² and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven^(A) has come near.”

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.” ³ This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah:

⁴ John’s^(E) clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist.^(F) His food was locusts^(G) and wild honey.

⁵ “See, I will send the prophet Elijah^(A) to you before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes.^{(B) 6} He will turn the hearts of the parents to their children,^(C) and the hearts of the children to their parents; or else I will come and strike^(D) the land with total destruction.”^(E)

¹⁷ And he will go on before the Lord,^(A) in the spirit and power of Elijah,^(B) to turn the hearts of the parents to their children^(C) and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”^(D)

⁸ They replied, “He had a garment of hair^[a](A) and had a leather belt around his waist.”

The king said, “That was Elijah the Tishbite.”

⁶ John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist,^(A) and he ate locusts^(B) and wild honey.

⁹ As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus instructed them, “Don’t tell anyone^(A) what you have seen, until the Son of Man^(B) has been raised from the dead.”^(C)

¹⁰ The disciples asked him, “Why then do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?”

¹¹ Jesus replied, “To be sure, Elijah comes and will restore all things.^{(D) 12} But I tell you, Elijah has already come,^(E) and they did not recognize him, but have done to him everything they wished.^(F) In the same way the Son of Man is going to suffer^(G) at their hands.” ¹³ Then the disciples understood that he was talking to them about John the Baptist.^(H)

Comfort for God’s People

⁵ People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. ⁶ Confessing their sins, they were baptized^(A) by him in the Jordan River.

⁷ But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: “You brood of vipers!^(B) Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?^{(C) 8} Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.^{(D) 9} And do not think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’^(E) I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. ¹⁰ The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.^(F)