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Acts 1:22
That time began when John was baptizing. It ended when Jesus was taken up from us. The one we choose must join us in telling people that Jesus rose from the dead.”
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Luke 1:76
“ And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High God. You will go ahead of the Lord to prepare the way for him.
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John 3:25-36
Some of John’s disciples and a certain Jew began to argue. They argued about special washings to make people“ clean.”They came to John and here is what they said to him.“ Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan River is baptizing people. He is the one you told us about. Everyone is going to him.”John replied,“ A person can receive only what God gives them from heaven.You yourselves are witnesses that I said,‘ I am not the Messiah. I was sent ahead of him.’The bride belongs to the groom. The friend who helps the groom waits and listens for him. He is full of joy when he hears the groom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete.He must become more important. I must become less important.“ The one who comes from above is above everything. The one who is from the earth belongs to the earth and speaks like someone from the earth. The one who comes from heaven is above everything.He is a witness to what he has seen and heard. But no one accepts what he says.Anyone who has accepted it has said,‘ Yes. God is truthful.’The one whom God has sent speaks God’s words. That’s because God gives the Holy Spirit without limit.The Father loves the Son and has put everything into his hands.Anyone who believes in the Son has eternal life. Anyone who does not believe in the Son will not have life. God’s anger remains on them.”
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Acts 19:3-4
So Paul asked,“ Then what baptism did you receive?”“ John’s baptism,” they replied.Paul said,“ John baptized people, calling them to turn away from their sins. He told them to believe in the one who was coming after him. Jesus is that one.”
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John 5:33-36
“ You have sent people to John the Baptist. He has been a witness to the truth.I do not accept what a person says. I only talk about what John says so that you can be saved.John was like a lamp that burned and gave light. For a while you chose to enjoy his light.“ What I say about myself is more important than what John says about me. I am doing the works the Father gave me to finish. These works are a witness that the Father has sent me.
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Acts 10:37
You know what has happened all through the area of Judea. It started in Galilee after John preached about baptism.
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John 1:6-8
There was a man sent from God. His name was John.He came to be a witness about that light. He was a witness so that all people might believe.John himself was not the light. He came only as a witness to the light.
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Luke 3:2-20
Annas and Caiaphas were high priests. At that time God’s word came to John, son of Zechariah, in the desert.He went into all the countryside around the Jordan River. There he preached that people should be baptized and turn away from their sins. Then God would forgive them.Here is what is written in the book of Isaiah the prophet. It says,“ A messenger is calling out in the desert,‘ Prepare the way for the Lord. Make straight paths for him.Every valley will be filled in. Every mountain and hill will be made level. The crooked roads will become straight. The rough ways will become smooth.And all people will see God’s salvation.’ ”( Isaiah 40:3–5)John spoke to the crowds coming to be baptized by him. He said,“ You are like a nest of poisonous snakes! Who warned you to escape the coming of God’s anger?Live in a way that shows you have turned away from your sins. And don’t start saying to yourselves,‘ Abraham is our father.’ I tell you, God can raise up children for Abraham even from these stones.The ax is already lying at the roots of the trees. All the trees that don’t produce good fruit will be cut down. They will be thrown into the fire.”“ Then what should we do?” the crowd asked.John answered,“ Anyone who has extra clothes should share with the one who has none. And anyone who has extra food should do the same.”Even tax collectors came to be baptized.“ Teacher,” they asked,“ what should we do?”“ Don’t collect any more than you are required to,” John told them.Then some soldiers asked him,“ And what should we do?” John replied,“ Don’t force people to give you money. Don’t bring false charges against people. Be happy with your pay.”The people were waiting. They were expecting something. They were all wondering in their hearts if John might be the Messiah.John answered them all,“ I baptize you with water. But one who is more powerful than I am will come. I’m not good enough to untie the straps of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.His pitchfork is in his hand to toss the straw away from his threshing floor. He will gather the wheat into his barn. But he will burn up the husks with fire that can’t be put out.”John said many other things to warn the people. He also announced the good news to them.But John found fault with Herod, the ruler of Galilee, because of his marriage to Herodias. She was the wife of Herod’s brother. John also spoke strongly to Herod about all the other evil things he had done.So Herod locked John up in prison. Herod added this sin to all his others.
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John 1:15-18
John was a witness about the Word. John cried out and said,“ This was the one I was talking about. I said,‘ He who comes after me is more important than I am. He is more important because he existed before I was born.’ ”God is full of grace. From him we have all received grace in place of the grace already given.In the past, God gave us grace through the law of Moses. Now, grace and truth come to us through Jesus Christ.No one has ever seen God. But the One and Only is God and is at the Father’s side. The one at the Father’s side has shown us what God is like.
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Matthew 3:1-11
In those days John the Baptist came and preached in the Desert of Judea.He said,“ Turn away from your sins! The kingdom of heaven has come near.”John is the one Isaiah the prophet had spoken about. He had said,“ A messenger is calling out in the desert,‘ Prepare the way for the Lord. Make straight paths for him.’ ”( Isaiah 40:3)John’s clothes were made out of camel’s hair. He had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey.People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea. They also came from the whole area around the Jordan River.When they confessed their sins, John baptized them in the Jordan.John saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing. He said to them,“ You are like a nest of poisonous snakes! Who warned you to escape the coming of God’s anger?Live in a way that shows you have turned away from your sins.Don’t think you can say to yourselves,‘ Abraham is our father.’ I tell you, God can raise up children for Abraham even from these stones.The ax is ready to cut the roots of the trees. All the trees that don’t produce good fruit will be cut down. They will be thrown into the fire.“ I baptize you with water, calling you to turn away from your sins. But after me, someone is coming who is more powerful than I am. I’m not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
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Mark 1:2-8
Long ago Isaiah the prophet wrote,“ I will send my messenger ahead of you. He will prepare your way.”( Malachi 3:1)“ A messenger is calling out in the desert,‘ Prepare the way for the Lord. Make straight paths for him.’ ”( Isaiah 40:3)And so John the Baptist appeared in the desert. He preached that people should be baptized and turn away from their sins. Then God would forgive them.All the people from the countryside of Judea went out to him. All the people from Jerusalem went too. When they admitted they had sinned, John baptized them in the Jordan River.John wore clothes made out of camel’s hair. He had a leather belt around his waist. And he ate locusts and wild honey.Here is what John was preaching.“ After me, there is someone coming who is more powerful than I am. I’m not good enough to bend down and untie his sandals.I baptize you with water. But he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
