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1. NOW in the
fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor
of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee (Caiaphas being the high priest,
and Annas chief of the Sanhedrim) the word of God came unto John the son
of Zacharias, in the wilderness.
2. And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of
repentance for the remission of sins. As it is written in the prophets, Behold
I send my messenger before thy face, who shall prepare thy way before thee;
the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Holy One,
make straight the paths of the Anointed.
3. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought
low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made
smooth. And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.
4. And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a girdle of the same
about his loins, and his meat was the fruit of the locust tree and wild honey.
Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judea, and all the region round about
Jordan, and were baptized of him in the Jordan confessing their sins.
5. And he said to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him, O generation
of disobedient ones, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring
forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance and begin not to say within yourselves,
We have Abraham to our father.
6. For I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children
unto Abraham. And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every
tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into
the fire.
7. And the wealthier people asked him, saying, What shall we do then? He answereth
and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath
none; and he that hath food let him do likewise.
8. Then came also certain taxgatherers to be baptised and said unto him, Master,
what shall we do? And he said unto them, Exact no more than that which is appointed
you, and be merciful after your power.
9. And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do?
And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and
be content with sufficient wages.
10. And to all he spake, saying, Keep yourselves from blood and things strangled
and from dead bodies of birds and beasts, and from all deeds of cruelty, and
from all that is gotten of wrong; Think ye the blood of beasts and birds will
wash away sin! I tell you Nay, Speak the Truth. Be just, Be merciful to one
another and to all creatures that live, and walk humbly with your God.
11. And as the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts
of John, whether he were the Christ or not, John answered; saying unto them
all, I indeed baptize you with water; but One mightier than I cometh, the latchet
of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose.
12. He shall also baptize you with water and with fire. Whose fan is in his
hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and will gather the wheat into
his garner; but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable. And many other
things in his exortation preached he unto the people.
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