The Father Prepares the Way
John, in camel hair, tells the crowds coming for baptism that descent from Abraham saves no one. Then Jesus asks to be baptized too, and John objects that it should be the other way round. He allows it, and his Father's voice claims his beloved Son.
3 1In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, 2"Repent, for the kingdom of our Father has come near." 3This is the one Isaiah the prophet spoke of, saying: "A voice calling out in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight."
4John wore clothes of camel hair, with a leather belt around his waist; his food was locusts and wild honey. 5Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region around the Jordan went out to him, 6and they were baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins.
7Seeing many Pharisees and Sadducees coming to be baptized, he said to them, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee the coming wrath? 8Bear fruit, then, worthy of repentance. 9Don't presume to say to yourselves, 'Abraham is our father,' for I tell you: our Father can raise up children for Abraham from these stones. 10The axe already lies at the root of the trees, so every tree not bearing good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
11"I baptize you with water for repentance, but the one coming after me is stronger than I am—I'm not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12His winnowing fork is in his hand; he'll clear his threshing floor, gather his wheat into the barn, but burn the chaff with fire that never goes out." a a v12 A winnowing fork was used to toss threshed grain into the air; the heavier wheat fell back to the ground while the light chaff blew away.
The Father Welcomes His Son
13Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. 14But John tried to stop him: "I need baptism from you, yet you come to me?"
15Jesus replied to him, "Allow it now, for this is how we must fulfill all righteousness." So John allowed him.
16After Jesus was baptized, he came up out of the water at once, and suddenly the heavens opened to him; he saw the Spirit of our Father coming down like a dove and settling on him.
17Then a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, the one I love; I delight in him."
