God sent John the Baptist to the people ahead of Jesus to prepare their hearts to accept Jesus and his teachings. John taught people to repent of their sins. He baptized the people when they repented.

When Jesus came to John to be baptized, the Spirit of God came down upon Jesus, and God spoke saying that Jesus was his Son and that he was well pleased with him.

Jesus’ baptism marked the beginning of his ministry. Read about it and/or listen to the account from Mark 1:1-13 below:

Mark 1:1-13

1 This is the Good News about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God.[a] It began 2 just as the prophet Isaiah had written:

4 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. 5 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.6 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.

7 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.8 I baptize you with[d] water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit!”

9 One day Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee, and John baptized him in the Jordan River. 10 As Jesus came up out of the water, he saw the heavens splitting apart and the Holy Spirit descending on him[e] like a dove. 11 And a voice from heaven said, “You are my dearly loved Son, and you bring me great joy.”

12 The Spirit then compelled Jesus to go into the wilderness, 13 where he was tempted by Satan for forty days. He was out among the wild animals, and angels took care of him.
Image credit: lenm / 123RF Stock Photo