In addition, other terms are sometimes used to describe the preaching process (e.g. the verbs proclaim, testify; noun good news). However, it is not possible to discern any details about what might have been preached or expected from the mere usage of these terms. If we are to understand what was preached and what was the expected response, we will have to examine individual instances of preaching and conversion in context. Often, the exact content of this preaching is not specific, but the text of Luke 3:1-18 sheds the most light on the details of the "preaching the gospel" during the ministry of John the Baptist:

Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip was tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias was tetrarch of Abilene, [2] in the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John, the son of Zacharias, in the wilderness. [3] And he came into all the district around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins; [4] as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet,

  "THE VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS,
  `MAKE READY THE WAY OF THE LORD,
  MAKE His paths straight. [5] `EVERY RAVINE SHALL BE FILLED UP,
  AND EVERY MOUNTAIN AND HILL SHALL BE BROUGHT LOW;
  AND THE CROOKED SHALL BECOME STRAIGHT,
  AND THE ROUGH ROADS SMOOTH; [6] AND ALL FLESH SHALL SEE THE SALVATION OF GOD.'"

[7] He therefore began saying to the multitudes who were going out to be baptized by him, "You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? [8] "Therefore bring forth fruits in keeping with repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, `We have Abraham for our father,' for I say to you that God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. [9] "And also the axe is already laid at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire." [10] And the multitudes were questioning him, saying, "Then what shall we do?" [11] And he would answer and say to them, "Let the man who has two tunics share with him who has none; and let him who has food do likewise." [12] And some tax-gatherers also came to be baptized, and they said to him, "Teacher, what shall we do?" [13] And he said to them, "Collect no more than what you have been ordered to." [14] And some soldiers were questioning him, saying, "And what about us, what shall we do?" And he said to them, "Do not take money from anyone by force, or accuse anyone falsely, and be content with your wages."

[15] Now while the people were in a state of expectation and all were wondering in their hearts about John, as to whether he might be the Christ, [16] John answered and said to them all, "As for me, I baptize you with water; but One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to untie the thong of His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. [17] "And His winnowing fork is in His hand to thoroughly clear His threshing floor, and to gather the wheat into His barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."

[18] So with many other exhortations also he preached the gospel to the people. (Luke 3:1-18)

And after John had been taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, [15] and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel." (Mark 1:14-15)

For He was teaching His disciples and telling them, "The Son of Man is to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill Him; and when He has been killed, He will rise three days later." (Mark 9:31, see also Mt 24:14, 26:13, Mk 13:10).