(A)John appeared, baptizing in (B)the wilderness and proclaiming (C)a baptism of (D)repentance (E)for the forgiveness of sins. And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, (F)confessing their sins.

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And so John the Baptist(A) appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance(B) for the forgiveness of sins.(C) The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.

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Comfort for God's People

40 (A)Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.
(B)Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,
    and cry to her
that (C)her warfare[a] is ended,
    that her iniquity is pardoned,
that she has received from the Lord's hand
    double for all her sins.

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 40:2 Or hardship

Comfort for God’s People

40 Comfort, comfort(A) my people,
    says your God.
Speak tenderly(B) to Jerusalem,
    and proclaim to her
that her hard service(C) has been completed,(D)
    that her sin has been paid for,(E)
that she has received from the Lord’s hand
    double(F) for all her sins.

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