Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

⁴ The things that were written aforetime were written for our instruction, so that we, through patience and comfort from the scripture, might have hope.

⁵ May the God of patience and consolation grant to every one of you to have such a mind towards one another, after the example of Christ Jesus, ⁶ in order that you all, in harmony together, may with one mouth praise God, the Father of our Lord Jesus. ⁷ So then, receive one another as Christ received us, to the glory of God.

⁸ And I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made to the fathers. ⁹ And let the Gentiles praise God for his mercy, as it is written: For this cause I will praise you among the Gentiles, and sing in your name. ¹⁰ And again he says: Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people! ¹¹ And again: Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles, and laud him, all nations! ¹² And in another place Isaiah says: The root of Jesse is to come, he who will rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust. ¹³ May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may be rich in hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.

The baptism, preaching, and office of John the Baptist, and how Christ was baptized by him in the Jordan.

3 In those days John the Baptist came and preached in the wilderness of Judea, ² saying, Repent: the kingdom of heaven is at hand! ³ This is he of whom it is spoken by the prophet Isaiah, who says, The voice of a crier in wilderness: Prepare the Lord’s way, and make his paths straight.

⁴ This John had his garment of camel’s hair, and a girdle of skin about his loins. His food was locusts and wild honey. ⁵ At that time Jerusalem and all Judea, and all the region round about the Jordan, went out to him, ⁶ and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.

⁷ When he saw many of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees come to his baptism, he said to them, O offspring of vipers, who has taught you to flee from the vengeance to come? ⁸ Bring forth therefore the fruits belonging to repentance. ⁹ And see that you ones do not think to say in yourselves, We have Abraham as our father. For I say to you that God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. ¹⁰ Even now is the axe put to the root of the trees, so that every tree which does not bring forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire. ¹¹ I baptize you in water in token of repentance, but he who comes after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. ¹² He has also his fan in his hand, and will purge his floor, and gather the wheat into his garner, and will burn the chaff with unquenchable fire.