²⁵ The baptism of John, ^(A)from where did it come? ^(B)From heaven or from man?” And they discussed it among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say to us, ^(C)‘Why then did you not believe him?’

²⁰ for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything.

John the Baptist Prepares the Way

1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, ^(A)the Son of God.^[a]

^2 (B)As it is written in Isaiah the prophet,^[b]

^4 (F)John appeared, baptizing in ^(G)the wilderness and proclaiming ^(H)a baptism of ^(I)repentance ^(J)for the forgiveness of sins. ⁵ And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, ^(K)confessing their sins. ⁶ Now John was ^(L)clothed with camel's hair and ^(M)wore a leather belt around his waist and ate ^(N)locusts and ^(O)wild honey. ⁷ And he preached, saying, ^(P)“After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. ^8 (Q)I have baptized you with water, but ^(R)he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

The Baptism of Jesus

^9 (S)In those days Jesus ^(T)came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. ¹⁰ And when he came up out of the water, immediately he ^(U)saw ^(V)the heavens being torn open ^(W)and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. ¹¹ And ^(X)a voice came from heaven, ^(Y)“You are my beloved Son;^[d] with you I am well pleased.”

²⁵ Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. ^(A)The works that I do ^(B)in my Father's name bear witness about me, ²⁶ but ^(C)you do not believe because you are not among my sheep.

^18 (A)Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not ^(B)believed in the name of the only Son of God.

¹⁵ (^(A)John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ^(B)‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”)

⁵ And they discussed it with one another, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ^(A)‘Why did you not believe him?’

John the Baptist Prepares the Way

3 ^(A)In those days ^(B)John the Baptist came preaching in ^(C)the wilderness of Judea, ^2 (D)“Repent, for ^(E)the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”^{[a] 3} For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said,

⁴ Now John wore ^(H)a garment of camel's hair and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was ^(I)locusts and ^(J)wild honey. ⁵ Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan were going out to him, ⁶ and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, ^(K)confessing their sins.

⁷ But when he saw many of ^(L)the Pharisees and ^(M)Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, ^(N)“You brood of ^(O)vipers! Who warned you to flee from ^(P)the wrath to come? ⁸ Bear fruit ^(Q)in keeping with repentance. ⁹ And do not presume to say to yourselves, ^(R)‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God is able from ^(S)these stones to raise up children for Abraham. ¹⁰ Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. ^(T)Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

^11 (U)“I baptize you with water ^(V)for repentance, but ^(W)he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you ^(X)with the Holy Spirit and ^(Y)fire. ¹² His ^(Z)winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and ^(AA)gather his wheat into the barn, ^(AB)but the chaff he will burn with ^(AC)unquenchable fire.”

³⁷ Though he had done so many signs before them, they still did not believe in him, ^38 (A)so that the word spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:

³⁹ Therefore they ^(C)could not believe. For again Isaiah said,

⁴¹ Isaiah said these things because ^(F)he saw his glory and ^(G)spoke of him. ⁴² Nevertheless, ^(H)many even of the authorities believed in him, but ^(I)for fear of the Pharisees they did not ^(J)confess it, so that they would not be ^(K)put out of the synagogue; ^43 (L)for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God.