Matthew 3; Mark 1; Luke 3

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Matthew 3

1 Later, John the Baptizer appeared in the desert of Judea. His message was,

2 "Turn to God and change the way you think and act, because the kingdom of heaven is near."

3 Isaiah the prophet spoke about this man when he said, "A voice cries out in the desert: 'Prepare the way for the Lord! Make his paths straight!'"

4 John wore clothes made from camel's hair and had a leather belt around his waist. His diet consisted of locusts and wild honey.

5 Jerusalem, all Judea, and the whole Jordan Valley went to him.

6 As they confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River.

7 But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming to be baptized, he said to them, "You poisonous snakes! Who showed you how to flee from God's coming anger?

8 Do those things that prove you have turned to God and have changed the way you think and act.

9 Don't think you can say, 'Abraham is our ancestor.' I can guarantee that God can raise up descendants for Abraham from these stones.

10 The ax is now ready to cut the roots of the trees. Any tree that doesn't produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into a fire.

11 I baptize you with water so that you will change the way you think and act. But the one who comes after me is more powerful than I. I am not worthy to remove his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

12 His winnowing shovel is in his hand, and he will clean up his threshing floor. He will gather his wheat into a barn, but he will burn the husks in a fire that can never be put out."

13 Then Jesus appeared. He came from Galilee to the Jordan River to be baptized by John.

14 But John tried to stop him and said, "I need to be baptized by you. Why are you coming to me?"

15 Jesus answered him, "This is the way it has to be now. This is the proper way to do everything that God requires of us." Then John gave in to him.

16 After Jesus was baptized, he immediately came up from the water. Suddenly, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God coming down as a dove to him.

17 Then a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love--my Son with whom I am pleased."

Mark 1

1 This is the beginning of the Good News about Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

2 The prophet Isaiah wrote, "I am sending my messenger ahead of you to prepare the way for you."

3 "A voice cries out in the desert: 'Prepare the way for the Lord! Make his paths straight!'"

4 John the Baptizer was in the desert telling people about a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

5 All Judea and all the people of Jerusalem went to him. As they confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River.

6 John was dressed in clothes made from camel's hair. He wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey.

7 He announced, "The one who comes after me is more powerful than I. I am not worthy to bend down and untie his sandal straps.

8 I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."

9 At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan River.

10 As Jesus came out of the water, he saw heaven split open and the Spirit coming down to him as a dove.

11 A voice from heaven said, "You are my Son, whom I love. I am pleased with you."

12 At once the Spirit brought him into the desert,

13 where he was tempted by Satan for 40 days. He was there with the wild animals, and the angels took care of him.

14 After John had been put in prison, Jesus went to Galilee and told people the Good News of God.

15 He said, "The time has come, and the kingdom of God is near. Change the way you think and act, and believe the Good News."

16 As he was going along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew. They were throwing a net into the sea because they were fishermen.

17 Jesus said to them, "Come, follow me! I will teach you how to catch people instead of fish."

18 They immediately left their nets and followed him.

19 As Jesus went on a little farther, he saw James and John, the sons of Zebedee. They were in a boat preparing their nets [to go fishing].

20 He immediately called them, and they left their father Zebedee and the hired men in the boat and followed Jesus.

21 Then they went to Capernaum. On the next day of worship, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach.

22 The people were amazed at his teachings. Unlike their scribes, he taught them with authority.

23 At that time there was a man in the synagogue who was controlled by an evil spirit. He shouted,

24 "What do you want with us, Jesus from Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are--the Holy One of God!"

25 Jesus ordered the spirit, "Keep quiet, and come out of him!"

26 The evil spirit threw the man into convulsions and came out of him with a loud shriek.

27 Everyone was stunned. They said to each other, "What is this? This is a new teaching that has authority behind it! He gives orders to evil spirits, and they obey him."

28 The news about him spread quickly throughout the surrounding region of Galilee.

29 After they left the synagogue, they went directly to the house of Simon and Andrew. James and John went with them.

30 Simon's mother-in-law was in bed with a fever. The first thing they did was to tell Jesus about her.

31 Jesus went to her, took her hand, and helped her get up. The fever went away, and she prepared a meal for them.

32 In the evening, when the sun had set, people brought to him everyone who was sick and those possessed by demons.

33 The whole city had gathered at his door.

34 He cured many who were sick with various diseases and forced many demons out of people. However, he would not allow the demons to speak. After all, they knew who he was.

35 In the morning, long before sunrise, Jesus went to a place where he could be alone to pray.

36 Simon and his friends searched for him.

37 When they found him, they told him, "Everyone is looking for you."

38 Jesus said to them, "Let's go somewhere else, to the small towns that are nearby. I have to spread [the Good News] in them also. This is why I have come."

