The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ,
The Son of God,
As it is written in the prophets,
Behold,
I send my messenger before your face,
Who will prepare the way before you.
The voice of one crying in the wilderness,
Make ready the way of the Lord,
Make his paths straight.
John came baptizing in the wilderness,
And preaching the baptism of repentance for forgiveness of sins.
All the country of Judea and all those of Jerusalem went out to him.
They were baptized by him in the Jordan River,
Confessing their sins.
John was clothed with camel's hair and a leather belt around his waist.
He ate locusts and wild honey.
He preached,
Saying,
After me comes he who is mightier than I,
The thong of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and loosen.
I baptize you in water,
But he will baptize you in the Holy Spirit.
In those days,
Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.
Immediately coming up from the water,
He saw the heavens parting and the Spirit descending on him like a dove.
A voice came out of the sky,
You are my beloved Son,
In whom I am well pleased.
Immediately the Spirit drove him out into the wilderness.
He was there in the wilderness forty days,
Tempted by Satan.
He was with the wild animals,
And the angels were serving him.
Now after John was taken into custody,
Jesus came into Galilee,
Preaching the good news of God's kingdom and saying,
The time is fulfilled,
And God's kingdom is at hand.
Repent and believe in the good news.
Passing along by the Sea of Galilee,
He saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea,
For they were fishermen.
Jesus said to them,
Come after me,
And I will make you into fishers for men.
Immediately they left their nets and followed him.
Going on a little further from there,
He saw James the son of Zebedee,
And John his brother,
Who were also in the boat mending the nets.
Immediately he called them,
And they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the quiet servants,
And went after him.
