1: The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God;

2: As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.

3: The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

4: John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.

5: And there went out unto him all the land of Judaea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins.

6: And John was clothed with camel's hair, and with a girdle of a skin about his loins; and he did eat locusts and wild honey;

7: And preached, saying, There cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose.

8: I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.