Hi friends. I'm Annie F. Downs. Let's read the Gospels. The Gospels are the first four books of the New Testament in the Bible, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. These are the stories of Jesus Christ's life on earth, the friendships, the parables, the sacrifices, the meals, the miracles. So here's how this works. I'm going to read three chapters to you today. We read all four books in 30 days. We have finished John and Luke and we are starting today on Mark. I'm going to read three chapters to you. You can listen, read along in your own Bible. You can watch on YouTube if you want. And then I'll pray. And that is it. So today is day 16. I'll be reading Mark chapters 1 through 3 in the new living translation.

And if you have the let's read the Gospels guided journal, we are on page 109.

Mark 1. This is the good news about Jesus, the Messiah, the son of God.

It began just as the prophet Isaiah had written, look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you and he will prepare your way.

He is a voice shouting in the wilderness.

Prepare the way for the Lord's coming.

Clear the road for him.

This messenger was John the Baptist.

He was in the wilderness and preached that people should be baptized to show that they had repented of their sins and turned to God to be forgiven. All of

Dudaia, 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. His clothes were woven from coarse camel hair,

and he wore a leather belt around his waist. For food he ate, locusts, and wild honey. John announced,

Someone is coming soon who is greater than I am, so much greater that I'm not even worthy to stoop

down like a slave and untie the straps of his

sandals. I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit. One day, Jesus came

from Nazareth in Galilee, and John baptized him in the Jordan River. As Jesus came up out of the

water, he saw the heavens splitting apart in the Holy Spirit descending on him like a dove.

And a voice from heaven said, you are my dearly loved son, and you bring me great joy. The spirit then compelled

Jesus to go into the wilderness, where he was tempted by Satan for 40 days. He was out among the

wild animals and angels took care of him. Later on, after John was arrested, Jesus went into Galilee, where he preached God's good news.

The time promised by God has come at last, he announced.

The kingdom of God is near. Repent of your sins and believe the good news.

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