and he will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God.

They did not become God's children by natural means, that is, by being born as the children of a human father; God himself was their Father.

John answered by quoting the prophet Isaiah: "I am 'the voice of someone shouting in the desert: Make a straight path for the Lord to travel!' "

then asked John, "If you are not the Messiah nor Elijah nor the Prophet, why do you baptize?"

He is coming after me, but I am not good enough even to untie his sandals."

The next day John saw Jesus coming to him, and said, "There is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

You yourselves are my witnesses that I said, 'I am not the Messiah, but I have been sent ahead of him.'

"But before the great and terrible day of the LORD comes, I will send you the prophet Elijah.

He will bring fathers and children together again; otherwise I would have to come and destroy your country."

and if you are willing to believe their message, John is Elijah, whose coming was predicted.

"Elijah is indeed coming first," answered Jesus, "and he will get everything ready.

But I tell you that Elijah has already come and people did not recognize him, but treated him just as they pleased. In the same way they will also mistreat the Son of Man."

And they asked Jesus, "Why do the teachers of the Law say that Elijah has to come first?"

I tell you, however, that Elijah has already come and that people treated him just as they pleased, as the Scriptures say about him."

"Who are you, then?" they asked. "Are you Elijah?" "No, I am not," John answered. "Are you the Prophet?" they asked. "No," he replied.

John answered by quoting the prophet Isaiah: "I am 'the voice of someone shouting in the desert: Make a straight path for the Lord to travel!' "

Then I saw thrones, and those who sat on them were given the power to judge. I also saw the souls of those who had been executed because they had proclaimed the truth that Jesus revealed and the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or its image, nor had they received the mark of the beast on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and ruled as kings with Christ for a thousand years.

A prophet named Elijah, from Tishbe in Gilead, said to King Ahab, "In the name of the LORD, the living God of Israel, whom I serve, I tell you that there will be no dew or rain for the next two or three years until I say so."

"I'm not the troublemaker," Elijah answered. "You are---you and your father. You are disobeying the LORD's commands and worshiping the idols of Baal.

When Ahab saw Elijah, he said, "Have you caught up with me, my enemy?" "Yes, I have," Elijah answered. "You have devoted yourself completely to doing what is wrong in the LORD's sight.

Tell the king that the LORD says, 'You will not recover from your injuries; you will die!' " Elijah did as the LORD commanded,

They answered, "We were met by a man who told us to come back and tell you that the LORD says to you, 'Why are you sending messengers to consult Baalzebub, the god of Ekron? Is it because you think there is no god in Israel? You will not recover from your injuries; you will die!' "

John's clothes were made of camel's hair; he wore a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey.

When John saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming to him to be baptized, he said to them, "You snakes---who told you that you could escape from the punishment God is about to send?

And don't think you can escape punishment by saying that Abraham is your ancestor. I tell you that God can take these rocks and make descendants for Abraham!

I baptize you with water to show that you have repented, but the one who will come after me will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. He is much greater than I am; and I am not good enough even to carry his sandals.

For some time John the Baptist had told Herod, "It isn't right for you to be married to Herodias!"

Crowds of people came out to John to be baptized by him. "You snakes!" he said to them. "Who told you that you could escape from the punishment God is about to send?

The ax is ready to cut down the trees at the roots; every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown in the fire."

He answered, "Whoever has two shirts must give one to the man who has none, and whoever has food must share it."

"Don't collect more than is legal," he told them.

He will bring fathers and children together again; otherwise I would have to come and destroy your country."

Foolish people will learn to understand, and those who are always grumbling will be glad to be taught."

'I don't want to,' he answered, but later he changed his mind and went.

Which one of the two did what his father wanted?" "The older one," they answered. So Jesus said to them, "I tell you: the tax collectors and the prostitutes are going into the Kingdom of God ahead of you.

Surely you know that the wicked will not possess God's Kingdom. Do not fool yourselves; people who are immoral or who worship idols or are adulterers or homosexual perverts

Some of you were like that. But you have been purified from sin; you have been dedicated to God; you have been put right with God by the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Then Samuel called for all the Israelites to meet at Mizpah, telling them, "I will pray to the LORD for you there."

LORD God of our ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, keep such devotion forever strong in your people's hearts and keep them always faithful to you.

King Hezekiah and the people were happy, because God had helped them to do all this so quickly.

You will listen, O LORD, to the prayers of the lowly; you will give them courage.

They will not be like their ancestors, a rebellious and disobedient people, whose trust in God was never firm and who did not remain faithful to him.

The way to become wise is to honor the LORD; he gives sound judgment to all who obey his commands. He is to be praised forever.

"So then, people of Israel, I am going to punish you. And because I am going to do this, get ready to face my judgment!"

And so I sent for you at once, and you have been good enough to come. Now we are all here in the presence of God, waiting to hear anything that the Lord has instructed you to say."

And he also wanted to reveal his abundant glory, which was poured out on us who are the objects of his mercy, those of us whom he has prepared to receive his glory.

(SEE 1:11)

Those who make themselves clean from all those evil things, will be used for special purposes, because they are dedicated and useful to their Master, ready to be used for every good deed.

But you are the chosen race, the King's priests, the holy nation, God's own people, chosen to proclaim the wonderful acts of God, who called you out of darkness into his own marvelous light.

Since all these things will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people should you be? Your lives should be holy and dedicated to God,

But we wait for what God has promised: new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness will be at home.

Yes, my children, remain in union with him, so that when he appears we may be full of courage and need not hide in shame from him on the Day he comes.