The Proclamation of John the Baptist

1 The beginning of the good news^[a] of Jesus Christ.^[b](A)

² As it is written in the prophet Isaiah,^[c]

⁴ so John the baptizer appeared^[e] in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.^{(D) 5} And the whole Judean region and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him and were baptized by him in the River Jordan, confessing their sins. ⁶ Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey.^{(E) 7} He proclaimed, “The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the strap of his sandals.^{(F) 8} I have baptized you with^[f] water, but he will baptize you with^[g] the Holy Spirit.”^(G)

The Baptism of Jesus

⁹ In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.^{(H) 10} And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove upon him.^{(I) 11} And a voice came from the heavens, “You are my Son, the Beloved;^[h] with you I am well pleased.”^(J)

The Testing of Jesus

¹² And the Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. ¹³ He was in the wilderness forty days, tested by Satan, and he was with the wild beasts, and the angels waited on him.

The Beginning of the Galilean Ministry

¹⁴ Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the good news^[i] of^[j] God^{(K) 15} and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near;^[k] repent, and believe in the good news.”^[l](L)

The Passover with the Disciples

¹² On the first day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb is sacrificed, his disciples said to him, “Where do you want us to go and make the preparations for you to eat the Passover?”^{(A) 13} So he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, “Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you; follow him, ¹⁴ and wherever he enters, say to the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher asks: Where is my guest room where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ ¹⁵ He will show you a large room upstairs, furnished and ready. Make preparations for us there.” ¹⁶ So the disciples set out and went to the city and found everything as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover meal.

¹⁷ When it was evening, he came with the twelve. ¹⁸ And when they had taken their places and were eating, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me.”^{(B) 19} They began to be distressed and to say to him one after another, “Surely, not I?” ²⁰ He said to them, “It is one of the twelve, one who is dipping bread^[a] into the bowl^[b] with me. ²¹ For the Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that one by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that one not to have been born.”

The Institution of the Lord’s Supper

²² While they were eating, he took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it he broke it, gave it to them, and said, “Take; this is my body.”^{(C) 23} Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them, and all of them drank from it.^{(D) 24} He said to them, “This is my blood of the^[c] covenant, which is poured out for many.^{(E) 25} Truly I tell you, I will never again drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”