⁵ Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat what they produce. ⁶ Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease.^{(A) 7} But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.^{(B) 8} For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Do not let the prophets and the diviners who are among you deceive you, and do not listen to your dreams that you dream,^{(C) 9} for it is a lie that they are prophesying to you in my name; I did not send them, says the Lord.^(D)

¹⁰ For thus says the Lord: Only when Babylon’s seventy years are completed will I visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place.^{(E) 11} For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope.^{(F) 12} Then when you call upon me and come and pray to me, I will hear you.^{(G) 13} When you search for me, you will find me; if you seek me with all your heart,^{(H) 14} I will let you find me, says the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, says the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.^(I)

The Proclamation of John the Baptist

1 The beginning of the good news^[a] of Jesus Christ.^[b](A)

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

⁴ so John the baptizer appeared^[e] in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.^{(D) 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. ⁶ Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey.^{(E) 7} He proclaimed, “The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the strap of his sandals.^{(F) 8} I have baptized you with^[f] water, but he will baptize you with^[g] the Holy Spirit.”^(G)