In those days John the Baptist came to the Judean wilderness and began preaching. His message was,

那时，有施洗的约翰出来，在犹太的旷野传道，说：

在那些日子，施洗的约翰出来，在犹太的旷野宣讲：

在那些日子，施洗的约翰出来，在犹太的旷野宣讲：

那时，施洗者约翰来到犹太的旷野传道，说：

那时，施洗的约翰出来，在犹太的旷野传道，

在那些日子里，施洗者约翰来了，在犹太的旷野传道，

那時，有施洗的約翰出來，在猶太的曠野傳道，說：

在那些日子，施洗的約翰出來，在猶太的曠野宣講：

在那些日子，施洗的約翰出來，在猶太的曠野宣講：

那時，施洗者約翰來到猶太的曠野傳道，說：

那時，施洗的約翰出來，在猶太的曠野傳道，

當那些日子、施洗者約翰出來，在猶太的野地宣傳

在那些日子裡，施洗者約翰來了，在猶太的曠野傳道，

維時、施洗約翰至、宣言於猶太野、

維時、施洗約翰至猶太野、言曰、

維時有施洗約翰來、在猶太曠野宣道曰、

維時、施洗者如望宣道於猶太曠野中曰：

In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea

In those days John the Baptist came and preached in the Desert of Judea.

In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea,

In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea

Now in those days John the Baptist* came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying,

In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea,

And in those days cometh John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judæa, saying,

In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the Wilderness of Judea

In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,

In those days John the Baptist came into the wilderness of Judea proclaiming,

In those days, John the Baptizer came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying,

Listen! It’s the voice of someone shouting,“ Clear the way through the wilderness for the Lord! Make a straight highway through the wasteland for our God!Fill in the valleys, and level the mountains and hills. Straighten the curves, and smooth out the rough places.Then the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together. The Lord has spoken!”A voice said,“ Shout!” I asked,“ What should I shout?”“ Shout that people are like the grass. Their beauty fades as quickly as the flowers in a field.

“ I tell you the truth, of all who have ever lived, none is greater than John the Baptist. Yet even the least person in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he is!

“ Well,” they replied,“ some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets.”

But the angel said,“ Don’t be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer. Your wife, Elizabeth, will give you a son, and you are to name him John.You will have great joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth,for he will be great in the eyes of the Lord. He must never touch wine or other alcoholic drinks. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even before his birth.And he will turn many Israelites to the Lord their God.He will be a man with the spirit and power of Elijah. He will prepare the people for the coming of the Lord. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and he will cause those who are rebellious to accept the wisdom of the godly.”

God sent a man, John the Baptist,to tell about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony.John himself was not the light; he was simply a witness to tell about the light.

Before he came, John the Baptist preached that all the people of Israel needed to repent of their sins and turn to God and be baptized.As John was finishing his ministry he asked,‘ Do you think I am the Messiah? No, I am not! But he is coming soon— and I’m not even worthy to be his slave and untie the sandals on his feet.’

“ And you, my little son, will be called the prophet of the Most High, because you will prepare the way for the Lord.

from the time he was baptized by John until the day he was taken from us. Whoever is chosen will join us as a witness of Jesus’ resurrection.”

It was now the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius, the Roman emperor. Pontius Pilate was governor over Judea; Herod Antipas was ruler over Galilee; his brother Philip was ruler over Iturea and Traconitis; Lysanias was ruler over Abilene.Annas and Caiaphas were the high priests. At this time a message from God came to John son of Zechariah, who was living in the wilderness.Then John went from place to place on both sides of the Jordan River, preaching that people should be baptized to show that they had repented of their sins and turned to God to be forgiven.Isaiah had spoken of John when he said,“ He is a voice shouting in the wilderness,‘ Prepare the way for the Lord’s coming! Clear the road for him!The valleys will be filled, and the mountains and hills made level. The curves will be straightened, and the rough places made smooth.And then all people will see the salvation sent from God.’”When the crowds came to John for baptism, he said,“ You brood of snakes! Who warned you to flee the coming wrath?Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God. Don’t just say to each other,‘ We’re safe, for we are descendants of Abraham.’ That means nothing, for I tell you, God can create children of Abraham from these very stones.Even now the ax of God’s judgment is poised, ready to sever the roots of the trees. Yes, every tree that does not produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire.”The crowds asked,“ What should we do?”John replied,“ If you have two shirts, give one to the poor. If you have food, share it with those who are hungry.”Even corrupt tax collectors came to be baptized and asked,“ Teacher, what should we do?”He replied,“ Collect no more taxes than the government requires.”“ What should we do?” asked some soldiers. John replied,“ Don’t extort money or make false accusations. And be content with your pay.”Everyone was expecting the Messiah to come soon, and they were eager to know whether John might be the Messiah.John answered their questions by saying,“ I baptize you with water; but someone is coming soon who is greater than I am— so much greater that I’m not even worthy to be his slave and untie the straps of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.He is ready to separate the chaff from the wheat with his winnowing fork. Then he will clean up the threshing area, gathering the wheat into his barn but burning the chaff with never ending fire.”John used many such warnings as he announced the Good News to the people.John also publicly criticized Herod Antipas, the ruler of Galilee, for marrying Herodias, his brother’s wife, and for many other wrongs he had done.So Herod put John in prison, adding this sin to his many others.

