Hi, friends. I am 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, and the miracles.

Each month, here on Let's Read the Gospels, we read all four books. So make sure you're subscribed so you don't miss any.

And remember, we have a downloadable reading plan if you want to follow along that way, or there's a Let's Read the Gospels guidebook that contains some extras,

like notes from me, journal prompts, and some questions to dig a little deeper into the readings. You can find all that at AnnieFdowns.com slash Gospels.

So here's how this works. I'll read three chapters to you today. You can listen, or read along in your own Bible, and then I'll pray, and that is it.

So today is June 7th, day 7, and I'll be reading Matthew, chapters 3 through 5. And this month, I'm reading from the NRSV.

Matthew 3.

In those days, John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea proclaiming repent for the kingdom of heaven has come near.

This is the one of whom the prophet Isaiah spoke when he said,

the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

Now John wore clothing of camel's hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locust and wild honey.

Then the people of Jerusalem and all Judea were going out to him, and all the region along the Jordan, and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.

But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them,

you brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruit worthy of repentance. Do not presume to say to yourselves, we have Abraham as our ancestor.

For I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham.

Even now the axe is lying at the root of the trees. Every tree, therefore, that does not bear good fruit, is cut down and thrown into the fire.

I baptize you with water for repentance, but one who is more powerful than I is coming after me. I am not worthy to carry his sandals.

He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and will gather his wheat into the granary, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.

Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. John would have prevented him saying, I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?

But Jesus answered him, let it be so now, for it is proper for us in this way to fulfill all righteousness, then he consented.

And when Jesus had been baptized, just as he came up from the water, suddenly the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and a lighting on him.

...