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Mark 1:4-8
English Standard Version
Mark 1:4-8
English Standard Version
4 (A)John appeared, baptizing in (B)the wilderness and proclaiming (C)a baptism of (D)repentance (E)for the forgiveness of sins. 5 And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, (F)confessing their sins. 6 Now John was (G)clothed with camel's hair and (H)wore a leather belt around his waist and ate (I)locusts and (J)wild honey. 7 And he preached, saying, (K)“After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8 (L)I have baptized you with water, but (M)he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
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Mark 1:4-8
New International Version
Mark 1:4-8
New International Version
4 And so John the Baptist(A) appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance(B) for the forgiveness of sins.(C) 5 The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. 6 John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist,(D) and he ate locusts(E) and wild honey. 7 And this was his message: “After me comes the one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie.(F) 8 I baptize you with[a] water, but he will baptize you with[b] the Holy Spirit.”(G)
Mark 1:4-8
New King James Version
Mark 1:4-8
New King James Version
4 (A)John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance [a]for the remission of sins. 5 (B)Then all the land of Judea, and those from Jerusalem, went out to him and were all baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins.
6 Now John was (C)clothed with camel’s hair and with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7 And he preached, saying, (D)“There comes One after me who is mightier than I, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to stoop down and loose. 8 (E)I indeed baptized you with water, but He will baptize you (F)with the Holy Spirit.”
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- Mark 1:4 Or because of forgiveness
Mark 1:4-8
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Mark 1:4-8
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
4 John [the] Baptist appeared in the desert proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 People of the whole Judean countryside and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the Jordan River as they acknowledged their sins. 6 John was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist.[a] He fed on locusts and wild honey. 7 And this is what he proclaimed: “One mightier than I is coming after me. I am not worthy to stoop and loosen the thongs of his sandals. 8 [b](A)I have baptized you with water; he will baptize you with the holy Spirit.”
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- 1:6 Clothed in camel’s hair…waist: the Baptist’s garb recalls that of Elijah in 2 Kgs 1:8. Jesus speaks of the Baptist as Elijah who has already come (Mk 9:11–13; Mt 17:10–12; cf. Mal 3:23–24; Lk 1:17).
- 1:8–9 Through the life-giving baptism with the holy Spirit (Mk 1:8), Jesus will create a new people of God. But first he identifies himself with the people of Israel in submitting to John’s baptism of repentance and in bearing on their behalf the burden of God’s decisive judgment (Mk 1:9; cf. Mk 1:4). As in the desert of Sinai, so here in the wilderness of Judea, Israel’s sonship with God is to be renewed.
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
New American Bible (Revised Edition) (NABRE)
Scripture texts, prefaces, introductions, footnotes and cross references used in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.