The Herald of the Messiah

1In those days John the Baptist came,a preaching in the wilderness of Judeab 2and saying, “Repent, because the kingdom of heaven has come near! ”a 3For he is the one spoken of through the prophet Isaiah, who said:

A voice of one crying out in the wilderness:

Prepare the way for the Lord;

make his paths straight!a b

4Now John had a camel-hair garment with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. 5Then people from Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the vicinity of the Jordan were going out to him, 6and they were baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins.a

7When he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadduceesa coming to his baptism, he said to them, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?b 8Therefore produce fruita consistent withA repentance. 9And don’t presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’a For I tell you that God is able to raise up children for Abraham from these stones. 10The ax is already at the root of the trees. Therefore, every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.a

11“I baptize you withA water for repentance,a but the one who is coming after me is more powerful than I. I am not worthy to removeB his sandals. He himself will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.b 12His winnowing shovel is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn. But the chaff he will burn with fire that never goes out.”a

The Baptism of Jesus

13Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptized by him.a 14But John tried to stop him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and yet you come to me? ”

15Jesus answered him, “Allow it for now, because this is the way for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John allowed him to be baptized.

16When Jesus was baptized, he went up immediately from the water. The heavensa suddenly opened for him,A and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming down on him.b 17And a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased.”a