Elijah went up to the people and said, "How much longer will it take you to make up your minds? If the LORD is God, worship him; but if Baal is God, worship him!" But the people didn't say a word.

"Tell us," they asked Jesus, "are you the one John said was going to come, or should we expect someone else?"

People's hopes began to rise, and they began to wonder whether John perhaps might be the Messiah.

The Jewish authorities in Jerusalem sent some priests and Levites to John to ask him, "Who are you?"

"Who are you?" they asked him. Jesus answered, "What I have told you from the very beginning.

Our father Abraham died; you do not claim to be greater than Abraham, do you? And the prophets also died. Who do you think you are?"

His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jewish authorities, who had already agreed that anyone who said he believed that Jesus was the Messiah would be expelled from the synagogue.

"Tell us," they said, "are you the Messiah?" He answered, "If I tell you, you will not believe me;

But from now on the Son of Man will be seated at the right side of Almighty God."

Because we have this hope, we are very bold.