Mark 1:1-9

John the Baptist Prepares the Way 1The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, Or Jesus Christ. Messiah (Hebrew) and Christ (Greek) both mean Anointed One. the Son of God, Some manuscripts do not have the Son of God.

2as it is written in Isaiah the prophet: “I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way” Mal. 3:1 —

3“a voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’ ” Isaiah 40:3 4And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. 6John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7And this was his message: “After me comes the one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie.

8I baptize you with Or in water, but he will baptize you with Or in the Holy Spirit.”

The Baptism and Testing of Jesus 9At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.