18. No one has ever seen Hashem [Ex 33:20]. It is Elohim the Ben Yachid [who shares the nature of Hashem, the Chochman Ben Elohim at his side, see very importantly Mishle 8:30; 30:4)], it is he, the one being in the kheyk (bosom) of HaAv, this one is Hashem's definitive midrash (exegesis).
19. And this is the solemn edut (testimony) of Yochanan, when those of Yehudah sent kohanim and L'viim from Yerushalayim to him that they might ask him, Mi atah? (Who are you?).
20. Yochanan made hoda'a (confession, admission)-- he did not fail to make hoda'a --and said clearly, I am not the [Rebbe,] Melech HaMoshiach.
21. And they asked Yochanan, What, then? Are you Eliyahu HaNavi? And Yochanan says, I am not. Are you the Navi? (DEVARIM 18:15,18) And he answered, Lo (No).
22. They said then to him, Mi atah? That we may give a teshuvah (answer) to the ones who sent us. What do you say about yourself?
23. Yochanan said, I am a KOL KOREY BAMIDBAR, make straight the DERECH HASHEM! (YESHAYAH 40:3, TARGUM HASHIVIM), as Yeshayah HaNavi said.
24. And the ones that had been sent were of the Perushim.
25. And the Perushim asked Yochanan, If you are not the [Rebbe,] Melech HaMoshiach nor Eliyahu nor the Navi, then why do you administer the mikveh mayim's tevilah?
26. Yochanan answered the Perushim, I give a tevilah in a mikveh mayim; among you is standing one of whom you do not have da'as.
27. Hu HaBah (he who comes, i.e., the Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach who is coming into the Olam Hazeh), that is, He who comes after me, is one that I am not worthy even to untie the thong of his sandal.
28. These events took place in Beit-Anyah (Bethany), beyond the Yarden River, which Yochanan was using as a mikveh mayim in which to administer the tevilah.
29. On the next day, Yochanan sees Yehoshua coming to him, and Yochanan says, Hinei! The Seh HaElohim (Gn 22:8; Ex 12:5-13; Isa 53:7), the one carrying away the avonot HaOlam Hazeh (sins of this world i.e., as the sa'ir l'Azazel kapporah, Isa 53:6 7,12; Lv 16:22).
30. This is he about whom I said, After me comes an ISH (ZECHARYAH 6:12) who is really before me in priority, because, before I came to be, he was (Yochanan 8:58).
31. And I did not recognize him, but that he might be manifested to Klal Yisroel, I came, therefore, administering the mikveh mayim's tevilah.