Mark 1:1–11
John the Baptist Begins His Ministry
1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ.a 2 Just as it is written in the prophet Isaiah,
“Behold, I am sending my messenger before your face,
who will prepare your way,
3 the voice of one shouting in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way of the Lord,
make straight his paths!’ ”b
4 John was there baptizing in the wilderness, proclaimingc a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 And all the Judean region and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem went out to him and were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins. 6 And John was dressed in camel’s hair and a belt made of leather around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7 And he was preaching, saying, “One who is more powerful than I is coming after me, of whom I am not worthy to bend down and* untie the strap of his sandals. 8 I baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
9 And it happened that in those days Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized in the Jordan by John. 10 And immediately as he* was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens being split apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. 11 And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”