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And in those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea,
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and saying, Repent ye; for the kingdom of the heavens is near.
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For this is he who was declared by Isaiah the prophet, saying, The voice of him who cries in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make His paths straight.
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And the same John had his clothing of camels hair, and a leather belt about his loins; and his food was locusts and wild honey.
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Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judea, and all the countryside of the Jordan,
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and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.
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And seeing many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming upon his baptism, he said to them, Brood of vipers, who has shown you to flee from the anger to come?
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Therefore make fruits worthy of repentance;
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and think it not right to say within yourselves, We have Abraham for our father; for I say to you that God is able of these stones to raise up children to Abraham.
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And already also the axe is laid to the root of the trees; therefore every tree which makes not good fruit is cut down, and cast into the fire.
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I indeed baptize you with water to repentance; but He who comes after me is stronger than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to carry; He shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire,
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whose fan is in His hand; and He will purge His floor, and gather His wheat into the barn, and will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.
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Then comes Jesus from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him.
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But John forbade Him, saying, I have need to be baptized by Thee, and comest Thou to me?
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And Jesus answering said to him, Let it now be so; for thus it is becoming to us to fulfill all justice. Then he let Him.
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And Jesus, being baptized, went up straightway out of the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming upon Him;
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and behold, a voice out of the heavens saying, This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
