John the Baptist prepares a way for Jesus
1 While Jesus still lived in Nazareth, a man called John the Baptist was speaking a message from God. He was doing this in the wilderness in Judea. 2 He told people, ‘You must turn away from your sins and change how you live. Do this now, because the kingdom of heaven has come very near.’
3 God's prophet Isaiah spoke about this man John long ago. He said:
‘Somebody's voice is shouting in the wilderness,
“The Lord will come soon,
so prepare a way for him.
Make the paths straight for him.” ’
3:3See Isaiah 40:3. John told the people to get ready for God's king to come. 4 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.
3:4A camel is a large animal that lives in the wilderness.
5 Many people went to listen to John. They lived in Jerusalem and all the other places in Judea and near the Jordan River. 6 The people agreed that they had done wrong things. Then John baptized them in the Jordan River.
3:5The Jordan River went from Galilee in the north to the Salt Sea (Dead Sea) in the south.
