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John the Baptist Prepares the Way
1 In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the
wilderness of Judea 2 and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom
of heaven has come near.” 3 This is he who was spoken of
through the prophet Isaiah:
“A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way
for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’ ”
4 John’s clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a
leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild
honey. 5 People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea
and the whole region of the Jordan. 6 Confessing their sins,
they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.
7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming
to where he was baptizing, he said to them: “You brood of
vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8
Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. 9 And do not think
you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’
I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up
children for Abraham. 10 The ax is already at the root of
the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit
will be cut down and thrown into the fire.
11 “I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me
comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am
not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy
Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and
he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into
the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”
The Baptism of Jesus
13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized
by John. 14 But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to
be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”
15 Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to
do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented.
16 As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the
water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the
Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him.
17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I
love; with him I am well pleased.”
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Cults 
Why Did God Permit Sin?
