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The prophet Isaiah wrote this message from God in his book:[a]

‘Listen! I will send someone to prepare a way for you.
    He will tell people my message.
His voice will shout in the wilderness:
    “The Lord will come soon, so prepare a way for him.
    Make the paths straight for him.” ’[b]

So John went to a place in the wilderness. He baptized people and he spoke a message from God.[c] He said to people, ‘You have done many wrong things. You must turn away from them and change how you live. Then God will forgive you and I will baptize you.’

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Footnotes

  1. 1:2 See Exodus 23:20; Malachi 3:1; Isaiah 40:3.
  2. 1:3 Isaiah was telling people about a man called John. John would say to the people that they should prepare themselves for the Messiah. People mended the roads before a king travelled along them. Isaiah was using this like a picture in words, to help people to understand how to prepare for the Messiah.
  3. 1:4 Baptism showed that a person wanted to change. They would tell God that they were sorry for the wrong things that they had done and they wanted to obey God.

as it is written in Isaiah the prophet:

“I will send my messenger ahead of you,
    who will prepare your way”[a](A)
“a voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
    make straight paths for him.’”[b](B)

And so John the Baptist(C) appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance(D) for the forgiveness of sins.(E)

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Footnotes

  1. Mark 1:2 Mal. 3:1
  2. Mark 1:3 Isaiah 40:3