2 1while bAnnas and Caiaphas were high priests, the word of God came to cJohn the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. 3 dAnd he went into all the region around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance efor the remission of sins, 4 as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, saying:

f“The voice of one crying in the wilderness:

‘Prepare the way of the Lord;

Make His paths straight.

5 Every valley shall be filled

And every mountain and hill brought low;

The crooked places shall be made straight

And the rough ways smooth;

6 And gall flesh shall see the salvation of God.’ ”

7 Then he said to the multitudes that came out to be baptized by him, h“Brood 2of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Therefore bear fruits iworthy of repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. 9 And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore jevery tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”

10 So the people asked him, saying, k“What shall we do then?”

11 He answered and said to them, l“He who has two tunics, let him give to him who has none; and he who has food, mlet him do likewise.”

12 Then ntax collectors also came to be baptized, and said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?”

13 And he said to them, o“Collect no more than what is appointed for you.”

14 Likewise the soldiers asked him, saying, “And what shall we do?”

So he said to them, “Do not 3intimidate anyone por accuse falsely, and be content with your wages.”

15 Now as the people were in expectation, and all reasoned in their hearts about John, whether he was the Christ or not, 16 John answered, saying to all, q“I indeed baptize you with water; but One mightier than I is coming, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose. He will rbaptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 17 His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and sgather the wheat into His barn; but the chaff He will burn with unquenchable fire.”

18 And with many other exhortations he preached to the people. 19 tBut Herod the tetrarch, being rebuked by him concerning Herodias, his 4brother Philip’s wife, and for all the evils which Herod had done, 20 also added this, above all, that he shut John up in prison.

The Baptism of Christ

Matt. 3:13–17; Mark 1:9–11; John 1:32–34

21 When all the people were baptized, uit came to pass that Jesus also was baptized; and while He prayed, the heaven was opened. 22 And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven which said, “You are My beloved Son; in You I am vwell pleased.”