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CHAPTER 3
1 In those days John (the) Baptist came, and preached in the desert of Judea,
2 and said, Do ye penance, for the kingdom of heaven shall [come] nigh. (and said, Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.)
3 For this is he, of whom it is said by Esaias, the prophet, saying, (or For it is he, of whom it was said by the prophet Isaiah, saying), A voice of a crier in (the) desert, [or A voice of a man crying in (the) desert], Make ye ready the ways of the Lord; make ye right the paths of him.
4 And this John had clothing [or a cloth] of camel’s hairs, and a girdle of skin about his loins; and his meat was honeysuckles [or locusts], and honey of the wood. (And this John had a cloak of camel’s hair, and a girdle of skin about his loins; and his food was locusts, and honey from the woods.)
5 Then Jerusalem went out to him, and all Judea, and all the country(side) about (the) Jordan (River);
6 and they were washed of him [or and they were christened of him] in (the) Jordan, (or and they were baptized by him in the Jordan River), acknowledging their sins.
7 But he saw many of the Pharisees and of (the) Sadducees coming to his baptism, and said to them, Generation of adders (or Children of snakes), who showed to you to flee from the wrath that is to come?
8 Therefore do ye worthy fruits of penance, (And so do worthy fruits of repentance,)
9 and do not ye say within you(rselves), We have Abraham to our father [or We have the father Abraham]; for I say to you, that God is mighty to raise up (out) of these stones the sons of Abraham. (and do not say within yourselves, We have Abraham for our father; for I tell you, that God is mighty enough to raise up the sons of Abraham from these stones.)
10 And now the ax is put to the root of the tree; therefore every tree that maketh not good fruit, shall be cut down, and shall be cast into the fire.
11 I wash you in water, into penance (or for repentance); but he that shall come after me is stronger than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear; he shall baptize you in the Holy Ghost, and (in) fire, [+or he shall christen you in the Holy Ghost, and in fire], (or he shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit, and with fire).
12 Whose winnowing cloth, [or tool, or fan], is in his hand, and he shall fully cleanse his cornfloor, (or and he shall completely cleanse his grain floor, or his threshing floor), and shall gather his wheat into his barn; but the chaff he shall burn with (the) fire that may not be quenched [or that is unquenchable].
13 Then Jesus came from Galilee into (the) Jordan to John, to be baptized of him. (Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan River to John, to be baptized by him.)
14 And John forbade him, and said, I owe to be baptized of thee (or I ought to be baptized by thee), and thou comest to me?
15 But Jesus answered, and said to him, Suffer now (or Allow this), for thus it falleth to us to fulfill all rightwiseness. Then John suffered him [or Then John let him].
16 And when Jesus was baptized, anon (or at once) he went up from the water; and lo! (the) heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God coming down as a dove, and coming (or lighting) on him;
17 and lo! a voice from heaven, saying, This is my [be] loved Son, in which I have well pleased to me (or in whom I am well pleased).

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© 2001,2010,2011,2012,2013,2015 Terry Noble