⁵ Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region around the Jordan were going out to him,

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.

³⁵ He was a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light.^(A)

²³ John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim because water was abundant there, and people kept coming and were being baptized.

¹⁶ “The Law and the Prophets were until John came; since then the good news of the kingdom of God is being proclaimed, and everyone tries to enter it by force.^[a](A)

⁷ John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?^(A)

Jesus Praises John the Baptist

⁷ As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to look at? A reed shaken by the wind?^{(A) 8} What, then, did you go out to see? Someone^[a] dressed in soft robes? Look, those who wear soft robes are in royal palaces. ⁹ What, then, did you go out to see? A prophet?^[b] Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.^{(B) 10} This is the one about whom it is written,

¹¹ “Truly I tell you, among those born of women no one has arisen greater than John the Baptist, yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. ¹² From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence,^[c] and violent people take it by force.^(D)

²⁵ And great crowds followed him from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and from beyond the Jordan.^(A)