Chapter 8- “…the Voice of one crying in the wilderness.”

John:

1:6 A man named John was sent from God.

1:7 He came for testimony, to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him.

1:8 He was not the light, but came to testify to the light.

1:9 The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.

1:10 He was in the world, and the world came to be through him, but the world did not know him.

1:11 He came to what was his own, but his own people did not accept him.

1:12 But to those who did accept him he gave power to become children of God, to those who believe in his name,

1:13 who were born not by natural generation nor by human choice nor by a man’s decision but of God.

1:14 And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, and we saw his glory, the glory as of the Father’s only Son, full of grace and truth.

1:15 John testified to him and cried out, saying, “This was he of whom I said, ‘The one who is coming after me ranks ahead of me because he existed before me.’”

1:16 From his fullness we have all received, grace in place of grace,

1:17 because while the law was given through Moses, grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

1:18 No one has ever seen God. The only Son, God, who is at the Father’s side, has revealed him.

1:19 And this is the testimony of John. When the Jews from Jerusalem sent priests and Levites [to him] to ask him, “Who are you?”

1:20 he admitted and did not deny it, but admitted, “I am not the Messiah.”

1:21 So they asked him, “What are you then? Are you Elijah?” And he said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” He answered, “No.”

1:22 So they said to him, “Who are you, so we can give an answer to those who sent us? What do you have to say for yourself?”

1:23 He said: “I am ‘the voice of one crying out in the desert, “Make straight the way of the Lord,”’ as Isaiah the prophet said.”

1:24 Some Pharisees were also sent.

1:25 They asked him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Messiah or Elijah or the Prophet?”

1:26 John answered them, “I baptize with water; but there is one among you whom you do not recognize,

1:27 the one who is coming after me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie.”

1:28 This happened in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing. John the Baptist’s Testimony to Jesus.

1:29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.

1:30 He is the one of whom I said, ‘A man is coming after me who ranks ahead of me because he existed before me.’

1:31 I did not know him, but the reason why I came baptizing with water was that he might be made known to Israel.”

1:32 John testified further, saying, “I saw the Spirit come down like a dove from the sky and remain upon him.

1:33 I did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘On whomever you see the Spirit come down and remain, he is the one who will baptize with the holy Spirit.’

1:34 Now I have seen and testified that he is the Son of God.” The First Disciples.

1:35 The next day John was there again with two of his disciples,

1:36 and as he watched Jesus walk by, he said, “Behold, the Lamb of God.”

1:37 The two disciples heard what he said and followed Jesus.

1:38 Jesus turned and saw them following him and said to them, “What are you looking for?” They said to him, “Rabbi” (which translated means Teacher), “where are you staying?”

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1:39 He said to them, “Come, and you will see.” So they went and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day. It was about four in the afternoon.

3 In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea 2 and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” 3 This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah:

“A voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
    make straight paths for him.’”[a]

4 John’s clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. 5 People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. 6 Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.

7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. 9 And do not think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. 10 The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.

11 “I baptize you with[b] water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with[c] the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”