¹ And^◦ in those^▵ days John the Baptist came^▫ preaching in the wilderness of Judea,

² and saying, Repent ye; for^◦ the kingdom of the heavens is·​·near.

³ 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.^*

⁴ And^◦ the same John had his clothing of camel’s hair, and a leather belt about his loins; and^◦ his food was locusts and wild honey.

⁵ Then went·​·out to him Jerusalem, and all Judea, and all the countryside of the Jordan,

⁶ and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.

⁷ 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?

⁸ Therefore make fruits worthy of repentance;

⁹ 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.

¹⁰ 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.

¹¹ 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,

¹² 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.

¹³ Then comes^▫ Jesus from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him.

¹⁴ But^◦ John forbade Him, saying, I^◦ have need to be baptized by Thee, and comest Thou to me?

¹⁵ 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.

¹⁶ 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;

¹⁷ and behold^◦, a voice out·​·of the heavens saying, This is My beloved Son, in whom I am·​·well·​·pleased.