“Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him.”
You yourselves can testify that I said, 'I am not the Messiah but am sent ahead of him' — John reprises his fundamental identity: not Messiah but forerunner. The appeal to the disciples' prior hearing of this testimony emphasizes consistency; John's current response echoes his foundational self-understanding. The distinction is not reluctant demotion but core identity-claim.
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