John the Baptist Prepares the Way^(A)

3 In those days John the Baptist^(B) came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea ² and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven^(C) has come near.”

⁴ And so John the Baptist^(A) appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance^(B) for the forgiveness of sins.^{(C) 5} The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.

² during the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas,^(A) the word of God came to John^(B) son of Zechariah^(C) in the wilderness.

³ He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.^(A)

¹⁶ John answered them all, “I baptize you with^[a] water.^(A) But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with^[b] the Holy Spirit and fire.^{(B) 17} His winnowing fork^(C) is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”^{(D) 18} And with many other words John exhorted the people and proclaimed the good news to them.

John Testifies About Jesus

²⁹ The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God,^(A) who takes away the sin of the world!^(B)

³⁴ I have seen and I testify that this is God’s Chosen One.”^[a](A)

John’s Disciples Follow Jesus^(B)

³⁵ The next day John^(C) was there again with two of his disciples. ³⁶ When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!”^(D)

³⁷ When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus.