John 1:26-31

John answered them, “I baptize [only] in water, but among you there stands One whom you do not recognize and of whom you know nothing. [Mal 3:1] It is He [the preeminent One] who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie [even as His slave].” These things occurred in Bethany across the Jordan [at the Jordan River crossing], where John was baptizing. The next day he saw Jesus coming to him and said, “Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! [Ex 12:3; Is 53:7] This is He on behalf of whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who has a higher rank than I and has priority over me, for He existed before me.’ I did not recognize Him [as the Messiah]; but I came baptizing in water so that He would be [publicly] revealed to Israel.”