe LORDis God,followHim; but ifBaal,followhim." But the peopledid not answerhim a word.
and saidto Him, "Are You the ExpectedOne, orshall we lookfor someone else?"
And He was statingthe matterplainly.And Petertook Him asideand beganto rebukeHim.
Nowwhile the peoplewere in a state of expectationand allwere wonderingin their heartsaboutJohn,as to whetherhe was the Christ,
Thisis the testimonyof John,whenthe Jewssentto him priestsand Levitesfrom Jerusalemto askhim, "Whoare you?"
The Jewspickedup stonesagainto stoneHim.
The JewsansweredHim, "For a goodworkwe do not stoneYou, but for blasphemy;and becauseYou, beinga man,makeYourselfout [to be] God."
"These thingsI have spokento you in figurativelanguage;an houris comingwhenI will no longerspeakto you in figurative language,but will tellyou plainlyof the Father.
Sothey were sayingto Him, "Whoare You?" Jesussaidto them, "Whathave I been sayingto you [from] the beginning?
"SurelyYou are not greaterthan our fatherAbraham,whodied?The prophetsdiedtoo;whomdo You makeYourselfout [to be]?"
His parentssaidthisbecausethey were afraidof the Jews;for the Jewshad alreadyagreedthat ifanyoneconfessedHim to be Christ,he was to be put out of the synagogue.
Thereforehavingsucha hope,we usegreatboldness in [our] speech,
