MARK

Chapter 1

John the Baptist Prepares the Way

1 Here begins the Good News about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God.[1][Some manuscripts do not include the Son of God. ]
        2 In the book of the prophet Isaiah, God said,   "Look, I am sending my messenger before you, and he will prepare your way.[2][ Mal 3:1.]

3 He is a voice shouting in the wilderness:
`Prepare a pathway for the Lord's coming! Make a straight road for him'![3][ Isa 40:3.] "
   4 This messenger was John the Baptist. He lived in the wilderness and was preaching that people should be baptized to show that they had turned from their sins and turned to God to be forgiven.[4][Greek preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. ]
5 People from Jerusalem and from all over Judea traveled out into the wilderness to see and hear John. And when they confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River.
6 His clothes were woven from camel hair, and he wore a leather belt; his food was locusts and wild honey.
7 He announced: "Someone is coming soon who is far greater than I am—so much greater that I am not even worthy to be his slave.[5][Greek to stoop down and untie his sandals. ]
8 I baptize you with[6][Or in; also in 1:8b.] water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit!"