The Preaching of John the Baptist^(A)

3 In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, ² and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” ³ For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying:

⁴ This same John had clothing made of camel’s hair, a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. ⁵ Then Jerusalem, and all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him, ⁶ and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.

⁷ But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said to them, “O generation of vipers, who has warned you to escape from the wrath to come? ⁸ Therefore, bear fruit worthy of repentance, ⁹ and do not think to say within yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I say to you that God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. ¹⁰ Even now the axe is put to the tree roots. Therefore, every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

¹¹ “I indeed baptize you with water to repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. ¹² His fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean His floor and gather His wheat into the granary, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

² As it is written in the Prophets:

⁴ John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. ⁵ The whole region of Judea and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him and were all baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins. ⁶ John was clothed with camel’s hair and with a leather belt around his waist. And he ate locusts and wild honey. ⁷ He preached saying, “After me is coming One mightier than I, the straps of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. ⁸ I indeed have baptized you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

¹⁵ As the people were in expectation, and everyone reflected in their hearts upon John, whether he might be the Christ or not, ¹⁶ John answered them all, “I indeed baptize you with water. But One mightier than I is coming, the strings of whose shoes I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. ¹⁷ His fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly cleanse His threshing floor, and will gather the wheat into His granary. But He will burn the chaff with unquenchable fire.”