The Herald of the Messiah

3 In those days John the Baptist came,^(A) preaching in the wilderness of Judea^{(B) 2} and saying, “Repent, because the kingdom of heaven has come near!” ^{(C) 3} For he is the one spoken of through the prophet Isaiah, who said:

⁴ Now John had a camel-hair garment with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. ⁵ Then people from Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the vicinity of the Jordan were going out to him, ⁶ and they were baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins.^(E)

⁷ When he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees^(F) coming to his baptism, he said to them, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?^{(G) 8} Therefore produce fruit^(H) consistent with^[b] repentance. ⁹ And don’t presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’^(I) For I tell you that God is able to raise up children for Abraham from these stones. ¹⁰ The ax is already at the root of the trees. Therefore, every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.^(J)

¹¹ “I baptize you with^[c] water for repentance,^(K) but the one who is coming after me is more powerful than I. I am not worthy to remove^[d] his sandals. He himself will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.^{(L) 12} His winnowing shovel is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn. But the chaff he will burn with fire that never goes out.”^(M)

The Messiah’s Herald

1 The beginning^(A) of the gospel^(B) of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.^{[a](C) 2} As it is written in Isaiah^(D) the prophet:^[b](E)

⁴ John came baptizing^[f](K) in the wilderness^(L) and proclaiming a baptism of repentance^(M) for the forgiveness^(N) of sins.^{(O) 5} The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem^(P) were going out to him, and they were baptized by him in the Jordan^(Q) River, confessing^(R) their sins.^{(S) 6} John wore a camel-hair garment with a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts^(T) and wild honey.^(U)

⁷ He proclaimed, “One who is more powerful^(V) than I am is coming after me.^(W) I am not worthy^(X) to stoop down and untie the strap of his sandals.^{(Y) 8} I baptize you with^[g] water,^(Z) but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”^(AA)

The Family’s Return to Nazareth

³⁹ When they had completed everything according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth.^{(A) 40} The boy grew up and became strong, filled with wisdom, and God’s grace was on him.^(B)

In His Father’s House

⁴¹ Every year his parents traveled to Jerusalem for the Passover Festival.^{(C) 42} When he was twelve years old, they went up according to the custom of the festival.^{(D) 43} After those days were over,^(E) as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but his parents^[a] did not know it. ⁴⁴ Assuming he was in the traveling party, they went a day’s journey. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. ⁴⁵ When they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem to search for him. ⁴⁶ After three days, they found him in the temple sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. ⁴⁷ And all those who heard him were astounded at his understanding and his answers. ⁴⁸ When his parents saw him, they were astonished, and his mother said to him,^(F) “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.”^(G)

⁴⁹ “Why were you searching for me?” he asked them. “Didn’t you know that it was necessary for me to be in my Father’s house?”^{[b] 50} But they did not understand what he said to them.^(H)

In Favor with God and with People

⁵¹ Then he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was obedient to them. His mother kept all these things in her heart.^{(I) 52} And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and with people.^(J)

The Messiah’s Herald

3 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, while Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea,^(K) Herod was tetrarch^[c] of Galilee,^(L) his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Iturea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, ² during the high priesthood of Annas^(M) and Caiaphas,^(N) God’s word came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness.^{(O) 3} He went into all the vicinity of the Jordan,^(P) proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins,^{(Q) 4} as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah:

⁷ He then said to the crowds who came out to be baptized by him, “Brood of vipers!^(S) Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?^{(T) 8} Therefore produce fruit^(U) consistent with repentance. And don’t start saying to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’^(V) for I tell you that God is able to raise up children for Abraham from these stones. ⁹ The ax is already at the root of the trees. Therefore, every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”^(W)

¹⁰ “What then should we do?” ^(X) the crowds were asking him.

¹¹ He replied to them, “The one who has two shirts must share with someone who has none, and the one who has food must do the same.”^(Y)

¹² Tax collectors^(Z) also came to be baptized, and they asked him, “Teacher, what should we do?” ^(AA)

¹³ He told them, “Don’t collect any more than what you have been authorized.”

¹⁴ Some soldiers also questioned him, “What should we do?”

He said to them, “Don’t take money from anyone by force or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages.”

¹⁵ Now the people were waiting expectantly, and all of them were questioning in their hearts whether John might be the Messiah.^{(AB) 16} John answered them all,^(AC) “I baptize you with water, but one who is more powerful than I am is coming. I am not worthy to untie the strap of his sandals. He will baptize you with^[f] the Holy Spirit and fire. ¹⁷ His winnowing shovel^(AD) is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and gather the wheat into his barn,^(AE) but the chaff he will burn with fire that never goes out.”^{(AF) 18} Then, along with many other exhortations, he proclaimed good news to the people.

Prologue

1 In the beginning^(A) was the Word,^(B) and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.^{(C) 2} He was with God in the beginning.^{(D) 3} All things were created^(E) through him,^(F) and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created. ⁴ In him was life,^[a](G) and that life was the light^(H) of men. ⁵ That light shines^(I) in the darkness, and yet the darkness did not overcome^[b] it.^(J)

⁶ There was a man sent from God whose name was John.^{(K) 7} He came as a witness to testify about the light, so that all might believe through him.^{[c] 8} He was not the light, but he came to testify^(L) about the light. ⁹ The true light^(M) that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.^[d](N)

¹⁰ He was in the world, and the world was created^(O) through him, and yet the world did not recognize him. ¹¹ He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. ¹² But to all who did receive^(P) him,^(Q) he gave them the right^(R) to be^[e] children^(S) of God,^(T) to those who believe^(U) in his name,^{(V) 13} who were born,^(W) not of natural descent,^[f] or of the will^(X) of the flesh,^(Y) or of the will of man,^[g] but of God.^(Z)

¹⁴ The Word^(AA) became flesh^(AB) and dwelt^[h] among us. We observed his glory,^(AC) the glory as the one and only^(AD) Son^[i] from the Father, full of grace and truth. ¹⁵ (John testified concerning him and exclaimed, “This was the one of whom I said, ‘The one coming after me^(AE) ranks ahead of me,^(AF) because he existed before me.’”)^{(AG) 16} Indeed, we have all received grace^(AH) upon^[j] grace from his fullness, ¹⁷ for the law was given through Moses;^(AI) grace and truth^(AJ) came through Jesus Christ. ¹⁸ No one has ever seen God. The one and only^(AK) Son, who is himself God and is at the Father’s^(AL) side^[k]—he has revealed him.^(AM)

John the Baptist’s Testimony

¹⁹ This was John’s testimony when the Jews from Jerusalem^(AN) sent priests^(AO) and Levites^(AP) to ask him, “Who are you?”

²⁰ He didn’t deny it but confessed, “I am not the Messiah.”^(AQ)

²¹ “What then?” they asked him. “Are you Elijah?” ^(AR)

“I am not,” he said.

“Are you the Prophet?” ^(AS)

“No,” he answered.

²² “Who are you, then?” they asked. “We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What can you tell us about yourself?”

²³ He said, “I am a voice of one crying out in the wilderness: Make straight the way of the Lord^[l](AT)—just as Isaiah^(AU) the prophet said.”

²⁴ Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.^{(AV) 25} So they asked him, “Why then do you baptize if you aren’t the Messiah, or Elijah, or the Prophet?”

²⁶ “I baptize with^[m] water,”^(AW) John answered them. “Someone stands among you, but you don’t know him. ²⁷ He is the one coming after me,^[n](AX) whose sandal strap I’m not worthy to untie.” ²⁸ All this happened in Bethany^[o] across the Jordan,^(AY) where John was baptizing.