³¹ I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.”

¹⁷ And he will go on before the Lord,^(A) in the spirit and power of Elijah,^(B) to turn the hearts of the parents to their children^(C) and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”^(D)

3 “I will send my messenger,^(A) who will prepare the way before me.^(B) Then suddenly the Lord^(C) you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant,^(D) whom you desire,^(E) will come,” says the Lord Almighty.

⁴ Paul said, “John’s baptism^(A) was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.”^(B)

³³ And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water^(A) told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’^(B)

⁷ He came as a witness to testify^(A) concerning that light, so that through him all might believe.^(B)

³ He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.^{(A) 4} As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet:

⁴ And so John the Baptist^(B) appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance^(C) for the forgiveness of sins.^{(D) 5} 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.

⁶ Confessing their sins, they were baptized^(A) by him in the Jordan River.