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The Proclamation of John the Baptist

The beginning of the good news[a] of Jesus Christ.[b](A)

As it is written in the prophet Isaiah,[c]

“See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,[d]
    who will prepare your way,(B)
the voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
    ‘Prepare the way of the Lord;
    make his paths straight,’ ”(C)

so John the baptizer appeared[e] in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.(D) And the whole Judean region and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him and were baptized by him in the River Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey.(E) He proclaimed, “The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the strap of his sandals.(F) I have baptized you with[f] water, but he will baptize you with[g] the Holy Spirit.”(G)

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Footnotes

  1. 1.1 Or gospel
  2. 1.1 Other ancient authorities add Son of God
  3. 1.2 Other ancient authorities read in the prophets
  4. 1.2 Gk before your face
  5. 1.4 Other ancient authorities read John was baptizing
  6. 1.8 Or in
  7. 1.8 Or in

Beginning of good news

The beginning of the good news about Jesus Christ, God’s Son, happened just as it was written about in the prophecy of Isaiah:

Look, I am sending my messenger before you.
He will prepare your way,
a voice shouting in the wilderness:
        Prepare the way for the Lord;
        make his paths straight.”[a]

John’s preaching

John the Baptist was in the wilderness calling for people to be baptized to show that they were changing their hearts and lives and wanted God to forgive their sins. Everyone in Judea and all the people of Jerusalem went out to the Jordan River and were being baptized by John as they confessed their sins. John wore clothes made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist. He ate locusts and wild honey. He announced, “One stronger than I am is coming after me. I’m not even worthy to bend over and loosen the strap of his sandals. I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

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