Luk 3:2-20, 7:28-35, Joh 1:6, 15, 25-34, 3:26-36 | ESV | STEP | during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas , the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness .

2 during ^athe high priesthood of Annas and ^bCaiaphas, ^cthe word of God came to ^dJohn the son of Zechariah in ^ethe wilderness. 3 And he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming ^fa baptism of repentance ^gfor the forgiveness of sins. 4 As it is written in ^hthe book of the words of Isaiah the prophet,

ⁱ“The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
^j‘Prepare the way of the Lord, ^{▼▼Or crying, Prepare in the wilderness the way of the Lord}
make his paths straight.
5 ^lEvery valley shall be filled,
^mand every mountain and hill shall be made low,
ⁿand the crooked shall become straight,
and the rough places shall become level ways,
6 ^oand all flesh shall see ^pthe salvation of God.’”
7 He said therefore to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, ^q“You brood of ^rvipers! Who warned you to flee from ^sthe wrath to come? 8 Bear fruits ^tin keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ^u‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you, God is able from ^vthese stones to raise up children for Abraham. 9 Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. ^wEvery tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”

10 And the crowds asked him, ^x“What then shall we do?” 11 And he answered them, ^y“Whoever has two tunics ^{▼▼Greek chiton, a long garment worn under the cloak next to the skin} is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.” 12 ^aaTax collectors also came to be baptized and said to him, “Teacher, ^abwhat shall we do?” 13 And he said to them, ^ac“Collect no more than you are authorized to do.” 14 Soldiers also asked him, “And we, ^adwhat shall we do?” And he said to them, ^ae“Do not extort money from anyone by threats or by false accusation, and be content with your ^afwages.”

15 As the people were in expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, ^agwhether he might be ^ahthe Christ, 16 ^aiJohn answered them all, saying, “I baptize you with water, but ^ajhe who is mightier than I is coming, ^akthe strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you ^alwith the Holy Spirit and ^amfire. 17 His ^anwinnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to ^aogather the wheat into his barn, ^apbut the chaff he will burn with ^aqunquenchable fire.”

18 So ^arwith many other exhortations he preached good news to the people. 19 But ^asHerod the tetrarch, who had been reproved by him for Herodias, his brother’s wife, and for all the evil things that Herod had done, 20 added this to them all, that ^athe locked up John in prison.

Luke 7:28-35

28 I tell you, among those born of women none is greater than John. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.” 29 ( ^auWhen all the people heard this, and ^avthe tax collectors too, they declared God just, ^{▼▼Greek they justified God} ^axhaving been baptized with ^aythe baptism of John, 30 ^azbut the Pharisees and ^bathe lawyers ^bbrejected ^bcthe purpose of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him.)

31 “To what then shall I compare the people of this generation, and what are they like? 32 They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling to one another,

“‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance;
we sang a dirge, and you did not weep.’
33 For John the Baptist has come ^bdeating no bread and ^bedrinking no wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ 34 The Son of Man has come ^bfeating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, ^bga friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ 35 Yet ^bhwisdom is justified by all her children.”

John 1:6

6 There was a man ^bisent from God, whose name was ^bjJohn.

John 1:15

15 ( ^bkJohn bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ^bl‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”)

John 1:25-34

25 They asked him, ^bm“Then why are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” 26 John answered them, ^bn“I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know, 27 even ^bohe who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.” 28 These things took place in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

Behold, the Lamb of God

29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, ^bpthe Lamb of God, who ^bqtakes away the sin ^brof the world! 30 This is he of whom I said, ^bs‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’ 31 I myself did not know him, but ^btfor this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.” 32 And John ^bubore witness: ^bv“I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and ^bwit remained on him. 33 I myself did not know him, but ^bxhe who sent me to baptize ^bywith water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, ^bzthis is he who baptizes ^cawith the Holy Spirit.’ 34 And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.”

John 3:26-36

26 And they came to John and said to him, ^cb“Rabbi, he who was with you across the Jordan, ^ccto whom you bore witness—look, he is baptizing, and ^cdall are going to him.” 27 John answered, ^ce“A person cannot receive even one thing ^cfunless it is given him ^cgfrom heaven. 28 You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ^ch‘I am not the Christ, but ^ciI have been sent before him.’ 29 ^cjThe one who has the bride is the bridegroom. ^ckThe friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, ^clrejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete. 30 ^cmHe must increase, but I must decrease.” ^{▼▼Some interpreters hold that the quotation continues through verse 36}

31 ^coHe who comes from above ^cpis above all. He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and ^cqspeaks in an earthly way. ^crHe who comes from heaven ^csis above all. 32 ^ctHe bears witness to what he has seen and heard, ^cuyet no one receives his testimony. 33 Whoever receives his testimony ^cvsets his seal to this, ^cwthat God is true. 34 For he whom ^cxGod has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit ^cywithout measure. 35 ^czThe Father loves the Son and ^dahas given all things into his hand. 36 ^dbWhoever believes in the Son has eternal life; ^dcwhoever does not obey the Son shall not ^ddsee life, but the wrath of God remains on him.