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The Preaching of John the Baptist

¹ Now ^(C1)in those days ^(C2)John the Baptist ^(*)(F1)came, ^(F2)preaching in the ^(C3)wilderness of Judea, saying,² "^(C1)Repent, for ^(C2)the kingdom of heaven has come near."³ For this is the ^(C1)one referred to ^(F1)by Isaiah the prophet when he said,

"^(C2)THE VOICE OF ONE ^(F2)CALLING ^(F3)OUT IN THE WILDERNESS,
'^(C3)PREPARE THE WAY OF THE LORD,
MAKE HIS PATHS STRAIGHT!'"

⁷ But when he saw many of the ^(C1)Pharisees and ^(C2)Sadducees coming for ^(F1)baptism, he said to them, "You ^(F2)(C3)offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from ^(C4)the wrath to come?⁸ "^(C1)Therefore produce fruit ^(C2)consistent with repentance;⁹ and do not assume that you can say to yourselves, '^(C1)We have Abraham as our father'; for I tell you that God is able, from these stones, to raise up children for Abraham.¹⁰ "And the ^(C1)axe is already laid at the root of the trees; therefore, ^(C2)every tree that does not bear good fruit is being cut down and thrown into the fire.

¹¹ "As for me, ^(C1)I baptize you ^(F1)with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; ^(C2)He will baptize you ^(F1)with the Holy Spirit and fire.¹² "His ^(C1)winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear His threshing floor; and He will ^(C2)gather His wheat into the barn, but He will burn up the ^(C3)chaff with ^(C4)unquenchable fire."

The Baptism of Jesus

^13 (C1)Then Jesus ^(*)arrived ^(C2)from Galilee at the Jordan, coming to John to be baptized by him.¹⁴ But John tried to prevent Him, saying, "I have the need to be baptized by You, and yet You are coming to me?"¹⁵ But Jesus, answering, said to him, "Allow it at this time; for in this way it is fitting for us ^(C1)to fulfill all righteousness." Then he ^(*)allowed Him.¹⁶ After He was baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and ^(F1)(C1)he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and ^(F2)settling on Him,¹⁷ and behold, a voice from the heavens said, "^(C1)This is ^(F1)My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased."