John the Baptist Prepares the Way
1In the fifteenth year of the reign of jTiberius Caesar, kPontius Pilate lbeing governor of Judea, and mHerod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, 2during nthe high priesthood of Annas and oCaiaphas, pthe word of God came to qJohn the son of Zechariah in rthe wilderness. 3And he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming sa baptism of repentance tfor the forgiveness of sins. 4As it is written in uthe book of the words of Isaiah the prophet,
v“The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
w‘Prepare the way of the Lord,1
make his paths straight.
5xEvery valley shall be filled,
yand every mountain and hill shall be made low,
zand the crooked shall become straight,
and the rough places shall become level ways,
6aand all flesh shall see bthe salvation of God.’”
7He said therefore to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, c“You brood of dvipers! Who warned you to flee from ethe wrath to come? 8Bear fruits fin keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, g‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you, God is able from hthese stones to raise up children for Abraham. 9Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. iEvery tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”
Footnotes
- 1 3:4 Or crying, Prepare in the wilderness the way of the Lord
The Present Kingdom — Part One
Matthew 1:1 – John 21:25 Sermon • Includes Transcript • 37:00 • ID: 2392
The Preacher: John the Baptist
Luke 3:1–9 Sermon • Includes Transcript • 41:04 • ID: 2154
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