<p> <SPAN name="C3V1"><font size=-1 color="blue">3:1</font></SPAN> In those days, John the
Baptizer came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying, <SPAN name="C3V2"><font size=-1 color="blue">3:2</font></SPAN> "Repent, for the Kingdom of
Heaven is at hand!" <SPAN name="C3V3"><font size=-1 color="blue">3:3</font></SPAN> For this is he who was spoken of
by Isaiah the prophet, saying,
<br/>"The voice of one crying in the wilderness,
<br/>make ready the way of the Lord.
<br/>Make his paths straight."<font color="#0000ff" size=-1><sup><SPAN href="#N8">*</SPAN></sup></font>
</p>
<p> <SPAN name="C3V4"><font size=-1 color="blue">3:4</font></SPAN> Now John himself wore
clothing made of camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist. His
food was locusts and wild honey. <SPAN name="C3V5"><font size=-1 color="blue">3:5</font></SPAN> Then people from Jerusalem, all of
Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him. <SPAN name="C3V6"><font size=-1 color="blue">3:6</font></SPAN> They were <SPAN href="#N9">baptized</SPAN> by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.
<SPAN name="C3V7"><font size=-1 color="blue">3:7</font></SPAN> But when he saw many of
the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for his <SPAN href="#N10">baptism,</SPAN> he
said to them, "You offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from
the wrath to come? <SPAN name="C3V8"><font size=-1 color="blue">3:8</font></SPAN> Therefore bring forth fruit worthy
of repentance! <SPAN name="C3V9"><font size=-1 color="blue">3:9</font></SPAN> Don't think
to yourselves, 'We have Abraham for our father,' for I tell you that God
is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones.</p>
<p> <SPAN name="C3V10"><font size=-1 color="blue">3:10</font></SPAN> "Even now the axe
lies at the root of the trees. Therefore, every tree that doesn't bring
forth good fruit is cut down, and cast into the fire. <SPAN name="C3V11"><font size=-1 color="blue">3:11</font></SPAN> I indeed <SPAN href="#N11">baptize</SPAN> you in water for repentance, but he who comes
after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to carry. He will
baptize you in the Holy Spirit.<font color="#0000ff" size=-1><sup><SPAN href="#N12">*</SPAN></sup></font> <SPAN name="C3V12"><font size=-1 color="blue">3:12</font></SPAN> His winnowing fork is in his
hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his threshing floor. He will gather
his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn up with unquenchable
fire."</p>
<p> <SPAN name="C3V13"><font size=-1 color="blue">3:13</font></SPAN> Then Jesus came from
Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. <SPAN name="C3V14"><font size=-1 color="blue">3:14</font></SPAN> But John would have hindered him,
saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and you come to me?"</p>
<p> <SPAN name="C3V15"><font size=-1 color="blue">3:15</font></SPAN> But Jesus, answering,
said to him, "Allow it now, for this is the fitting
way for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he allowed him.
