1 When|strong="G1161" it|strong="G1161" was|strong="G3588" the|strong="G3588" right time|strong="G2250", John|strong="G2491" the|strong="G3588" Baptizer began telling people|strong="G3588" a|strong="G2784" message from|strong="G1722" God. This|strong="G3588" was|strong="G3588" out in|strong="G1722" the|strong="G3588" desert|strong="G2048" area of|strong="G2250" Judea|strong="G2449".
2 John|strong="G3004" said|strong="G3004", “Change your|strong="G2532" hearts and|strong="G2532" lives, because|strong="G1063" God’s kingdom|strong="G0932" is|strong="G3772" now|strong="G2532" very|strong="G2532" near|strong="G1448".”
3 John|strong="G0846" is|strong="G1510" the|strong="G3588" one|strong="G3778" Isaiah|strong="G2268" the|strong="G3588" prophet|strong="G4396" was|strong="G1510" talking|strong="G3004" about|strong="G1722" when|strong="G1722" he|strong="G0846" said|strong="G3004",
4 John’s|strong="G2491" clothes|strong="G1742" were|strong="G1510" made from|strong="G0575" camel’s|strong="G2574" hair|strong="G2359", and|strong="G2532" he|strong="G2532" had|strong="G2192" a|strong="G2192" leather|strong="G1193" belt|strong="G2223" around|strong="G4012" his|strong="G0846" waist|strong="G3751". For|strong="G4012" food|strong="G5160", he|strong="G2532" ate locusts|strong="G0200" and|strong="G2532" wild|strong="G0066" honey|strong="G3192".
5 People|strong="G3956" came|strong="G1607" to|strong="G4314" John|strong="G0846" from|strong="G2532" Jerusalem|strong="G2414" and|strong="G2532" the|strong="G3956" rest of|strong="G3956" Judea|strong="G2449" and|strong="G2532" from|strong="G2532" all|strong="G3956" the|strong="G3956" areas along|strong="G2532" the|strong="G3956" Jordan|strong="G2446" River.
6 They|strong="G0846" confessed|strong="G1843" the|strong="G3588" bad things|strong="G0846" they|strong="G0846" had|strong="G3588" done, and|strong="G2532" John|strong="G0846" baptized|strong="G0907" them|strong="G0846" in|strong="G1722" the|strong="G3588" Jordan|strong="G2446".
7 Many|strong="G4183" Pharisees|strong="G5330" and|strong="G2532" Sadducees|strong="G4523" came|strong="G2064" to|strong="G3004" where John|strong="G0846" was|strong="G3588" baptizing people|strong="G0846". When|strong="G2532" John|strong="G0846" saw|strong="G3708" them|strong="G0846", he|strong="G2532" said|strong="G3004", “You|strong="G5210" are|strong="G3588" all|strong="G3588" snakes! Who|strong="G3588" warned|strong="G5263" you|strong="G5210" to|strong="G3004" run from|strong="G0575" God’s|strong="G0846" judgment that|strong="G3004" is|strong="G5101" coming|strong="G2064"?
8 Change your|strong="G4160" hearts! And|strong="G4160" show|strong="G4160" by the|strong="G3588" way you|strong="G4160" live that|strong="G3767" you|strong="G4160" have|strong="G4160" changed.
9 I|strong="G2532" know what|strong="G3588" you|strong="G5210" are|strong="G3778" thinking|strong="G1380". You|strong="G5210" want to|strong="G3004" say|strong="G3004", ‘but|strong="G2532" Abraham|strong="G0011" is|strong="G2316" our|strong="G2316" father|strong="G3962"!’ That|strong="G3754" means|strong="G3004" nothing|strong="G3361". I|strong="G2532" tell|strong="G3004" you|strong="G5210", God|strong="G2316" could|strong="G1410" make|strong="G3361" children|strong="G5043" for|strong="G1063" Abraham|strong="G0011" from|strong="G1537" these|strong="G3778" rocks|strong="G3037".
10 The|strong="G3956" ax is|strong="G3588" now|strong="G1161" ready|strong="G2749" to|strong="G1519" cut|strong="G1581" down|strong="G1581" the|strong="G3956" trees|strong="G1186". Every|strong="G3956" tree|strong="G1186" that|strong="G3956" does|strong="G4160" not|strong="G3361" produce|strong="G4160" good|strong="G2570" fruit|strong="G2590" will|strong="G3956" be|strong="G2532" cut|strong="G1581" down|strong="G1581" and|strong="G2532" thrown|strong="G0906" into|strong="G1519" the|strong="G3956" fire|strong="G4442".
