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.”

⁴ And so John the Baptist^(A) appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance^(B) for the forgiveness of sins.^{(C) 5} The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.

² during the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas,^(A) the word of God came to John^(B) son of Zechariah^(C) in the wilderness. ³ He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.^(D)