The Father Prepares the Way
3 1 In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, 2 "Repent, for the kingdom of our Father has come near." 3 This is the one Isaiah the prophet spoke about when he said: "A voice of one calling out in the wilderness, 'Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight.'"
4 Now John himself had clothing made of camel's hair and 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 they were baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins.
7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8 Bear fruit, then, worthy of repentance. 9 And do not presume to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father,' for I tell you that our Father is able to raise up children for Abraham from these stones. 10 Even now the axe is already at the root of the trees; therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
11 "I baptize you with water for repentance, but the one coming after me is more powerful than I am, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but he will burn the chaff with unquenchable fire." a a v12 A winnowing fork was used to toss threshed grain into the air; the heavier wheat fell back to the ground while the light chaff blew away.
The Father Welcomes His Son
13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. 14 But John tried to prevent him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?"
15 But Jesus answered him, "Allow it for now, for this is the right way for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then John agreed.
16 And when Jesus was baptized, he went up immediately from the water, and suddenly the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of our Father descending like a dove and coming to rest on him.
17 And suddenly a voice from heaven said, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased."