John the Baptist Appears
1. Now in those days John the Baptist came, proclaiming in the wilderness of Judea.
2. Saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of the heavens has drawn near.”
3. For this is the one spoken of through Isaiah the prophet, saying, “A voice of one crying out in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord; make straight his paths.”
Crowds Come for Baptism
4. And John himself had his garment from camel’s hair, and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey.
5. Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region around the Jordan were going out to him.
6. And they were being baptised by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins.
John Confronts the Pharisees and Sadducees
7. But seeing many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “Offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the coming wrath.”
8. “Therefore produce fruit worthy of repentance.”
9. “And do not presume to say within yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as father,’ for I say to you that God is able out of these stones to raise up children for Abraham.”
10. “And already the axe is laid at the root of the trees; therefore every tree not producing good fruit is being cut down and thrown into the fire.”
The Mightier One to Come
11. “I indeed baptise you in water for repentance, but the one coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry; he will baptise you in the Holy Spirit and fire.”
12. “Whose winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the storehouse, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”
The Baptism of Jesus
13. Then Jesus comes from Galilee to the Jordan to John to be baptised by him.
14. But John kept preventing him, saying, “I have need to be baptised by you, and you come to me.”
15. But Jesus answering said to him, “Permit it now, for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he permits him.
16. And Jesus, having been baptised, immediately went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming upon him.
17. And behold, a voice out of the heavens saying, “This is my Son, the Beloved, in whom I have found delight.”
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