2Ch 36:15, Jer 44:4, Mat 3:1-6, 4:23, 11:8-13, Joh 1:7, Act 10:37-38, 42-43 | ESV | STEP | The Lord , the God of their fathers , sent persistently to them by his messengers , because he had compassion on his people and on his dwelling place .

15 The Lord, the God of their fathers, ^asent persistently to them by his messengers, because he had compassion on his people and on his dwelling place.

Jeremiah 44:4

4 ^bYet I persistently sent to you all my servants the prophets, saying, ‘Oh, do not do this abomination that I hate!’

Matthew 3:1-6

John the Baptist Prepares the Way

1 ^cIn those days ^dJohn the Baptist came preaching in ^ethe wilderness of Judea, 2 ^f“Repent, for ^gthe kingdom of heaven is at hand.” 3 For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said,

^h“The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
ⁱ‘Prepare ^{▼▼Or crying: Prepare in the wilderness} the way of the Lord;
make his paths straight.’”
4 Now John wore ^ka garment of camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was ^llocusts and ^mwild honey. 5 Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan were going out to him, 6 and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, ⁿconfessing their sins.

Matthew 4:23

Jesus Ministers to Great Crowds

23 ^oAnd he went throughout all Galilee, ^pteaching in their synagogues and ^qproclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and ^rhealing every disease and every affliction among the people.

Matthew 11:8-13

8 What then did you go out to see? A man ^{▼▼Or Why then did you go out? To see a man . . .} dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses. 9 What then did you go out to see? ^tA prophet? ^{▼▼Some manuscripts Why then did you go out? To see a prophet?} Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 10 This is he of whom it is written,

^v“‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face,
who will prepare your way before you.’
11 Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 12 ^wFrom the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, ^{▼▼Or has been coming violently} and the violent take it by force. 13 ^yFor all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John,

John 1:7

7 He came as a ^zwitness, to bear witness about the light, ^aathat all might believe through him.

Acts 10:37-38

37 you yourselves know what happened throughout all Judea, ^abbeginning ^acfrom Galilee after the baptism that John proclaimed: 38 how ^adGod anointed Jesus of Nazareth ^aewith the Holy Spirit and with ^afpower. He went about doing good and healing all ^agwho were oppressed by the devil, ^ahfor God was with him.

Acts 10:42-43

42 And ^aihe commanded us to preach to the people and to testify ^ajthat he is the one appointed by God to be judge ^akof the living and the dead. 43 ^alTo him ^amall the prophets bear witness that ^aneveryone who believes in him receives ^aoforgiveness of sins ^apthrough his name.”