Matthew 3:4

Matthew 3:1-12

¹In those days John the Immerser appears, proclaiming in the wilderness of Judea ²and saying, “Change your minds, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” ³For this is the one spoken of through Isaiah the prophet, when he says, “A voice of one crying out in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.’” ⁴Now John himself had his clothing made of camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey. ⁵Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region around the Jordan were going out to him, ⁶and they were being immersed in the Jordan River by him, confessing their sins. ⁷But seeing many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his immersion, he said to them, “Offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? ⁸So produce fruit worthy of change of mind, ⁹and do not presume to say within yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you that God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. ¹⁰And already the ax is laid at the root of the trees; so every tree that does not produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. ¹¹I immerse you in water for change of mind, but the one who comes after me is stronger than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry; he will immerse you in the Holy Spirit and fire. ¹²His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn up with unquenchable fire.”

Mark 1:1-8

¹The beginning of the good news of Jesus the Messiah, Son of God. ²As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, “Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way; ³a voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.’” ⁴John the Immerser appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming an immersion of change of mind for the forgiveness of sins. ⁵And all the Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and they were being immersed by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins. ⁶And John was clothed in camel’s hair and wore a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. ⁷And he was proclaiming, saying, “After me comes the one stronger than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. ⁸I immersed you in water, but he will immerse you in the Holy Spirit.”

Luke 3:1-18

¹Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, ²under the high priest Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John, the son of Zechariah, in the wilderness. ³And he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming an immersion of change of mind for the forgiveness of sins, ⁴as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, “A voice of one crying out in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. ⁵Every ravine will be filled, and every mountain and hill will be brought low; and the crooked places will become straight, and the rough places smooth roads; ⁶and all flesh will see the salvation of God.” ⁷So he was saying to the crowds that were coming out to be immersed by him, “Brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? ⁸So produce fruits worthy of the change of mind, and do not begin to say within yourselves: We have Abraham as father. For I tell you that God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. ⁹And even now the ax is laid at the root of the trees; so every tree that does not produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” ¹⁰And the crowds were asking him, saying, “What then should we do?” ¹¹And in answer he was saying to them, “Whoever has two tunics, let him share with the one who does not have any; and whoever has food, let him do the same.” ¹²And tax collectors also came to be immersed, and they said to him, “Teacher, what should we do?” ¹³And he said to them, “Collect nothing more than what has been prescribed for you.” ¹⁴And soldiers also were asking him, saying, “And we, what should we do?” And he said to them, “Extort money from no one and do not accuse anyone falsely, and be content with your wages.” ¹⁵Now as the people were in expectation and all were wondering in their hearts about John, whether perhaps he might be the Messiah, ¹⁶John answered, saying to all, “I immerse you in water; but the one stronger than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie; he will immerse you in the Holy Spirit and fire. ¹⁷His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear out his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn up with unquenchable fire.” ¹⁸So, with many other exhortations as well, he was proclaiming the good news to the people.