In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness
of Judea, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” For this
is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said,
“The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord;
make his paths straight.’”
Now John wore a garment of camel's hair and a leather belt
around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. Then
Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan were
going out to him, and they were baptized by him in the river
Jordan, confessing their sins.
But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his
baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to
flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruit in keeping with repentance.
And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our
father,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up
children for Abraham. Even now the axe is laid to the root of the
trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut
down and thrown into the fire.
“I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming
after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to
carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His
winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing
floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will
burn with unquenchable fire.”
Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be
baptized by him. John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to
be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” But Jesus answered him,
“Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all
righteousness.” Then he consented. And when Jesus was baptized,
immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were
opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove
and coming to rest on him; and behold, a voice from heaven said,
“This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”
