Mark 1:1–11

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

²As it is written in Isaiah the prophet,^b

“Behold, I send my messenger before thy face,

who shall prepare thy way;

³the voice of one crying in the wilderness:

Prepare the way of the Lord,

make his paths straight—”

⁴John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. ⁵And there went out to him all the country of Judea, and all the people of Jerusalem; and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. ⁶Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, and had a leather girdle around his waist, and ate locusts and wild honey. ⁷And he preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the thong of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. ⁸I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

⁹In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. ¹⁰And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens opened and the Spirit descending upon him like a dove; ¹¹and a voice came from heaven, “Thou art my beloved Son;^d with thee I am well pleased.”