¹⁶ And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God,

³² For John came to you ^(A)in the way of righteousness, and ^(B)you did not believe him, but ^(C)the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him. And even when you saw it, you did not afterward ^(D)change your minds and believe him.

John the Baptist Prepares the Way

3 ^(A)In those days ^(B)John the Baptist came preaching in ^(C)the wilderness of Judea, ^2 (D)“Repent, for ^(E)the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”^{[a] 3} For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said,

⁴ Now John wore ^(H)a garment of camel's hair and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was ^(I)locusts and ^(J)wild honey. ⁵ Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan were going out to him, ⁶ and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, ^(K)confessing their sins.

^3 (A)And those who are wise ^(B)shall shine like the brightness of the sky above;^[a] and ^(C)those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.

3 ^(A)“Behold, I send ^(B)my messenger, and ^(C)he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord ^(D)whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and ^(E)the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts.