He declared, he did not deny but declared, “I am not the Christ.” So, they asked, “Then are you Elijah?” He replied, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” He answered, “No.” Therefore, they said to him, “Who are you? We must take back an answer to those who sent us. What have you to say about yourself?” So he said, “I am, as Isaiah prophesied: A voice cries, “Prepare in the desert a way for Yahweh. Make a straight highway for our God across the wastelands. Let every valley be filled in, every mountain be leveled, every cliff become a plateau, every escarpment a plain; then the glory of Yahweh will be revealed and all humanity shall see it together, for the mouth of Yahweh has spoken.” Isaiah 40:3-5 In the course of his preaching John declared before them all, “I baptize you in water for repentance, but standing among you - unknown to you - the one who comes after me, is more powerful than I am. I am not fit to kneel down, undo the strap of his sandals, and carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fan is in his hand; he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into his barn; but the chaff he will burn in a fire that will never go out.” In addition, he proclaimed the good news to the people with many other exhortations too. This happened at Bethany, on the far side of the Jordan, where he was Baptizing.

JESUS IS BAPTIZED
Matthew 3:13-17; Mark 1:9-11; Luke 3:21-22

It was at this time that Jesus appeared. He came from Nazareth in Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. John tried to dissuade him, with the words, “It is I who need baptism from you, and yet you come to me?” However, Jesus replied, “Leave it like this for the time being; it is fitting that we should, in this way, do all that uprightness demands.” Then John gave into him. In addition, when Jesus had been baptized he at once came up from the water. Now it happened that when all the people had been baptized, and while Jesus after his own baptism, was at prayer, suddenly he saw the heavens torn apart and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming down on him. In addition, suddenly there was a voice from heaven, “This is my Son, the Beloved; my favor rests on him.You are my son, today I have fathered you” Isaiah 42:1; Psalm 2:7

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