Prepare the way

¹ “Comfort, comfort my people,” says your God.

² “Speak comfortably to Jerusalem; and call out to her that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received of Yahweh’s hand double for all her sins.”

³ The voice of one who calls out, “Prepare the way of Yahweh in the wilderness! Make a level highway in the desert for our God.

⁴ Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low. The uneven shall be made level, and the rough places a plain.

⁵ Yahweh’s glory shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together; for the mouth of Yahweh has spoken it.”

⁶ The voice of one saying, “Cry!” One said, “What shall I cry?” “All flesh is like grass, and all its glory is like the flower of the field.

⁷ The grass withers, the flower fades, because Yahweh’s breath blows on it. Surely the people are like grass.

⁸ The grass withers, the flower fades; but the word of our God stands forever.”

⁹ You who tell good news to Zion, go up on a high mountain. You who tell good news to Jerusalem, lift up your voice with strength! Lift it up! Don’t be afraid! Say to the cities of Judah, “Behold, your God!”

¹⁰ Behold, the Lord Yahweh will come as a mighty one, and his arm will rule for him. Behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him.

¹¹ He will feed his flock like a shepherd. He will gather the lambs in his arm, and carry them in his bosom. He will gently lead those who have their young.

¹ The beginning of the Good News of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

² As it is written in the prophets, “Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you:

³ the voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make ready the way of the Lord! Make his paths straight!’ ”

⁴ John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching the baptism of repentance for forgiveness of sins.

⁵ All the country of Judea and all those of Jerusalem went out to him. They were baptized by him in the Jordan river, confessing their sins.

⁶ John was clothed with camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist. He ate locusts and wild honey.

⁷ He preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the thong of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and loosen.

⁸ I baptized you in water, but he will baptize you in the Holy Spirit.”

¹ Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene,

² in the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John, the son of Zacharias, in the wilderness.

³ He came into all the region around the Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for remission of sins.

⁴ As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make ready the way of the Lord. Make his paths straight.

⁵ Every valley will be filled. Every mountain and hill will be brought low. The crooked will become straight, and the rough ways smooth.

⁶ All flesh will see God’s salvation.’ ”