Matthew 3:1-12

Now, in those days, John the Baptist arrived speaking in the wilderness of Judea, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has arrived here! For this is what Isaiah, the prophet, spoke of, saying: ‘A voice of one crying in the wilderness. All of you—prepare the way of the Lord! Make his paths straight.’”

Now John, himself, wore clothing made of camel's hair, held by a leather belt around his body, and his diet was locusts and wild honey. Many went to see him from Jerusalem and from throughout Judea, as well as the region all around the Jordan. They responded by being baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins.

Seeing many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to be baptized, he said to them, “Offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce the result of repentance. Don’t console yourselves by saying, ‘We have Abraham as a father,’ for I tell you, God is able to raise up children for Abraham from these stones. Further, already the axe is targeting the tree’s roots. Therefore, every tree that fails to bear good fruit is cut down and burned.

“Indeed, I baptize you with water upon repentance. But he who will follow me is stronger than I am. I’m not worthy to even carry his shoes. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His fan is in his hand and he will thoroughly cleanse his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn. But he will burn the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

Mark 1:2-8

As it has been written in Isaiah, the prophet, “Look! I send my messenger to catch your attention, preparing a way: a voice calling in the wilderness, ‘You—prepare the way of the Lord; straighten his paths!”

John, the one baptizing in the desert, calling for a mikvah expressing repentance for forgiveness of sins. And many joined him from all the land of Judea, and from Jerusalem. He immersed all in the Jordan River who confessed their sins.

John wore clothes made of camel's hair, with a leather belt around his body. He ate locusts and wild honey. He testified, saying, “But he who will follow me is stronger than I am, for whom I am not competent to even untie his sandals. I baptized you in water: but he shall baptize you in the Holy Spirit.

Luke 3:1-18

Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being the governor of Judea; Herod being tetrarch of Galilee and his brother Philip tetrarch of Ituraea and of the region of Trachonitis; and Lysanias, the tetrarch of Abilene; Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests; that the word of God came to John ben Zachariah, in the wilderness.

And he traveled throughout the area of the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins, fulfilling the words of the scroll of Isaiah, the prophet: “A voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘All of you—prepare the way of the Lord! Make his paths straight. Every low place shall be filled in, and every mountain and hill leveled. And the crooked shall be straightened and the rough places shall be made smooth. And everyone shall see the salvation of God.’”

He said to the crowds that came to him for baptism, “Children of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Rather, bear fruits worthy of repentance. Don’t discuss among yourselves, saying, ‘We have Abraham for a father:’ for I tell you, that God can raise up children of Abraham, even from these stones! And already, the axe is targeting the tree’s roots. Therefore, every tree that does not produce good fruit is being cut down and thrown into the fire.”

And the people asked him, “Then what must we do?”

He answered, saying to them, “The one with two coats should share with the one without a coat. And the one who has food should do the same.”

And some tax-collectors who came to him to be baptized asked, “Rabbi, what must we do?” And he said to them, “Collect no more than has been assigned.”

And the soldiers who came, asked, “What must we do as well?”  And he told them, “Intimidate no one, nor accuse any falsely—and be content with your pay.”

There was a growing debate and expectancy that perhaps John might be the Messiah. John answered their curiosity by saying, “I immerse you with water, but there is one coming who is more effective than I am, of whom I am not competent to even untie his shoes. He will submerge you in the Holy Spirit and fire. His fan is in his hand to thoroughly cleanse his threshing-floor and to gather the wheat into his barn. But he will burn up the chaff with voracious fire.” In many and different ways, he evangelized the people.

John 1:6-18

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. This man came as a witness, that he might attest to the light that all men might through him believe. He was not that light, but came regarding the light. It was the true light, which enlightens everyone, coming into the world.

He was in the world and the world came into being through him, but the world did not know him. He came into his own creation, but his own people did not receive him. But as many as received him, he gave the right to become the children of God. Those believing in his name were born—not physically, nor by human determination—but of God. And the Word became flesh and camped here with us and we saw his glory, glory as the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

John witnessed about him, saying, “This is the man of whom I spoke, saying, ‘The one coming after me has proceeded me, because he was before me.’ Because of his fullness, we all received grace intensifying grace. For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came into being in Jesus the Messiah. No one has ever seen God, except the only begotten of the father residing at the father’s side, who makes him known.”