Preaching of John the Baptist

1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, athe Son of God.

2 aAs it is written in Isaiah the prophet:

“bBehold, I send My messenger 1ahead of You,

Who will prepare Your way;

3 aThe voice of one crying in the wilderness,

‘Make ready the way of the Lord,

Make His paths straight.’ ”

4 John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness 1apreaching a baptism of repentance for the bforgiveness of sins.

5 And all the country of Judea was going out to him, and all the people of Jerusalem; and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins.

6 John was clothed with camel’s hair and wore aa leather belt around his waist, and 1his diet was locusts and wild honey.

7 And he was 1preaching, and saying, “After me One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to stoop down and untie the thong of His sandals.

8 “I baptized you 1with water; but He will baptize you 1with the Holy Spirit.”

The Baptism of Jesus

9 aIn those days Jesus bcame from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.

10 Immediately coming up out of the water, He saw the heavens 1opening, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon Him;

11 and a voice came out of the heavens: “aYou are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased.”

12 aImmediately the Spirit * impelled Him to go out into the wilderness.

13 And He was in the wilderness forty days being tempted by aSatan; and He was with the wild beasts, and the angels were ministering to Him.

Jesus Preaches in Galilee

14 aNow after John had been 1taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, 2bpreaching the gospel of God,

15 and saying, “aThe time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God 1is at hand; brepent and 2believe in the gospel.”

16 aAs He was going along by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew, the brother of Simon, casting a net in the sea; for they were fishermen.

17 And Jesus said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.”

18 Immediately they left their nets and followed Him.