Thematic Bible




Thematic Bible



He is the one who will go before the Lord with the spirit and power of Elijah to turn the hearts of parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous, and to prepare the people to be ready for the Lord."


They said, "Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets."

So the disciples asked him, "Why, then, do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?" He answered them, "Elijah is indeed coming and will restore all things. But I tell you that Elijah has already come, yet people did not recognize him and treated him just as they pleased. In the same way, the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands."

He told them, "Elijah is indeed coming first and will restore all things. Why, then, is it written that the Son of Man must suffer a great deal and be treated shamefully? But I tell you that Elijah has come, yet people treated him just as they pleased, as it is written about him."

So they asked him, "Well then, are you Elijah?" John said, "I am not." "Are you the Prophet?" He answered, "No." "Who are you?" they asked him. "We must give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?" He replied, "I am ""a voice crying out in the wilderness, "Prepare the Lord's highway,"' as the prophet Isaiah said." read more.
Now those men had been sent from the Pharisees. They asked him, "Why, then, are you baptizing if you are not the Messiah, or Elijah, or the Prophet?"


This was John's testimony when the Jewish leaders sent priests and descendants of Levi to him from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?" He spoke openly and, remaining true to himself, admitted, "I am not the Messiah." So they asked him, "Well then, are you Elijah?" John said, "I am not." "Are you the Prophet?" He answered, "No." read more.
"Who are you?" they asked him. "We must give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?" He replied, "I am ""a voice crying out in the wilderness, "Prepare the Lord's highway,"' as the prophet Isaiah said." Now those men had been sent from the Pharisees. They asked him, "Why, then, are you baptizing if you are not the Messiah, or Elijah, or the Prophet?" John answered them, "I am baptizing with water, but among you stands a man whom you do not know, the one who is coming after me, whose sandal straps I am not worthy to untie." This happened in Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing. The next day, John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is the one about whom I said, "After me comes a man who ranks above me, because he existed before me.' I didn't recognize him, but I came baptizing with water so that he might be revealed to Israel." John also testified, "I saw the Spirit coming down from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. I didn't recognize him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, "The person on whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.' I have seen this and have testified that this is the Son of God."


"Watch out! I'm sending my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly, the LORD you are looking for will come to his Temple. He is the messenger of the covenant whom you desire. Watch out! He is coming!" says the LORD of the Heavenly Armies.

"Comfort! Yes, comfort my people," says your God. "Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her heavy service has been completed, that her penalty has been paid, that she has received from the LORD's hand double for all her sins." A voice cries out: "In the wilderness prepare the way for the LORD; and in the desert a straight highway for our God.' read more.
Every valley will be lifted up, and every mountain and hill will be lowered; the rough ground will become level, and the mountain ridges made a plain.

About this time, John the Baptist appeared, preaching in the Judean wilderness, "Repent, because the kingdom from heaven is near!" He was the one the prophet Isaiah was referring to when he said, "He is a voice calling out in the wilderness: "Prepare the way for the Lord! Make his paths straight!'"

As they were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John. "What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? Really, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fancy clothes? See, those who wear fancy clothes live in kings' houses. Really, what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and even more than a prophet! read more.
This is the man about whom it is written, "See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.' I tell all of you with certainty, among those born of women no one has appeared who is greater than John the Baptist. Yet even the least important person in the kingdom from heaven is greater than he.

This is the beginning of the gospel of Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God. As it is written in the prophet Isaiah, "See! I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way. He is a voice calling out in the wilderness: "Prepare the way for the Lord! Make his paths straight!'"

and Annas and Caiaphas high priests, a message from God came to John, the son of Zechariah, in the wilderness. John went throughout the entire Jordan region, proclaiming a baptism about repentance for the forgiveness of sins, as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah, "He is a voice calling out in the wilderness: "Prepare the way for the Lord! Make his paths straight! read more.
Every valley will be filled, and every mountain and hill will be leveled. The crooked ways will be made straight, and the rough roads will be made smooth. Everyone will see the salvation that God has provided.'"

So he answered them, "Go and tell John what you have observed and heard: the blind see, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear again, the dead are raised, and the destitute hear the good news. How blessed is anyone who is not offended by me!" When John's messengers had gone, Jesus began to ask the crowds about John. "What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? read more.
Really, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fancy clothes? Look! Those who wear fine clothes and live in luxury are in royal palaces. Really, what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and even more than a prophet! This is the man about whom it is written, "See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.' I tell you, no one has ever been born who is greater than John. Yet even the least important person in the kingdom of God is greater than he."

This was John's testimony when the Jewish leaders sent priests and descendants of Levi to him from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?" He spoke openly and, remaining true to himself, admitted, "I am not the Messiah." So they asked him, "Well then, are you Elijah?" John said, "I am not." "Are you the Prophet?" He answered, "No." read more.
"Who are you?" they asked him. "We must give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?" He replied, "I am ""a voice crying out in the wilderness, "Prepare the Lord's highway,"' as the prophet Isaiah said."


He kept proclaiming, "The one who is coming after me is stronger than I am, and I am not worthy to bend down and untie his sandal straps.

This was John's testimony when the Jewish leaders sent priests and descendants of Levi to him from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?" He spoke openly and, remaining true to himself, admitted, "I am not the Messiah." So they asked him, "Well then, are you Elijah?" John said, "I am not." "Are you the Prophet?" He answered, "No." read more.
"Who are you?" they asked him. "We must give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?" He replied, "I am ""a voice crying out in the wilderness, "Prepare the Lord's highway,"' as the prophet Isaiah said."