The Mission of John the Baptist

(Isaiah 40:1–5, Matthew 3:1–12, Mark 1:1–8, John 1:19–28)

3 In [the] fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, [while] Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, Herod tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, 2 during [the] high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, [the] word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness.

3 He went into all the region around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for [the] forgiveness of sins,

4 as it is written in [the] book of [the] words of Isaiah [the] prophet: “[A] voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for [the] Lord, make straight paths for Him.

5 Every valley shall be filled in, and every mountain and hill made low. The crooked [ways] shall be made straight, and the rough ways smooth.

6 And all humanity will see God’s salvation.’ ”[fn]

7 Then [John] said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8 Produce fruit, then, in keeping with repentance. And {do} not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham [as our] father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. 9 The axe lies ready 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 crowds asked him “What then should we do?”

11 [John] replied “Whoever has two tunics should share with him who has none, and whoever has food should do the same.”

12 Even tax collectors came to be baptized. “Teacher,” they asked “what should we do?”

13 “Collect no more than you are authorized,” he answered

14 Then [some] soldiers asked him “And what should we do?” “Do not take money by force or false accusation,” he said Be content with your wages.”

15 The people were waiting expectantly and {were} all wondering in their hearts if John could be the Christ. 16 John answered all of them “I baptize you with water,[fn] but [One] more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.[fn] He will baptize you with [the] Holy Spirit and with fire.[fn] 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 [With these and] many other exhortations, [John] proclaimed the good news to the people. 19 But when he rebuked Herod the tetrarch regarding his brother’s wife Herodias and all [the] evils [he] had done, 20 [Herod] added this to them all He locked John {up} in prison.