39 So he went to spread [the Good News] in the synagogues all over Galilee, and he forced demons out of people.

40 Then a man with a serious skin disease came to him. The man fell to his knees and begged Jesus, "If you're willing, you can make me clean."

41 Jesus felt sorry for him, reached out, touched him, and said, "I'm willing. So be clean!"

42 Immediately, his skin disease went away, and he was clean.

43 Jesus sent him away at once and warned him,

44 "Don't tell anyone about this! Instead, show yourself to the priest. Then offer the sacrifices which Moses commanded as proof to people that you are clean."

45 When the man left, he began to talk freely. He spread his story so widely that Jesus could no longer enter any city openly. Instead, he stayed in places where he could be alone. But people still kept coming to him from everywhere.

Luke 3

1 It was the fifteenth year in the reign of the Emperor Tiberius. Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea. Herod ruled Galilee, and his brother Philip ruled Iturea and Trachonitis. Lysanias was the ruler of Abilene.

2 It was at the time when Annas and Caiaphas were chief priests that God spoke to John, son of Zechariah, in the desert.

3 John traveled throughout the region around the Jordan River. He told people about a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

4 As the prophet Isaiah wrote in his book, "A voice cries out in the desert: 'Prepare the way for the Lord! Make his paths straight!

5 Every valley will be filled. Every mountain and hill will be leveled. The crooked ways will be made straight. The rough roads will be made smooth.

6 All people will see the salvation that God gives.'"

7 Crowds of people were coming to be baptized by John. He would say to them, "You poisonous snakes! Who showed you how to flee from God's coming anger?

8 Do those things that prove that you have turned to God and have changed the way you think and act. Don't say, 'Abraham is our ancestor.' I guarantee that God can raise up descendants for Abraham from these stones.

9 The ax is now ready to cut the roots of the trees. Any tree that doesn't produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into a fire."

10 The crowds asked him, "What should we do?"

11 He answered them, "Whoever has two shirts should share with the person who doesn't have any. Whoever has food should share it too."

12 Some tax collectors came to be baptized. They asked him, "Teacher, what should we do?"

13 He told them, "Don't collect more money than you are ordered to collect."

14 Some soldiers asked him, "And what should we do?" He told them, "Be satisfied with your pay, and never use threats or blackmail to get money from anyone."

15 People's hopes were rising as they all wondered whether John was the Messiah.

16 John replied to all of them, "I baptize you with water. But the one who is more powerful than I is coming. I am not worthy to untie his sandal straps. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

17 His winnowing shovel is in his hand to clean up his threshing floor. He will gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn the husks in a fire that can never be put out."

18 With many other encouraging words, he told the Good News to the people.

19 John spoke out against the ruler Herod because Herod had married his own sister-in-law, Herodias. He also spoke out against Herod for all the evil things he had done.

20 So Herod added one more evil to all the others; he locked John in prison.

21 When all the people were baptized, Jesus, too, was baptized. While he was praying, heaven opened,

22 and the Holy Spirit came down to him in the form of a dove. A voice from heaven said, "You are my Son, whom I love. I am pleased with you."

23 Jesus was about 30 years old when he began [his ministry]. Jesus, so people thought, was the son of Joseph, son of Eli,

24 son of Matthat, son of Levi, son of Melchi, son of Jannai, son of Joseph,

25 son of Mattathias, son of Amos, son of Nahum, son of Esli, son of Naggai,

26 son of Maath, son of Mattathias, son of Semein, son of Josech, son of Joda,

27 son of Joanan, son of Rhesa, son of Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, son of Neri,

28 son of Melchi, son of Addi, son of Cosam, son of Elmadam, son of Er,

29 son of Joshua, son of Eliezer, son of Jorim, son of Matthat, son of Levi,

30 son of Simeon, son of Judah, son of Joseph, son of Jonam, son of Eliakim,

31 son of Melea, son of Menna, son of Mattatha, son of Nathan, son of David,

32 son of Jesse, son of Obed, son of Boaz, son of Salmon, son of Nahshon,

33 son of Amminadab, son of Admin, son of Arni, son of Hezron, son of Perez, son of Judah,

34 son of Jacob, son of Isaac, son of Abraham, son of Terah, son of Nahor,

35 son of Serug, son of Reu, son of Peleg, son of Eber, son of Shelah,

36 son of Cainan, son of Arphaxad, son of Shem, son of Noah, son of Lamech,

37 son of Methuselah, son of Enoch, son of Jared, son of Mahalaleel, son of Cainan,

38 son of Enos, son of Seth, son of Adam, son of God.

Matthew 3; Mark 1; Luke 3

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Matthew 3

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