Walk with Jesus · Preparation · AD 27

10The voice in the wilderness

Bethabara, beyond Jordan · where John baptized ("Bethany beyond Jordan" in some manuscripts) - site approximate

John the Baptist calls the nation to repent and prepare the way of the Lord.

Matthew 3:1-12 KJV

¹In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,²And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.³For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.⁴And the same John had his raiment of camel’s hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey.⁵Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan,⁶And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.⁷But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?⁸Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:⁹And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.¹⁰And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.¹¹I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance. but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:¹²Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.

Also in Mark 1:1-8

¹The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God;²As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.³The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.⁴John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.⁵And there went out unto him all the land of Judaea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins.⁶And John was clothed with camel’s hair, and with a girdle of a skin about his loins; and he did eat locusts and wild honey;⁷And preached, saying, There cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose.⁸I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.

Also in Luke 3:1-18

¹Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judaea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of Ituraea and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the tetrarch of Abilene,²Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness.³And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins;⁴As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.⁵Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth;⁶And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.⁷Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?⁸Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.⁹And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.¹⁰And the people asked him, saying, What shall we do then?¹¹He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise.¹²Then came also publicans to be baptized, and said unto him, Master, what shall we do?¹³And he said unto them, Exact no more than that which is appointed you.¹⁴And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages.¹⁵And as the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of John, whether he were the Christ, or not;¹⁶John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire:¹⁷Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and will gather the wheat into his garner; but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable.¹⁸And many other things in his exhortation preached he unto the people.