Gospel of Matthew 3:1-12
John the Baptist: The Voice of One Crying in the Wilderness
In those days John the Baptist came to preach in the wilderness of Judaea, saying, 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. For this is the man that Isaiah the prophet was given to speak of:
The voice of one crying in the wilderness — "Make ready the road of the Lord; Make straight his pathways."
John himself had clothing made of camel's hair, and a leather belt about his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey.
Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about the Jordan, went out unto him; and they confessed their sins, and were baptized in the Jordan River.
But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, John said to them: 'You vipers, who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Show deeds worthy of repentance: and don't say to yourselves, We have Abraham for our father: for I say to you, that God can turn these stones into children of Abraham.
Right now the axe is at the root of the trees: every tree that doesn't bear good fruit will be hewn down and thrown into the fire.
I indeed baptize you in water for repentance: but he who comes after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he wall baptize you in the Holy Spirit and in fire that he fans. He will clean his threshing-floor spotless; and he will gather his wheat into storage, but he will burn the chaff with unquenchable fire.
Isaiah 40:1-5 (King James)
1 Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God.
2 Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the LORD's hand double for all her sins.
3 The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
4 Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain:
5 And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.
