Bible 1
John the Baptist began preaching out in the wilderness of Judea.
Bible 2
He told everyone, ‘Turn from your sins … turn to God … for the Kingdom of Heaven is coming soon.’
Bible 3
Many years before, God had told the prophet Isaiah that He would send a special messenger to prepare the way for Jesus. John was the man that God sent to do this.
Bible 5
People from Jerusalem and all around Judea went to the wilderness to hear John preach.
Bible 6
When they confessed their sins, John baptised them in the River Jordan.
Bible 7
When John saw the religious leaders, who did not obey God, listening to him, he spoke against them.
Bible 8
‘You sons of snakes!’ he warned. ‘Who said that you could escape God’s punishment?
Bible 9
‘Before being baptised, prove that you have turned from doing bad things by doing good deeds.
Bible 10
‘Don’t think that because you are Jews God will not punish you. God can turn these stones here into Jews if He wanted.
Bible 11
‘Every tree that has bad fruit is chopped down. And God has to punish those who do bad things.
Bible 12
‘I baptise those who turn away from their disobedience. But God is sending someone else who is far greater than I am.
Bible 13
‘This person is so great I am not worthy to untie and carry His shoes!’
Bible 14
John, of course, was speaking about Jesus. He said, ‘This Person will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.
Bible 15
‘He will separate the chaff from the grain, burning the chaff with never-ending fire and storing the grain.’
Bible 16
Jesus went from Galilee to the Jordan River to be baptised by John.
Bible 17
John didn’t want to do this. ‘This isn’t proper,’ he said. ‘I am the one who needs to be baptised by you.’
Bible 18
But Jesus said, ‘Please do it, for I must do everything that is right.’ So John baptised Jesus.
Bible 19
As soon as Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened and He saw the Spirit of God coming down looking like a dove. A voice from heaven said, ‘This is my beloved Son, and I am wonderfully pleased with Him.’
John the Baptist
John preaches in the wilderness but does not think he is worthy to baptise Jesus.
Matthew 3:1-17
Post a Comment