1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
2 Just as it is written in the prophet Isaiah, “Behold, I am sending my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way,
3 the voice of one shouting in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths!’ ”
4 John was there baptizing in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
5 And all the Judean region and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem went out to him and were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins.
6 And John was dressed in camel’s hair and a belt made of leather around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey.
7 And he was preaching, saying, “One who is more powerful than I is coming after me, of whom I am not worthy to bend down and untie the strap of his sandals.