The Coming Messenger

3 See, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple. The messenger of the covenant in whom you delight—indeed, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts.^(A)

² As it is written in the prophet Isaiah,^[a]

⁴ so John the baptizer appeared^[c] in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.^{(C) 5} And the whole Judean region and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him and were baptized by him in the River Jordan, confessing their sins.

²³ He said,

as the prophet Isaiah said.^(A)

The Proclamation of John the Baptist

3 In those days John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming, ² “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”^{[a](A) 3} This is the one of whom the prophet Isaiah spoke when he said,

¹⁶ He will turn many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God.^{(A) 17} With the spirit and power of Elijah he will go before him, to turn the hearts of parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”^(B)

⁵ See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes.^{(A) 6} He will turn the hearts of parents to their children and the hearts of children to their parents, so that I will not come and strike the land with a curse.^[a]

A Promise of Help and Healing