After John’s disciples left, Jesus began talking about him to the crowds.“ What kind of man did you go into the wilderness to see? Was he a weak reed, swayed by every breath of wind?

“ Then what baptism did you experience?” he asked. And they replied,“ The baptism of John.”Paul said,“ John’s baptism called for repentance from sin. But John himself told the people to believe in the one who would come later, meaning Jesus.”

He is a voice shouting in the wilderness,‘ Prepare the way for the Lord’s coming! Clear the road for him!’”This messenger was John the Baptist. He was in the wilderness and preached that people should be baptized to show that they had repented of their sins and turned to God to be forgiven.All of Judea, including all the people of Jerusalem, went out to see and hear John. And when they confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River.His clothes were woven from coarse camel hair, and he wore a leather belt around his waist. For food he ate locusts and wild honey.John announced:“ Someone is coming soon who is greater than I am— so much greater that I’m not even worthy to stoop down like a slave and untie the straps of his sandals.I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit!”

In the wilderness there were the towns of Beth arabah, Middin, Secacah,Nibshan, the City of Salt, and En gedi— six towns with their surrounding villages.

Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God.

he said to his advisers,“ This must be John the Baptist raised from the dead! That is why he can do such miracles.”For Herod had arrested and imprisoned John as a favor to his wife Herodias( the former wife of Herod’s brother Philip).John had been telling Herod,“ It is against God’s law for you to marry her.”Herod wanted to kill John, but he was afraid of a riot, because all the people believed John was a prophet.But at a birthday party for Herod, Herodias’s daughter performed a dance that greatly pleased him,so he promised with a vow to give her anything she wanted.At her mother’s urging, the girl said,“ I want the head of John the Baptist on a tray!”Then the king regretted what he had said; but because of the vow he had made in front of his guests, he issued the necessary orders.So John was beheaded in the prison,and his head was brought on a tray and given to the girl, who took it to her mother.Later, John’s disciples came for his body and buried it. Then they went and told Jesus what had happened.As soon as Jesus heard the news, he left in a boat to a remote area to be alone. But the crowds heard where he was headed and followed on foot from many towns.Jesus saw the huge crowd as he stepped from the boat, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick.

When Herod heard about Jesus, he said,“ John, the man I beheaded, has come back from the dead.”For Herod had sent soldiers to arrest and imprison John as a favor to Herodias. She had been his brother Philip’s wife, but Herod had married her.John had been telling Herod,“ It is against God’s law for you to marry your brother’s wife.”So Herodias bore a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But without Herod’s approval she was powerless,for Herod respected John; and knowing that he was a good and holy man, he protected him. Herod was greatly disturbed whenever he talked with John, but even so, he liked to listen to him.Herodias’s chance finally came on Herod’s birthday. He gave a party for his high government officials, army officers, and the leading citizens of Galilee.Then his daughter, also named Herodias, came in and performed a dance that greatly pleased Herod and his guests.“ Ask me for anything you like,” the king said to the girl,“ and I will give it to you.”He even vowed,“ I will give you whatever you ask, up to half my kingdom!”She went out and asked her mother,“ What should I ask for?” Her mother told her,“ Ask for the head of John the Baptist!”So the girl hurried back to the king and told him,“ I want the head of John the Baptist, right now, on a tray!”Then the king deeply regretted what he had said; but because of the vows he had made in front of his guests, he couldn’t refuse her.So he immediately sent an executioner to the prison to cut off John’s head and bring it to him. The soldier beheaded John in the prison,brought his head on a tray, and gave it to the girl, who took it to her mother.When John’s disciples heard what had happened, they came to get his body and buried it in a tomb.

