Matthew 3:3–17
3 For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying:
d“The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
e‘Prepare the way of the Lord;
Make His paths straight.’ ”
4 Now fJohn himself was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist; and his food was glocusts and hwild honey. 5 iThen Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him 6 jand were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.
The Preaching of John the Baptist
Mark 1:7–9; Luke 3:7–9, 16, 17
7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, k“Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from lthe wrath to come? 8 Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, 9 and do not think to say to yourselves, m‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. 10 And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. nTherefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 11 oI indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. pHe will baptize you with the Holy Spirit 1and fire. 12 qHis winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will rburn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”
13 sThen Jesus came tfrom Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. 14 And John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?”
15 But Jesus answered and said to him, “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed Him.
16 uWhen He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and 2He saw vthe Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. 17 wAnd suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, x“This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”