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John the Baptist Prepares the Way

(A)In those days (B)John the Baptist came preaching in (C)the wilderness of Judea, (D)“Repent, for (E)the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said,

(F)“The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
(G)‘Prepare[a] the way of the Lord;
    make his paths straight.’”

Now John wore (H)a garment of camel's hair and a leather belt round his waist, and his food was (I)locusts and (J)wild honey. Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan were going out to him, and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, (K)confessing their sins.

But when he saw many of (L)the Pharisees and (M)Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, (N)“You brood of (O)vipers! Who warned you to flee from (P)the wrath to come? Bear fruit (Q)in keeping with repentance. And do not presume to say to yourselves, (R)‘We have Abraham as our father’, for I tell you, God is able from (S)these stones to raise up children for Abraham. 10 Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. (T)Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

11 (U)“I baptize you with water (V)for repentance, but (W)he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you (X)with the Holy Spirit and (Y)fire. 12 His (Z)winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and (AA)gather his wheat into the barn, (AB)but the chaff he will burn with (AC)unquenchable fire.”

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 3:3 Or crying: Prepare in the wilderness

John the Baptist Prepares the Way(A)

In those days John the Baptist(B) came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven(C) has come near.” This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah:

“A voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
    make straight paths for him.’”[a](D)

John’s(E) clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist.(F) His food was locusts(G) and wild honey. People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. Confessing their sins, they were baptized(H) by him in the Jordan River.

But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: “You brood of vipers!(I) Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?(J) Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.(K) And do not think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’(L) I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. 10 The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.(M)

11 “I baptize you with[b] water for repentance.(N) But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with[c] the Holy Spirit(O) and fire.(P) 12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”(Q)

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 3:3 Isaiah 40:3
  2. Matthew 3:11 Or in
  3. Matthew 3:11 Or in

(A)As it is written in Isaiah the prophet,[a]

(B)“Behold, I send my messenger before your face,
    who will prepare your way,
(C)the voice of one crying in the wilderness:
    (D)‘Prepare[b] the way of the Lord,
    make his paths straight,’”

(E)John appeared, baptizing in (F)the wilderness and proclaiming (G)a baptism of (H)repentance (I)for the forgiveness of sins. And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, (J)confessing their sins. Now John was (K)clothed with camel's hair and (L)wore a leather belt round his waist and ate (M)locusts and (N)wild honey. And he preached, saying, (O)“After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. (P)I have baptized you with water, but (Q)he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

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Footnotes

  1. Mark 1:2 Some manuscripts in the prophets
  2. Mark 1:3 Or crying: Prepare in the wilderness

as it is written in Isaiah the prophet:

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

And so John the Baptist(C) appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance(D) for the forgiveness of sins.(E) The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist,(F) and he ate locusts(G) 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.(H) I baptize you with[c] water, but he will baptize you with[d] the Holy Spirit.”(I)

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Footnotes

  1. Mark 1:2 Mal. 3:1
  2. Mark 1:3 Isaiah 40:3
  3. Mark 1:8 Or in
  4. Mark 1:8 Or in