Léctio sancti Evangélii secundum Ioánnem (1, 19-28)
Hoc est testimónium Ioánnis, quando misérunt ad eum Iudǽi ab Hierosólymis sacerdótes et Levítas, ut interrogárent eum: “ Tu quis es? ”. Et conféssus est et non negávit; et conféssus est: “ Non sum ego Christus ”. Et interrogavérunt eum: “ Quid ergo? Elías es tu? ”. Et dicit: “ Non sum ”. “ Prophéta es tu? ”. Et respóndit: “ Non ”. Dixérunt ergo ei: “ Quis es? Ut respónsum demus his, qui misérunt nos. Quid dicis de teipso? ”. Ait: “ Ego vox clamántis in desérto: “Dirígite viam Dómini”, sicut dixit Isaías prophéta ”. Et qui missi fúerant, erant ex pharísæis; et interrogavérunt eum et dixérunt ei: “ Quid ergo baptízas, si tu non es Christus neque Elías neque prophéta? ”. Respóndit eis Ioánnes dicens: “ Ego baptízo in aqua; médius vestrum stat, quem vos non scitis, qui post me ventúrus est, cuius ego non sum dignus, ut solvam eius corrígiam calceaménti ”. Hæc in Bethánia facta sunt trans Iordánem, ubi erat Ioánnes baptízans.
This is John's testimony, when the Jews sent from Jerusalem Priests and Levites to him, that they should ask him, who art thou? And he confessed, and did not deny: and he confessed, That I am not Christ. And they asked him: What then? Art thou Elias? And he said: I am not. Art thou the Prophet? And he answered: No. They said therefore unto him: Who art thou, that we may give an answer to them that sent us? what sayest thou of thyself? He said: I am the voice of one crying in the desert, make straight the way of our Lord, as Esaie the Prophet said. And they that were sent were of the Pharisees. And they asked him, and said to him: Why then doest thou baptize, if thou be not Christ, nor Elias, nor the Prophet? John answered them, saying: I baptize in water; but there hath stood in the midst of you whom you know not. The same is he that shall come after me, that is made before me; whose latchet of his shoe I am not worthy to loose. These things were done in Bethania beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing.
