Mark 1:4 (KJV)

Passage

John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.

Nearby Context

Mark 1:2 As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.

Mark 1:3 The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

Mark 1:4 John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.

Mark 1:5 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.

Mark 1:6 And John was clothed with camel’s hair, and with a girdle of a skin about his loins; and he did eat locusts and wild honey;

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "john", "baptize", "wilderness", "preach", "baptism", "repentance", "remission", and "sins". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "john" and "baptize", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 3's "The voice of one crying in the..." into verse 5's "And there went out unto him all...", so "john" and "baptize" belong inside that flow. In Mark context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "john" and "baptize" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.