King James Bible
"He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light."
John the Baptist is explicitly distinguished from the true Light (Christ), correcting any misunderstanding that he might be the Messiah. This clarification was necessary as John had gained a significant following and some wondered if he was the promised one. John's divine commission was to testify about Jesus, the true Light coming into the world. The passive "was sent" emphasizes God's sovereign initiative in preparing the way for Christ through John's prophetic ministry.