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.

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