{I said} (eipon). As in  1:20,23 . He had always put Jesus
ahead of him as the Messiah ( 1:15 ). {Before him} (emprosthen
ekeinou). "Before that one" (Jesus) as his forerunner simply. {I
am sent} (apestalmenos eimi). Periphrastic perfect passive
indicative of apostell(935c).