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1. When it was the right time, John the Baptizer began telling people a message from God. This was out in the desert area of Judea.
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1. In G1722 those G1565 days G2250 came G3854 John G2491 the G3588 Baptist G910 , preaching G2784 in G1722 the G3588 wilderness G2048 of Judea G2449 ,
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2. John said, "Change your hearts and lives, because God's kingdom is coming soon."
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2. And G2532 saying G3004 , Repent G3340 ye: for G1063 the G3588 kingdom G932 of heaven G3772 is at hand G1448 .
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3. John is the one Isaiah the prophet was talking about when he said, "There is someone shouting in the desert: 'Prepare the way for the Lord. Make the road straight for him.'"
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3. For G1063 this G3778 is G2076 he that was spoken of G4483 by G5259 the G3588 prophet G4396 Isaiah G2268 , saying G3004 , The voice G5456 of one crying G994 in G1722 the G3588 wilderness G2048 , Prepare G2090 ye the G3588 way G3598 of the Lord G2962 , make G4160 his G846 paths G5147 straight G2117 .
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4. John's clothes were made from camel's hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. For food, he ate locusts and wild honey.
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4. And G1161 the same G846 John G2491 had G2192 his G848 raiment G1742 of G575 camel G2574 's hair G2359 , and G2532 a leather G1193 girdle G2223 about G4012 his G846 loins G3751 ; and G1161 his G848 meat G5160 was G2258 locusts G200 and G2532 wild G66 honey G3192 .
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5. People came to John from Jerusalem and the rest of Judea and from all the areas along the Jordan River.
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5. Then G5119 went out G1607 to G4314 him G846 Jerusalem G2414 , and G2532 all G3956 Judea G2449 , and G2532 all G3956 the G3588 region round about G4066 Jordan G2446 ,
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6. They confessed the bad things they had done, and John baptized them in the Jordan.
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6. And G2532 were baptized G907 of G5259 him G846 in G1722 Jordan G2446 , confessing G1843 their G848 sins G266 .
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7. Many Pharisees and Sadducees came to the place where John was baptizing people. When John saw them, he said, "You are all snakes! Who warned you to run away from the punishment that God is about to send?
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7. But G1161 when he saw G1492 many G4183 of the G3588 Pharisees G5330 and G2532 Sadducees G4523 come G2064 to G1909 his G846 baptism G908 , he said G2036 unto them G846 , O generation G1081 of vipers G2191 , who G5101 hath warned G5263 you G5213 to flee G5343 from G575 the G3588 wrath G3709 to come G3195 ?
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8. Change your hearts! And show by the way you live that you have changed.
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8. Bring forth G4160 therefore G3767 fruits G2590 meet G514 for repentance G3341 :
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9. I know what you are thinking. You want to say, 'but Abraham is our father!' That means nothing. I tell you, God could make children for Abraham from these rocks.
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9. And G2532 think G1380 not G3361 to say G3004 within G1722 yourselves G1438 , We have G2192 Abraham G11 to our father G3962 : for G1063 I say G3004 unto you G5213 , that G3754 God G2316 is able G1410 of G1537 these G5130 stones G3037 to raise up G1453 children G5043 unto Abraham G11 .
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10. The ax is now ready to cut down the trees. Every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.
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10. And G1161 now G2235 also G2532 the G3588 axe G513 is laid G2749 unto G4314 the G3588 root G4491 of the G3588 trees G1186 : therefore G3767 every G3956 tree G1186 which bringeth not forth G4160 G3361 good G2570 fruit G2590 is hewn down G1581 , and G2532 cast G906 into G1519 the fire G4442 .
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11. "I baptize you with water to show that you have changed your hearts and lives. But there is someone coming later who is able to do more than I can. I am not good enough to be the slave who takes off his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.
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11. I G1473 indeed G3303 baptize G907 you G5209 with G1722 water G5204 unto G1519 repentance G3341 : but G1161 he that cometh G2064 after G3694 me G3450 is G2076 mightier G2478 than I G3450 , whose G3739 shoes G5266 I am G1510 not G3756 worthy G2425 to bear G941 : he G846 shall baptize G907 you G5209 with G1722 the Holy G40 Ghost G4151 , and G2532 with fire G4442 :
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12. He will come ready to clean the grain. He will separate the good grain from the straw, and he will put the good part into his barn. Then he will burn the useless part with a fire that cannot be stopped."
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12. Whose G3739 fan G4425 is in G1722 his G846 hand G5495 , and G2532 he will throughly purge G1245 his G848 floor G257 , and G2532 gather G4863 his G848 wheat G4621 into G1519 the G3588 garner G596 ; but G1161 he will burn up G2618 the G3588 chaff G892 with unquenchable G762 fire G4442 .
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13. Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan River. He came to John, wanting John to baptize him.
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13. Then G5119 cometh G3854 Jesus G2424 from G575 Galilee G1056 to G1909 Jordan G2446 unto G4314 John G2491 , to be baptized G907 of G5259 him G846 .
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14. But John tried to find a way to say no. He said, "Why do you come to me to be baptized? I should be baptized by you!"
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14. But G1161 John G2491 forbade G1254 him G846 , saying G3004 , I G1473 have G2192 need G5532 to be baptized G907 of G5259 thee G4675 , and G2532 comest G2064 thou G4771 to G4314 me G3165 ?
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15. Jesus answered, "Let it be this way for now. We should do whatever God says is right." Then John agreed.
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15. And G1161 Jesus G2424 answering G611 said G2036 unto G4314 him G846 , Suffer G863 it to be so now G737 : for G1063 thus G3779 it G2076 becometh G4241 us G2254 to fulfill G4137 all G3956 righteousness G1343 . Then G5119 he suffered G863 him G846 .
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16. So Jesus was baptized. As soon as he came up out of the water, the sky opened, and he saw God's Spirit coming down on him like a dove.
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16. And G2532 Jesus G2424 , when he was baptized G907 , went up G305 straightway G2117 out of G575 the G3588 water G5204 : and G2532 , lo G2400 , the G3588 heavens G3772 were opened G455 unto him G846 , and G2532 he saw G1492 the G3588 Spirit G4151 of God G2316 descending G2597 like G5616 a dove G4058 , and G2532 lighting G2064 upon G1909 him G846 :
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17. A voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, the one I love. I am very pleased with him."
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17. And G2532 lo G2400 a voice G5456 from G1537 heaven G3772 , saying G3004 , This G3778 is G2076 my G3450 beloved G27 Son G5207 , in G1722 whom G3739 I am well pleased G2106 .
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