Mar 1:1-8, Luk 3:1-18 | ESV | STEP | The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ , the Son of God .

1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, ^athe Son of God. ^{▼▼Some manuscripts omit the Son of God}

2 ^cAs it is written in Isaiah the prophet, ^{▼▼Some manuscripts in the prophets}

^e“Behold, I send my messenger before your face,
who will prepare your way,
3 ^fthe voice of one crying in the wilderness:
^g‘Prepare ^{▼▼Or crying: Prepare in the wilderness} the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight,’”
4 ⁱJohn appeared, baptizing in ^jthe wilderness and proclaiming ^ka baptism of ^lrepentance ^mfor the forgiveness of sins. 5 And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, ⁿconfessing their sins. 6 Now John was ^oclothed with camel’s hair and ^pwore a leather belt around his waist and ate ^qlocusts and ^rwild honey. 7 And he preached, saying, ^s“After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8 ^tI have baptized you with water, but ^uhe will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

Luke 3:1-18

John the Baptist Prepares the Way

1 In the fifteenth year of the reign of ^vTiberius Caesar, ^wPontius Pilate ^xbeing governor of Judea, and ^yHerod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, 2 during ^zthe high priesthood of Annas and ^aaCaiaphas, ^abthe word of God came to ^acJohn the son of Zechariah in ^adthe wilderness. 3 And he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming ^aea baptism of repentance ^affor the forgiveness of sins. 4 As it is written in ^agthe book of the words of Isaiah the prophet,

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

10 And the crowds asked him, ^aw“What then shall we do?” 11 And he answered them, ^ax“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 ^azTax collectors also came to be baptized and said to him, “Teacher, ^bawhat shall we do?” 13 And he said to them, ^bb“Collect no more than you are authorized to do.” 14 Soldiers also asked him, “And we, ^bcwhat shall we do?” And he said to them, ^bd“Do not extort money from anyone by threats or by false accusation, and be content with your ^bewages.”

15 As the people were in expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, ^bfwhether he might be ^bgthe Christ, 16 ^bhJohn answered them all, saying, “I baptize you with water, but ^bihe who is mightier than I is coming, ^bjthe strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you ^bkwith the Holy Spirit and ^blfire. 17 His ^bmwinnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to ^bngather the wheat into his barn, ^bobut the chaff he will burn with ^bpunquenchable fire.”

18 So ^bqwith many other exhortations he preached good news to the people.