John the Baptist prepares the way

The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah,[a] the Son of God,[b] as it is written in Isaiah the prophet:

‘I will send my messenger ahead of you,
    who will prepare your way’[c] –
‘a voice of one calling in the wilderness,
“Prepare the way for the Lord,
    make straight paths for him.”’[d]

And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptised by him in the River Jordan. John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt round his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. And this was his message: ‘After me comes the one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I baptise you with[e] water, but he will baptise you with[f] the Holy Spirit.’

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Mark 1:1 Or Jesus Christ. Messiah (Hebrew) and Christ (Greek) both mean Anointed One.
  2. Mark 1:1 Some manuscripts do not have the Son of God.
  3. Mark 1:2 Mal. 3:1
  4. Mark 1:3 Isaiah 40:3
  5. Mark 1:8 Or in
  6. Mark 1:8 Or in