¹⁹ calling two of his disciples to him, sent them to the Lord, saying, “Are you the one ^(A)who is to come, or ^(B)shall we look for another?” ²⁰ And when the men had come to him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to you, saying, ‘Are you the one ^(C)who is to come, or ^(D)shall we look for another?’” ²¹ In that hour ^(E)he healed many people of diseases and plagues and evil spirits, and ^(F)on many who were blind he bestowed sight. ²² And he answered them, “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: ^(G)the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, ^(H)lepers^[a] are cleansed, and ^(I)the deaf hear, ^(J)the dead are raised up, ^(K)the poor have good news preached to them. ²³ And blessed is the one who is ^(L)not offended by me.”

²⁴ When John's messengers had gone, Jesus^[b] began to speak to the crowds concerning John: “What did you go out ^(M)into the wilderness to see? ^(N)A reed shaken by the wind? ²⁵ What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who are dressed in splendid clothing and live in luxury are in kings' courts. ²⁶ What then did you go out to see? ^(O)A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. ²⁷ This is he of whom it is written,

²⁸ I tell you, among those born of women none is greater than John. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.” ²⁹ (^(Q)When all the people heard this, and ^(R)the tax collectors too, they declared God just,^{[c] (S)}having been baptized with ^(T)the baptism of John, ^30 (U)but the Pharisees and ^(V)the lawyers ^(W)rejected ^(X)the purpose of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him.)

² during ^(A)the high priesthood of Annas and ^(B)Caiaphas, ^(C)the word of God came to ^(D)John the son of Zechariah in ^(E)the wilderness. ³ And he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming ^(F)a baptism of repentance ^(G)for the forgiveness of sins. ⁴ As it is written in ^(H)the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet,

⁷ He said therefore to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, ^(A)“You brood of ^(B)vipers! Who warned you to flee from ^(C)the wrath to come? ⁸ Bear fruits ^(D)in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ^(E)‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you, God is able from ^(F)these stones to raise up children for Abraham. ⁹ Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. ^(G)Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”

¹¹ And he answered them, ^(A)“Whoever has two tunics^[a] is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.” ^12 (B)Tax collectors also came to be baptized and said to him, “Teacher, ^(C)what shall we do?” ¹³ And he said to them, ^(D)“Collect no more than you are authorized to do.” ¹⁴ Soldiers also asked him, “And we, ^(E)what shall we do?” And he said to them, ^(F)“Do not extort money from anyone by threats or by false accusation, and be content with your ^(G)wages.”

¹⁵ As the people were in expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, ^(H)whether he might be ^(I)the Christ, ^16 (J)John answered them all, saying, “I baptize you with water, but ^(K)he who is mightier than I is coming, ^(L)the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you ^(M)with the Holy Spirit and ^(N)fire. ¹⁷ His ^(O)winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to ^(P)gather the wheat into his barn, ^(Q)but the chaff he will burn with ^(R)unquenchable fire.”

¹⁸ So ^(S)with many other exhortations he preached good news to the people. ¹⁹ But ^(T)Herod the tetrarch, who had been reproved by him for Herodias, his brother's wife, and for all the evil things that Herod had done, ²⁰ added this to them all, that ^(U)he locked up John in prison.

²¹ Now when all the people were baptized, and when ^(V)Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, ^(W)the heavens were opened, ²² and ^(X)the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove; and ^(Y)a voice came from heaven, ^(Z)“You are my beloved Son;^[b] with you I am well pleased.”^[c]