11 “I|strong="G1473" baptize|strong="G0907" you|strong="G5210" with|strong="G1722" water|strong="G5204" to|strong="G1519" show that|strong="G3739" you|strong="G5210" have|strong="G1510" changed your|strong="G2532" hearts and|strong="G2532" lives. But|strong="G1161" there|strong="G1510" is|strong="G1510" someone|strong="G3739" coming|strong="G2064" later who|strong="G3739" is|strong="G1510" able|strong="G2425" to|strong="G1519" do|strong="G1510" more|strong="G3756" than|strong="G2532" I|strong="G1473" can. I|strong="G1473" am|strong="G1510" not|strong="G3756" good|strong="G1510" enough|strong="G2425" to|strong="G1519" be|strong="G1510" the|strong="G3588" slave|strong="G2064" who|strong="G3739" takes off his|strong="G0846" sandals|strong="G5266". He|strong="G2532" will|strong="G1510" baptize|strong="G0907" you|strong="G5210" with|strong="G1722" the|strong="G3588" Holy|strong="G0040" Spirit|strong="G4151" and|strong="G2532" with|strong="G1722" fire|strong="G4442".
12 He|strong="G2532" will|strong="G3739" come ready to|strong="G1519" clean the|strong="G3588" grain|strong="G4621". He|strong="G2532" will|strong="G3739" separate the|strong="G3588" good grain|strong="G4621" from|strong="G1722" the|strong="G3588" straw, and|strong="G2532" he|strong="G2532" will|strong="G3739" put the|strong="G3588" good part|strong="G0846" into|strong="G1519" his|strong="G0846" barn|strong="G0596". Then|strong="G2532" he|strong="G2532" will|strong="G3739" burn|strong="G2618" the|strong="G3588" useless part|strong="G0846" with|strong="G1722" a|strong="G3739" fire|strong="G4442" that|strong="G3739" cannot be|strong="G2532" stopped.”
13 Then|strong="G5119" Jesus|strong="G2424" came|strong="G3854" from|strong="G0575" Galilee|strong="G1056" to|strong="G4314" the|strong="G3588" Jordan|strong="G2446" River. He|strong="G0846" came|strong="G3854" to|strong="G4314" John|strong="G2491", wanting John|strong="G2491" to|strong="G4314" baptize|strong="G0907" him|strong="G0846".
14 But|strong="G1161" John|strong="G2491" tried to|strong="G4314" stop him|strong="G0846". John|strong="G2491" said|strong="G3004", “Why do|strong="G2192" you|strong="G4771" come|strong="G2064" to|strong="G4314" me|strong="G3004" to|strong="G4314" be|strong="G2532" baptized|strong="G0907"? I|strong="G1473" should|strong="G2532" be|strong="G2532" baptized|strong="G0907" by|strong="G5259" you|strong="G4771"!”
15 Jesus|strong="G2424" answered|strong="G0611", “Let|strong="G0863" it|strong="G0846" be|strong="G1510" this|strong="G3779" way|strong="G3779" for|strong="G1063" now|strong="G1161". We|strong="G2249" should|strong="G0863" do|strong="G1510" whatever|strong="G3956" God|strong="G0846" says|strong="G3004" is|strong="G1510" right|strong="G3779".” Then|strong="G5119" John|strong="G0846" agreed.
16 So|strong="G2532" Jesus|strong="G2424" was|strong="G2424" baptized|strong="G0907". As|strong="G2532" soon|strong="G2117" as|strong="G2532" he|strong="G2532" came|strong="G2064" up|strong="G0305" out|strong="G0575" of|strong="G4151" the|strong="G3588" water|strong="G5204", the|strong="G3588" sky|strong="G3772" opened|strong="G0455", and|strong="G2532" he|strong="G2532" saw|strong="G3708" God’s|strong="G2316" Spirit|strong="G4151" coming|strong="G2064" down|strong="G2597" on|strong="G1909" him|strong="G0846" like|strong="G5616" a|strong="G3708" dove|strong="G4058".
17 A|strong="G1510" voice|strong="G5456" from|strong="G1537" heaven|strong="G3772" said|strong="G3004", “This|strong="G3778" is|strong="G1510" my|strong="G3708" Son|strong="G5207", the|strong="G3588" one|strong="G3739" I|strong="G1473" love|strong="G0027". I|strong="G1473" am|strong="G1510" very|strong="G3778" pleased|strong="G2106" with|strong="G1722" him|strong="G3739".”