1 This is the Good News about Jesus Christ, the Son of God.1.1: Some manuscripts do not have the Son of God.2 Ml 3.1It began as the prophet Isaiahhad written:
"God said, ‘I will send my messenger ahead of you
to open the way for you.’
3 Is 40.3(LXX)Someone is shouting in the desert,
‘Get the road ready for the Lord;
make a straight path for him to travel!’"
4 So Johnappeared in the desert, baptizing and preaching.1.4: John appeared in the desert, baptizing and preaching; some manuscripts have John the Baptist appeared in the desert, preaching."Turn away from your sins and be baptized," he told the people, "and God will forgive your sins." 5 Many people from the province of Judeaand the city of Jerusalemwent out to hear John. They confessed their sins, and he baptized them in the Jordan River.
6 2 K 1.8Johnwore clothes made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. 7 He announced to the people, "The man who will come after me is much greater than I am. I am not good enough even to bend down and untie his sandals. 8 I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."
Jesus, the Christ, the Son of God, was born of Mary in Bethlehem, proclaimed the kingdom of God, died by crucifixion under Pontius Pilate, and was raised on the third day (Matthew 1:16).
Isaiah, son of Amoz, was the prophet who had a vision concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah. He sent King Hezekiah the Lord’s answer to the prayer about Sennacherib king of Assyria (2 Kings 19:20).
John the Baptist, son of Zechariah and Elizabeth, preached repentance in the wilderness, baptized Jesus in the Jordan, and was beheaded by order of Herod (Matthew 3:1).
Judea is the land where Bethlehem is located, the town where Jesus was born during the time of King Herod. Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and there the Jews sought to kill Jesus (Matthew 2:1).
Jerusalem is the city of the house of God, where children of Judah and Benjamin lived; the Babylonian army broke down the walls of the city (2 Kings 25:10).
The Jordan is the river in the middle of which Joshua set up twelve stones, where the priests carrying the ark of the covenant had stood. The boundary of the land went down along the river to the Salt Sea (Joshua 4:9).
John the Baptist, son of Zechariah and Elizabeth, preached repentance in the wilderness, baptized Jesus in the Jordan, and was beheaded by order of Herod (Matthew 3:1).