Is John the Baptist Elijah?

John the Baptist is believed to have the role of Elijah. He is not literally the person Elijah.

Elijah did not die but was taken up to heaven (2 Kings 2:1-11) and thus the Jewish people believe he will physically return to earth from heaven before the coming of the Messiah (Sir. 48:4-11, Mal. 4:5-6). That is why John the Baptist denied he was the literal physical return of Elijah from heaven, and yet Jesus affirms that John fulfills Malachi’s prophecy as a type of Elijah (Luke 1:17).