⁴ John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness ^[a](B)preaching a baptism of repentance for the ^(C)forgiveness of sins. ⁵ And all the country of Judea was going out to him, and all the people of Jerusalem; and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins. ⁶ John was clothed with camel’s hair and wore ^(D)a leather belt around his waist, and ^[b]his diet was locusts and wild honey. ⁷ And he was ^[c]preaching, and saying, “After me One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to stoop down and untie the thong of His sandals. ⁸ I baptized you ^[d]with water; but He will baptize you ^[e]with the Holy Spirit.”

² in the high priesthood of ^(A)Annas and ^(B)Caiaphas, ^(C)the word of God came to John, the son of Zacharias, in the wilderness. ³ And he came into all ^(D)the district around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins; ⁴ as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet,

⁷ So he began saying to the crowds who were going out to be baptized by him, “^(I)You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? ⁸ Therefore bear fruits in keeping with repentance, and ^(J)do not begin to say ^[c]to yourselves, ‘^(K)We have Abraham for our father,’ for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children to Abraham. ⁹ Indeed the axe is already laid at the root of the trees; so ^(L)every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”

¹⁰ And the crowds were questioning him, saying, “^(M)Then what shall we do?” ¹¹ And he would answer and say to them, “The man who has two tunics is to ^(N)share with him who has none; and he who has food is to do likewise.” ¹² And some ^(O)tax collectors also came to be baptized, and they said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?” ¹³ And he said to them, “^[d]Collect no more than what you have been ordered to.” ¹⁴ Some soldiers were questioning him, saying, “And what about us, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Do not take money from anyone by force, or ^(P)accuse anyone falsely, and ^(Q)be content with your wages.”

¹⁵ Now while the people were in a state of expectation and all were ^[e]wondering in their hearts about John, ^(R)as to whether he was ^[f]the Christ, ^16 (S)John answered and said to them all, “As for me, I baptize you with water; but One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to untie the thong of His sandals; He will baptize you ^[g]with the Holy Spirit and fire. ¹⁷ His ^(T)winnowing fork is in His hand to thoroughly clear His threshing floor, and to gather the wheat into His barn; but He will burn up the chaff with ^(U)unquenchable fire.”

The Witness John

⁶ There ^[a]came a man sent from God, whose name was ^(A)John. ^7 [b]He came ^[c](B)as a witness, to testify about the Light, ^(C)so that all might believe through him. ^8 [d](D)He was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light.

The Testimony of John

¹⁹ This is ^(A)the testimony of John, when ^(B)the Jews sent to him priests and Levites ^(C)from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” ²⁰ And he confessed and did not deny, but confessed, “^(D)I am not ^[a]the Christ.” ²¹ They asked him, “What then? Are you ^(E)Elijah?” And he *said, “I am not.” “Are you ^(F)the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” ²² Then they said to him, “Who are you, so that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?” ²³ He said, “I am ^(G)a voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as Isaiah the prophet said.”

²⁴ Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. ²⁵ They asked him, and said to him, “Why then are you baptizing, if you are not the ^[b]Christ, nor Elijah, nor ^(H)the Prophet?” ²⁶ John answered them saying, “^(I)I baptize ^[c]in water, but among you stands One whom you do not know. ²⁷ It is ^(J)He who comes after me, the ^(K)thong of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.” ²⁸ These things took place in Bethany ^(L)beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.