(17) John the Baptist Prepares the Way
Matt 3:1-12, Mark 1:1-8, Luke 3:1-18
AThis is the beginning of the gospel1 of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
BNow in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip was tetrarch of Iturea and the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias was tetrarch of Abilene, Cand Annas and Caiaphas were the high priests, the word of God came to John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. DYes, it was in those days that John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, Esaying: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
FJohn also baptized in the wilderness and went into all the region around the Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. GAll this was written about by the prophets: “Behold, I will send my messenger before you,” says one, “who will prepare the way for you.”2 HJohn is also the one who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, for it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah::
The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make His paths straight. IEvery valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill brought low. And the crooked ways shall be made straight, and the rough ones made smooth. JAnd all flesh shall see the salvation of God.3
KNow this same John was clothed with camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist; and he ate locusts and wild honey for his food. LThe people from Jerusalem, all the land of Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him. They were all baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins. MBut when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to be baptized by him, he said to them, “O you generation of vipers. Who has warned you to flee from the wrath to come? NProduce fruits which show that you have repented. And don’t think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our Father.’ For I tell you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. OThe ax is now at the root of the trees. Therefore every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”
PThe people asked him, “What should we do then?”
QAnd he answered them, saying, “If you have two coats, give one to those without one; and whoever has food, let him do likewise.”
RThen the publicans4 also came to be baptized, and said to him, “Teacher, what should we do?”
SAnd he said to them, “Collect no more than what you have been ordered to.”
TThe soldiers also asked him, “And what should we do?”
And he said to them, “Do not mistreat or falsely accuse anyone, and be content with your wages.”
UNow the people were in a state of expectation, and everyone wondered in their hearts about John, whether he was the Christ or not. VSo John preached, saying to all of them, “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance. But He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down, unlatch, and bear. Yes, I have baptized you with water -- but He shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit, and with fire. WHis winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will thoroughly purge His floor and gather the wheat into His barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”
XAnd with many other exhortations John preached to the people.
(17) John the Baptist Prepares the Way
Matthew 3:1-12 (KJV)
In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, 2 And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. 3 For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. 4 And the same John had his raiment of camel’s hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey. 5 Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan, 6 And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins. 7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: 9 And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. 10 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: 12 Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.
(17) John the Baptist Prepares the Way
Mark 1:1-8 (KJV)
The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God; 2 As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. 3 The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. 4 John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. 5 And there went out unto him all the land of Judaea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins. 6 And John was clothed with camel’s hair, and with a girdle of a skin about his loins; and he did eat locusts and wild honey; 7 And preached, saying, There cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose. 8 I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.
(17) John the Baptist Prepares the Way
Luke 3:1-18 (KJV)
Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judaea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of Ituraea and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the tetrarch of Abilene, 2 Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. 3 And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins; 4 As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. 5 Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth; 6 And all flesh shall see the salvation of God. 7 Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. 9 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 10 And the people asked him, saying, What shall we do then? 11 He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise. 12 Then came also publicans to be baptized, and said unto him, Master, what shall we do? 13 And he said unto them, Exact no more than that which is appointed you. 14 And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages.
15 And as the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of John, whether he were the Christ, or not; 16 John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire: 17 Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and will gather the wheat into his garner; but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable. 18 And many other things in his exhortation preached he unto the people.
[1]The word gospel means good news. [2] Malachi. 3:1 [3] Isaiah. 40:3-5 [4] The publicans were tax collectors.
[A] Mk 1:1 [B] Lk 3:1 [C] Lk 3:2 [D] Mt 3:1 [E] Mt 3:2 [F] Mk 1:4, Lk 3:3 [G] Mk 1:2 [H] Mt 3:3, [I] Lk 3:5 [J] Lk 3:6 [K] Mt 3:4, Mk 1:6 [L] Mt 3:5-6, Mk 1:5 [M] Mt 3:7, Lk 3:7 [N] Mt 3:8-9, Lk 3:8 [O] Mt 3:10, Lk 3:9 [P] Lk 3:10 [Q] Lk 3:11 [R] Lk 3:12 [S] Lk 3:13 [T] Lk 3:14 [U] Lk 3:15 [V] Mt 3:11, Mk 1:7-8, Lk 3:16 [W] Mt 3:12, Lk 3:17 [X] Lk 3:18