John the Baptizer

In the fifteenth year of the reign of Roman emperor Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, Herod Antipas was tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip was tetrarch of Ituraea and Trachonitis, Lysanias was tetrarch of Abilene, and Annas and Caiaphas were high priests. In this year, the word of God came to John, son of Zechariah, in the wilderness. John went through all the wilderness of Judea, around the Jordan River, saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near." John preached that people should be baptized to show that they had repented of their sins and turned to God to be forgiven, as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah:

"A voice of one calling in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for Him. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill made low. The crooked ways will be made straight, and the rough ways smooth. And all people will see God's salvation.'" 

John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. People went out to John from all of Jerusalem and from the countryside of Judea. They confessed their sins and were baptized by John in the Jordan River.

(See Isaiah 40:3-5; Matthew 3:1-5; Mark 1:1-6; Luke 3:1-6)

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