1. The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
2. As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, “Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,who will prepare your way,
3. the voice of one shouting in the wilderness,‘Prepare the way for the Lord,make his paths straight.’”
4. In the wilderness John the baptizer began preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
5. People from the whole Judean countryside and all of Jerusalem were going out to him, and he was baptizing them in the Jordan River as they confessed their sins.
6. John wore a garment made of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey.
7. He proclaimed, “One more powerful than I am is coming after me; I am not worthy to bend down and untie the strap of his sandals.
8. I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
9. Now in those days Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan River.
10. And just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens splitting apart and the Spirit descending on him like a dove.