2 Just as it has been written in Yeshayah HaNavi, HINNENI SHOLEIACH MALACHI (Behold, I send my messenger) before your face, UPINNAH DERECH LEFANAI (and he will prepare the way before me, [SHEMOT 23:20; MALACHI 3:1]), he will prepare your way.
3 KOL KOREY BAMIDBAR (A voice of one shouting in the wilderness, TARGUM HASHIVIM YESHAYAH 40:3): Prepare the Derech Hashem (the way of the L-rd). Make his paths yashar (straight)!
4 Yochanan came with a mikveh mayim in the midbar, preaching a tevilah of teshuva for the selichat avon.
5 And all Yehudah and all Yerushalayim were going out to him, and they were submitted to a tevilah using the Yarden River as a mikveh mayim, making vidduy [to Hashem] of their averos (sins).
6 And Yochanan had camel hair clothing and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was arbe and devash. [MELACHIM BAIS 1:8; VAYIKRA 11:22]
7 And he was preaching, crying out as a maggid [for the Moshiach], saying, Hu Habah (He who Comes, i.e. Moshiach) after me has more chozek (strength) than me. I am not worthy to stoop down and remove his sandals.
8 I give you a tevilah in a mikveh mayim, but he [Moshiach] will give you a tevilah in the Ruach Hakodesh.