<SPAN name="C3V16"><font size=-1 color="blue">3:16</font></SPAN> Jesus, when he was
baptized, went up directly from the water: and behold, the heavens were
opened to him. He saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming
on him. <SPAN name="C3V17"><font size=-1 color="blue">3:17</font></SPAN> Behold, a voice
out of the heavens said, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well
pleased."</p>
<p> <SPAN name="C4V1"><font size=-1 color="blue">4:1</font></SPAN> Then Jesus was led up
by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. <SPAN name="C4V2"><font size=-1 color="blue">4:2</font></SPAN> When he had fasted forty days and
forty nights, he was hungry afterward. <SPAN name="C4V3"><font size=-1 color="blue">4:3</font></SPAN> The tempter came and said to him,
"If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become
bread."</p>
<p> <SPAN name="C4V4"><font size=-1 color="blue">4:4</font></SPAN> But he answered, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by
every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.'"<font
color="#0000ff" size=-1><sup><SPAN href="#N13">*</SPAN></sup></font></p>
<p> <SPAN name="C4V5"><font size=-1 color="blue">4:5</font></SPAN> Then the devil took him
into the holy city. He set him on the pinnacle of the temple, <SPAN name="C4V6"><font size=-1 color="blue">4:6</font></SPAN> and said to him, "If you are
the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, 'He will put his
angels in charge of you.' and,
<br/>'On their hands they will bear you up,
<br/>so that you don't dash your foot against a stone.'"<font
color="#0000ff" size=-1><sup><SPAN href="#N14">*</SPAN></sup></font>
</p>
<p> <SPAN name="C4V7"><font size=-1 color="blue">4:7</font></SPAN> Jesus said to him,
"Again, it is written, 'You shall not test the Lord,
your God.'"<font color="#0000ff" size=-1><sup><SPAN href="#N15">*</SPAN></sup></font></p>
<p> <SPAN name="C4V8"><font size=-1 color="blue">4:8</font></SPAN> Again, the devil took
him to an exceedingly high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of
the world, and their glory. <SPAN name="C4V9"><font size=-1 color="blue">4:9</font></SPAN> He said to him, "I will give
you all of these things, if you will fall down and worship me."</p>
<p> <SPAN name="C4V10"><font size=-1 color="blue">4:10</font></SPAN> Then Jesus said to
him, "<SPAN href="#N16">Get behind me,</SPAN> Satan! For it
is written, 'You shall worship the Lord your God, and you shall serve him
only.'"<font color="#0000ff" size=-1><sup><SPAN href="#N17">*</SPAN></sup></font></p>
<p> <SPAN name="C4V11"><font size=-1 color="blue">4:11</font></SPAN> Then the devil left
him, and behold, angels came and served him. <SPAN name="C4V12"><font size=-1 color="blue">4:12</font></SPAN> Now when Jesus heard that John
was delivered up, he withdrew into Galilee. <SPAN name="C4V13"><font size=-1 color="blue">4:13</font></SPAN> Leaving Nazareth, he came and
lived in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and
Naphtali, <SPAN name="C4V14"><font size=-1 color="blue">4:14</font></SPAN> that it might
be fulfilled which was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying,
<br/> <SPAN name="C4V15"><font size=-1 color="blue">4:15</font></SPAN> "The land of
Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,
<br/>toward the sea, beyond the Jordan,
<br/>Galilee of the Gentiles,
<br/> <SPAN name="C4V16"><font size=-1 color="blue">4:16</font></SPAN> the people who sat in
darkness saw a great light,
<br/>to those who sat in the region and shadow of death,
<br/>to them light has dawned."<font color="#0000ff" size=-1><sup><SPAN href="#N18">*</SPAN></sup></font>
</p>
<p> <SPAN name="C4V17"><font size=-1 color="blue">4:17</font></SPAN> From that time, Jesus
began to preach, and to say, "Repent! For the Kingdom
of Heaven is at hand."</p>
<p> <SPAN name="C4V18"><font size=-1 color="blue">4:18</font></SPAN> Walking by the sea of
Galilee, <SPAN href="#N19">he</SPAN> saw two brothers: Simon, who is called
Peter, and Andrew, his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were
fishermen. <SPAN name="C4V19"><font size=-1 color="blue">4:19</font></SPAN> He said to
them, "Come after me, and I will make you fishers for
men."</p>
<p> <SPAN name="C4V20"><font size=-1 color="blue">4:20</font></SPAN> They immediately left
their nets and followed him. <SPAN name="C4V21"><font size=-1 color="blue">4:21</font></SPAN> Going on from there, he saw two
other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the
boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets. He called them.
<SPAN name="C4V22"><font size=-1 color="blue">4:22</font></SPAN> They immediately left the
boat and their father, and followed him.</p>
<p> <SPAN name="C4V23"><font size=-1 color="blue">4:23</font></SPAN> Jesus went about in
all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the Good News of the
Kingdom, and healing every disease and every sickness among the people.
<SPAN name="C4V24"><font size=-1 color="blue">4:24</font></SPAN> The report about him went
out into all Syria. They brought to him all who were sick, afflicted with
various diseases and torments, possessed with demons, epileptics, and
paralytics; and he healed them. <SPAN name="C4V25"><font size=-1 color="blue">4:25</font></SPAN> Great multitudes from Galilee,
Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and from beyond the Jordan followed him.</p>
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