People went out to him from all of Jerusalem and the countryside of Judea. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.
Parallel translations
- WEB 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.
- KJV And there went out unto him all the land of Judaea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins.
- NKJV 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.
- NASB And all the country of Judea was going out to him, and all the people of Jerusalem; and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins.
- NLT All of Judea, including all the people of Jerusalem, went out to see and hear John. And when they confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Crowds from Judea and Jerusalem flocked to John, confessing sins and being baptized. His ministry stirred a widespread hunger for repentance.
Overview
The mass response shows how deeply many in Israel longed for God to act after centuries of waiting. Confession of sin accompanied baptism, highlighting that genuine repentance is honest about wrongdoing. This wave of preparation set the stage for the One mightier than John, who would deal with sin not merely symbolically but truly.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- Acts 19:18Many who had believed now came forward, confessing and disclosing their deeds.
- Lev 26:40–42But if they will confess their iniquity and that of their fathers in the unfaithfulness that they practiced against Me, by which they have also walked in hostility toward Me—
- Matt 3:5–6People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region around the Jordan.
- Acts 2:38Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
- Prov 28:13He who conceals his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them will find mercy.
- Josh 7:19So Joshua said to Achan, “My son, give glory to the LORD, the God of Israel, and make a confession to Him. I urge you to tell me what you have done; do not hide it from me.”
- John 1:28All this happened at Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
- Ps 32:5Then I acknowledged my sin to You and did not hide my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,” and You forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah
- John 3:23Now John was also baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because the water was plentiful there, and people kept coming to be baptized.
- Matt 4:25The large crowds that followed Him came from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan.
- 1 Jn 1:8–10If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Mark drives urgently to the cross, showing Jesus the Son of God as the suffering Servant who 'came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.'
How Mark 1:5 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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