2 The prophet Isaiah wrote this message from God in his book:
1:1Christ is a name for Jesus in the Greek language that means the same as Messiah in the Hebrew language. It means someone that God chose as a special king for his people.
‘Listen! I will send someone to prepare a way for you.
He will tell people my message.
3 His voice will shout in the wilderness:
“The Lord will come soon, so prepare a way for him.
Make the paths straight for him.” ’
4 So John went to a place in the wilderness. He baptized people and he spoke a message from God. John said to people, ‘You have done many wrong things. You must turn away from them and change how you live. Then God will forgive you and I will baptize you.’
5 Many people who lived in Jerusalem and in the country of Judea went to listen to John. The people agreed that they had done wrong things. Then John baptized them in the Jordan River. 6 John wore clothes made from the hair of a camel. He also wore a belt made from leather. His usual food was locusts and honey from the wilderness.
1:5Judea was in the south of Israel. Jerusalem was its capital city.
1:5The Jordan River went from Galilee in the north to the Salt Sea (Dead Sea) in the south.
7 John said to the people, ‘Another person will come soon. He is much greater than I am. I am not good enough even to undo his shoes for him. 8 I have baptized you with water. But this man will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.’
