John the Baptist Prepares the Way

3 hIn those days iJohn the Baptist came preaching in jthe wilderness of Judea, 2 k“Repent, for lthe kingdom of heaven is at hand.”1 3 For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said,

m“The voice of one crying in the wilderness:

n‘Prepare21 the way of the Lord;

make his paths straight.’ ”

4 Now John wore oa garment of camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was plocusts and qwild honey. 5 Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan were going out to him, 6 and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, rconfessing their sins.

7 But when he saw many of sthe Pharisees and tSadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, u“You brood of vvipers! Who warned you to flee from wthe wrath to come? 8 Bear fruit xin keeping with repentance. 9 And do not presume to say to yourselves, y‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God is able from zthese stones to raise up children for Abraham. 10 Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. aEvery tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

11 b“I baptize you with water cfor repentance, but dhe who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you ewith the Holy Spirit and ffire. 12 His gwinnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and hgather his wheat into the barn, ibut the chaff he will burn with junquenchable fire.”

The Baptism of Jesus

13 kThen Jesus came lfrom Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. 14 mJohn would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” 15 But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented. 16 And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, othe heavens were opened to him,3 and he psaw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; 17 and behold, qa voice from heaven said, r“This is my beloved Son,4 with whom I am well pleased.”

The Temptation of Jesus

4 sThen Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness tto be tempted by the devil. 2 And after fasting uforty days and forty nights, he vwas hungry. 3 And wthe tempter came and said to him, “If you are xthe Son of God, command ythese stones to become loaves of bread.” 4 But he answered, z“It is written,

a“ ‘Man shall not live by bread alone,

but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ”

5 bThen the devil took him to cthe holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple 6 and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written,

d“ ‘He will command his angels concerning you,’

and

“ ‘On their hands they will bear you up,

lest you strike your foot against a stone.’ ”

7 Jesus said to him, “Again eit is written, f‘You shall not gput the Lord your God to the test.’ ” 8 hAgain, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9 And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” 10 Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, iSatan! For jit is written,

k“ ‘You shall worship the Lord your God

and lhim only shall you serve.’ ”

11 Then the devil left him, and behold, mangels came and were ministering to him.

Jesus Begins His Ministry

12 Now when he heard that nJohn had been arrested, ohe withdrew into Galilee. 13 And leaving pNazareth he went and lived in qCapernaum by rthe sea, in the territory of sZebulun and Naphtali, 14 tso that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:

15  u“The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,

the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—

16  vthe people dwelling in darkness

have seen a great light,

and for those dwelling in the region and wshadow of death,

on them a light has dawned.”

17 xFrom that time Jesus began to preach, saying, z“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”1