1 In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the Wilderness of Judea
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and saying, "Repent, because the kingdom of heaven has come near!"
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For he is the one spoken of through the prophet Isaiah, who said: A voice of one crying out in the wilderness: "Prepare the way for the Lord; make His paths straight!" [a]
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John himself had a camel-hair garment with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey.
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Then [people from] Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the vicinity of the Jordan were flocking to him,
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and they were baptized by him in the Jordan River as they confessed their sins.
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When he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to the place of his baptism,[b] he said to them, "Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?
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Therefore produce fruit consistent with[c] repentance.