John the Baptist Prepares the Way

Mark 1:2-8

2. It began just as God had said in the book written by Isaiah the prophet,

"I am sending my messenger ahead of you to prepare the way for you,
3. a voice of one calling in the wilderness, Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.'"

4. This messenger was John the Baptist. He lived in the wilderness and was preaching that people should be baptized to show that they had turned from their sins and turned to God to be forgiven.
5. People from the whole Judean countryside and all of Jerusalem were going out to him, and he was baptizing them in the Jordan River as they confessed their sins.
6. John wore a garment made of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey.
7. And he was preaching, and saying, “After me One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not worthy to stoop down and untie His shoes.
8. I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

Matthew 3:1-12

1. In those days John the Baptist came into the wilderness of Judea proclaiming,
2. “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.”
3. Isaiah the prophet spoke about this man when he said,

"A voice cries out in the desert: 'Prepare the way for the Lord! Make his paths straight!'"

4. Now John wore clothing made from camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his diet consisted of locusts and wild honey.
5. People came to John from Jerusalem and the rest of Judea and from all the areas along the Jordan River.
6. And he was baptizing them in the Jordan River as they confessed their sins.
7. But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You offspring of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?
8. Therefore produce fruit consistent with repentance.
9. And don’t presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that God is able to raise up children for Abraham from these stones!
10. Even now the ax is laid at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.
11. “I baptize you with water, for repentance, but the one coming after me is more powerful than I am – I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
12. He is ready to separate the chaff from the wheat with His winnowing fork. Then He will clean up the threshing area, gathering the wheat into His barn but burning the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

Luke 3:1-18

1. 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 the region of Iturea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias was tetrarch of Abilene,
2. during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness.
3. John traveled throughout the region around the Jordan River, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins;
4. It is written in the scroll of the prophet Isaiah,

"A messenger is calling out in the desert, "Prepare the way for the Lord. Make straight paths for him. 
5. Every valley will be filled in. Every mountain and hill will be made level. The crooked roads will become straight. The rough ways will become smooth,
6. and all humanity will see the salvation of God.' "

7. So John said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, “You offspring of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?
8. Therefore produce fruit consistent with repentance. And don’t start saying to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you that God is able to raise up children for Abraham from these stones!
9. Even now the ax is laid at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”
10. The people asked John, “What should we do?”
11. John answered them, “The person who has two tunics must share with the person who has none, and the person who has food must do likewise.”
12. Tax collectors also came to be baptized, and they said to him, “Teacher, what should we do?”
13. He told them, “Collect no more than you are required to.”
14. Then some soldiers also asked him, “And as for us what should we do?” He told them, “Take money from no one by violence or by false accusation, and be content with your pay.”
15. The people were waiting. They were expecting something. They were all wondering in their hearts if John might be the Christ.
16. John answered them all, “I baptize you with water, but One is coming who is more powerful than I. I am not worthy to untie the strap of His sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
17. His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”
18. John said many other things like this to encourage the people to change, and he announced the Good News to the people.