The Holy Gospel According to Matthew 03 John the Baptist

 The Holy Gospel According to Matthew 03

John the Baptist

Mark 1:1-8; Luke 3:1-18; John 1:6-8, 19-36

1 In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea.

2 He said, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

3 This is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying, “A voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.’”

4 Now John wore a garment of camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey.

5 Then Jerusalem, 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 Therefore bear fruit worthy of repentance.

9 And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones.

10 Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.

12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will thoroughly clean his threshing floor, and gather his wheat into the barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.