The word "Jews" here represents the "Jewish leaders." AT: "the Jewish leaders sent ... to him from Jerusalem" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-synecdoche]])
The second phrase says in negative terms the same thing that the first phrase says in positive terms to emphasize that John was telling the truth. Your language may have a different way of doing this.
"Freely" is an idiom that means he spoke openly, without any hesitancy or negative thoughts. AT: "He spoke without hesitation," (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom).
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