Add parallel Print Page Options

John the Baptist Prepares the Way

The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. This is how it is written in the prophet Isaiah:[a]

Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare the way for you.
A voice of one calling out in the wilderness,
“Prepare the way of the Lord.
Make his paths straight.”[b]

John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him. They were baptized by him in the Jordan River as they confessed their sins. John was clothed in camel’s hair, and he wore a leather belt around his waist. He ate locusts and wild honey. He preached, “One more powerful than I is coming after me. I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the strap of his sandals! I baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Mark 1:2 Some witnesses to the text read in the prophets. (“Witnesses to the text” mentioned in footnotes may include Greek manuscripts, lectionaries, translations, and quotations in the church fathers.)
  2. Mark 1:3 Malachi 3:1; Isaiah 40:3

John the Baptist Prepares the Way(A)

The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah,[a] the Son of God,[b](B) as it is written in Isaiah the prophet:

“I will send my messenger ahead of you,
    who will prepare your way”[c](C)
“a voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
    make straight paths for him.’”[d](D)

And so John the Baptist(E) appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance(F) for the forgiveness of sins.(G) 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. John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist,(H) and he ate locusts(I) and wild honey. And this was his message: “After me comes the one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie.(J) I baptize you with[e] water, but he will baptize you with[f] the Holy Spirit.”(K)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Mark 1:1 Or Jesus Christ. Messiah (Hebrew) and Christ (Greek) both mean Anointed One.
  2. Mark 1:1 Some manuscripts do not have the Son of God.
  3. Mark 1:2 Mal. 3:1
  4. Mark 1:3 Isaiah 40:3
  5. Mark 1:8 Or in
  6. Mark 1:8 Or in

The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God;

As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.

The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.

And there went out unto him all the land of Judaea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins.

And John was clothed with camel's hair, and with a girdle of a skin about his loins; and he did eat locusts and wild honey;

And preached, saying, There cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose.

I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.

Read full chapter