John testified about him when he shouted to the crowds,“ This is the one I was talking about when I said,‘ Someone is coming after me who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before me.’”From his abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another.For the law was given through Moses, but God’s unfailing love and faithfulness came through Jesus Christ.No one has ever seen God. But the unique One, who is himself God, is near to the Father’s heart. He has revealed God to us.This was John’s testimony when the Jewish leaders sent priests and Temple assistants from Jerusalem to ask John,“ Who are you?”He came right out and said,“ I am not the Messiah.”“ Well then, who are you?” they asked.“ Are you Elijah?”“ No,” he replied.“ Are you the Prophet we are expecting?”“ No.”“ Then who are you? We need an answer for those who sent us. What do you have to say about yourself?”John replied in the words of the prophet Isaiah:“ I am a voice shouting in the wilderness,‘ Clear the way for the Lord’s coming!’”Then the Pharisees who had been sentasked him,“ If you aren’t the Messiah or Elijah or the Prophet, what right do you have to baptize?”John told them,“ I baptize with water, but right here in the crowd is someone you do not recognize.Though his ministry follows mine, I’m not even worthy to be his slave and untie the straps of his sandal.”This encounter took place in Bethany, an area east of the Jordan River, where John was baptizing.The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said,“ Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!He is the one I was talking about when I said,‘ A man is coming after me who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before me.’I did not recognize him as the Messiah, but I have been baptizing with water so that he might be revealed to Israel.”Then John testified,“ I saw the Holy Spirit descending like a dove from heaven and resting upon him.I didn’t know he was the one, but when God sent me to baptize with water, he told me,‘ The one on whom you see the Spirit descend and rest is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’I saw this happen to Jesus, so I testify that he is the Chosen One of God.”The following day John was again standing with two of his disciples.As Jesus walked by, John looked at him and declared,“ Look! There is the Lamb of God!”

But I tell you, Elijah has already come, but he wasn’t recognized, and they chose to abuse him. And in the same way they will also make the Son of Man suffer.”Then the disciples realized he was talking about John the Baptist.

John replied,“ No one can receive anything unless God gives it from heaven.You yourselves know how plainly I told you,‘ I am not the Messiah. I am only here to prepare the way for him.’It is the bridegroom who marries the bride, and the bridegroom’s friend is simply glad to stand with him and hear his vows. Therefore, I am filled with joy at his success.He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less.“ He has come from above and is greater than anyone else. We are of the earth, and we speak of earthly things, but he has come from heaven and is greater than anyone else.He testifies about what he has seen and heard, but how few believe what he tells them!Anyone who accepts his testimony can affirm that God is true.For he is sent by God. He speaks God’s words, for God gives him the Spirit without limit.The Father loves his Son and has put everything into his hands.And anyone who believes in God’s Son has eternal life. Anyone who doesn’t obey the Son will never experience eternal life but remains under God’s angry judgment.”

“ Did John’s authority to baptize come from heaven, or was it merely human?” They talked it over among themselves.“ If we say it was from heaven, he will ask us why we didn’t believe John.But if we say it was merely human, we’ll be mobbed because the people believe John was a prophet.”So they finally replied,“ We don’t know.” And Jesus responded,“ Then I won’t tell you by what authority I do these things.

“ Now, as you can see, the Lord has kept me alive and well as he promised for all these forty five years since Moses made this promise— even while Israel wandered in the wilderness. Today I am eighty five years old.

When the tribe of Judah left Jericho— the city of palms— the Kenites, who were descendants of Moses’ father in law, traveled with them into the wilderness of Judah. They settled among the people there, near the town of Arad in the Negev.

For John the Baptist came and showed you the right way to live, but you didn’t believe him, while tax collectors and prostitutes did. And even when you saw this happening, you refused to believe him and repent of your sins.

As John’s disciples were leaving, Jesus began talking about him to the crowds.“ What kind of man did you go into the wilderness to see? Was he a weak reed, swayed by every breath of wind?

“ The time promised by God has come at last!” he announced.“ The Kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!”