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In en · de · ho those ekeinos days hēmera John Iōannēs the ho Baptist baptistēs began paraginomai his mission in en the ho wilderness erēmos of ho Judea Ioudaia, proclaiming kēryssō, · kai Repent metanoeō, for gar the ho kingdom basileia of ho heaven ouranos is at hand engizō. For gar this houtos is eimi he ho who was spoken legō of by dia Isaiah ēsaias the ho prophet prophētēs when he said legō, ‘The voice phōnē of one crying boaō out in en the ho wilderness erēmos: Prepare hetoimazō the ho way hodos of the Lord kyrios; make poieō his autos paths tribos straight.’” · ho

Now de · ho John Iōannēs wore echō · ho clothing endyma made of apo camel’ s kamēlos hair thrix, with kai a leather dermatinos belt zōnē about peri · ho his autos waist osphys; · ho and de his autos food trophē was eimi locusts akris and kai wild agrios honey meli. At that time tote people were going ekporeuomai out to pros him autos from Jerusalem Hierosolyma and kai all pas · ho Judea Ioudaia and kai all pas the ho region perichōros along the ho Jordan Iordanēs, and kai they were being baptized baptizō by hypo him autos in en the ho Jordan Iordanēs River potamos, confessing exomologeomai · ho their autos sins hamartia.

But de when he saw many polys of the ho Pharisees Pharisaios and kai Sadducees Saddoukaios coming erchomai for epi · ho baptism baptisma, he said legō to them autos, “ You brood gennēma of vipers echidna! Who tis warned hypodeiknymi you hymeis to flee pheugō from apo the ho coming mellō wrath orgē? Therefore oun bear poieō fruit karpos worthy axios of ho repentance metanoia, and kai do not presume dokeō you can say legō to en yourselves heautou, ‘ We have echō · ho Abraham Abraam as our father patēr’; for gar I say legō to you hymeis that hoti God theos is able dynamai · ho from ek · ho these houtos stones lithos to raise egeirō up children teknon to ho Abraham Abraam. 10 Even de now ēdē the ho axe axinē is lying keimai at pros the ho root rhiza of the ho trees dendron; so oun any pas tree dendron that does not bear poieō good kalos fruit karpos will be cut ekkoptō down and kai thrown ballō into eis the fire pyr.

11  I egō baptize baptizō you hymeis with en water hydōr for eis repentance metanoia, but de the ho one who comes erchomai after opisō me egō is eimi greater ischuros than I egō I am eimi not ou worthy hikanos even to remove bastazō his hos · ho sandals hypodēma. He autos will baptize baptizō you hymeis with en the Holy hagios Spirit pneuma and kai with fire pyr. 12 His hos · ho winnowing fork ptyon is in en · ho his autos hand cheir, and kai he will clean diakatharizō out · ho his autos threshing halōn floor and kai gather synagō · ho his autos wheat sitos into eis the ho barn apothēkē; but de the ho chaff achuron he will burn katakaiō up with unquenchable asbestos fire pyr.”

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The Work of John the Baptist(A)

·About that time [In the course of time; L In those days] John the Baptist began preaching in the ·desert area [wilderness] of Judea. John said, “·Change your hearts and lives [Repent] because the kingdom of heaven ·is near [has drawn near; is at hand].” ·John the Baptist [L For this] is the one Isaiah the prophet was talking about when he said:

“This is a voice of one
    who ·calls out [shouts; cries out] in the ·desert [wilderness]:
‘Prepare the way for the Lord.
    Make ·the road straight [a clear path] for him [Is. 40:3].’”

John’s clothes were made from camel’s hair, and he wore a leather belt around his waist [C reminiscent of the prophet Elijah; 2 Kin. 1:8]. For food, he ate locusts and wild honey [C signifies living off the land]. Many people came from Jerusalem and Judea and all the ·area [region] around the Jordan River to hear John. They confessed their sins, and he baptized them in the Jordan River.

Many of the Pharisees and Sadducees came to the place where John was baptizing people. When John saw them, he said, “You ·are snakes [T brood/offspring of vipers]! Who warned you to ·run [slither; L flee] away from God’s coming ·punishment [wrath; retribution]? ·Do the things [L Produce the fruit] ·that show you really have changed your hearts and lives [that prove your repentance; L of repentance]. And don’t ·think you can [presume to] say to yourselves, ‘Abraham is our father [C a claim to be God’s special people].’ [L For] I tell you that God could ·make [create; L raise up] children for Abraham from these rocks. 10 The ax ·is now ready to cut down [already lies at the root of] the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire [C a metaphor for judgment].

John Preaches About the Christ(B)

11 “I baptize you with water ·to show that your hearts and lives have changed [for repentence]. But there is one coming after me who is ·greater [mightier; more powerful] than I am, whose sandals I am not ·good enough [fit; qualified] to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 ·He will come ready [L The winnowing fork is in his hand] to clean the grain, ·separating the good grain from the chaff [L to clear his threshing floor]. He will put ·the good part of the grain [L the grain/wheat] into his barn, but he will burn the chaff with ·a fire that cannot be put out [never-ending/unquenchable fire; C a metaphor for judgment, when Jesus will separate the righteous from the wicked].”

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