12But those of us who welcomed him, God authorized that we would have a relationship with him MET like children have a relationship with their father. We were people who believed that what he said about himself MTY was true.
13We became like God's children, not because our ancestors belonged to God, or because of someone's sexual desires, nor because some man desired to have children like himself. Instead, we were caused by God {God caused us} to become like his children.
14The one who expresses MET ◄ God's character/what God is like► became a human being, and he lived among us for a while. As a result, we saw how wonderful he is. He came from God his father, and there was no other person as wonderful as he. He was wonderful because he always acted ◄kindly toward us/in ways we did not deserve►, and he always spoke truthfully to us about God.
15One day when John was telling people about him, he saw Jesus. Then he shouted to them, “I told you previously that someone will come later who is more important than I am, since he existed long before me. This is the man I was talking about!”
16We have all benefited very much from what he has done. Again and again, he has acted in kind way toward us in ways we did not deserve.
17Moses proclaimed God's laws to our ancestors. But what Jesus Christ did for us was much better. He acted in kindness toward us in ways we did not deserve and told us the truth about God.
18No one has ever seen God. But God's only Son, Jesus, who has always had a very close relationship with God, has told us about God.
19The Jewish leaders SYN in Jerusalem city sent some Jewish priests and ◄Levites/men who worked in the temple► to where John was, to ask him some questions. They said to him, “What do you claim about yourself?”
20So John told them the truth, and he told them clearly DOU. He said, “ I am not ◄the Messiah/God's chosen king►!”
21Then they asked him, “Then what do you say about yourself? Are you the prophet Elijah that was prophesied to return {◄ someone/another prophet► prophesied would return} before the Messiah?” He replied, “No, I am not.” Then they asked him, “Are you the prophet like Moses that ◄ we are waiting for/God promised to send►?” He replied, “No.”
22So they asked him, “Then who do you claim to be? Tell us so that we can go back and report to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”
23John replied, “ I am the one the prophet Isaiah said would proclaim this new message loudly to the people who would pass by in this desolate area: ‘Prepare yourselves to receive the Lord when he comes MET, just like people prepare a road for an important official.
24Some of those people who were questioning John were ones who had been sent by the Pharisee religious group {whom the Pharisee religious group had sent}.
John 1
John 1:12-24