The Mission of John the Baptist

(Isaiah 40:1–5, Mark 1:1–8, Luke 3:1–20, John 1:19–28)

In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea 2 and saying,“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.” 3 This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah

“[A] voice of one calling in the wilderness,

‘Prepare the way for [the] Lord,

make straight paths for Him.’ ”[fn]

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John wore a garment of camel’s hair and [a] leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. 5 [People] went out to him [from] Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region around the Jordan. 6 Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan.[fn]

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But when [John] saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his [place of] baptism, he said to them,“[You] brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8 Produce fruit,[fn] then, in keeping with repentance. 9 And {do} not presume 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. 10 The axe vvv vvv lies ready at the root of the trees, and every tree vvv that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into [the] fire.

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I baptize you with water[fn] for repentance, but after me will come [One] more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with [the] Holy Spirit.[fn] 12 His winnowing fork [is] in His hand, and He will clear His threshing floor and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

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