³ A voice of one crying out:

The Messiah’s Herald

3 In those days John the Baptist came,^(A) preaching in the Wilderness of Judea^{(B) 2} and saying, “Repent, because the kingdom of heaven has come near!”^{(C) 3} For he is the one spoken of through the prophet Isaiah, who said:

The Messiah’s Herald

1 The beginning^(A) of the gospel^(B) of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.^{(C) 2} As it is written in Isaiah^(D) the prophet:^[a](E)

⁴ John came baptizing^[d](J) in the wilderness^(K) and preaching a baptism of repentance^[e](L) for the forgiveness^(M) of sins.^{(N) 5} The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem^(O) were flocking to him, and they were baptized by him in the Jordan^(P) River as they confessed^(Q) their sins.^(R)

John the Baptist’s Testimony

¹⁹ This is John’s testimony when the Jews from Jerusalem^(A) sent priests^(B) and Levites^(C) to ask him, “Who are you?”

²⁰ He did not refuse to answer, but he declared: “I am not the Messiah.”^(D)

²¹ “What then?” they asked him. “Are you Elijah?”^(E)

“I am not,” he said.

“Are you the Prophet?”^[a](F)

“No,” he answered.

²² “Who are you, then?” they asked. “We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What can you tell us about yourself?”

²³ He said, “I am a voice of one crying out in the wilderness: Make straight the way of the Lord^(G)[b]—just as Isaiah^(H) the prophet said.”