Matthew 3:1–7

THE HERALD OF THE MESSIAH

3 In those days John the Baptist came,p preaching in the wilderness of Judeaq 2 and saying, “Repent, because the kingdom of heaven has come near!”r 3 For he is the one spoken of through the prophet Isaiah, who said:

A voice of one crying out in the wilderness:

Prepare the way for the Lord;

make his paths straight!D,s

4 Now John had a camel-hair garment with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. 5 Then people from Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the vicinity of the Jordan were going out to him, 6 and they were baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins.t

7 When he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadduceesu coming to his baptism, he said to them, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?a