The Gospel of Jesus Christ - MATTHEW 3

MATTHEW 3

CHAPTER III.

The preaching of John: his penance: his baptism.  His reproaches against the Pharisees and Sadducees.  Jesus Christ comes to him, and is baptized.

1 Now, *in those days cometh John the Baptist, preaching in the desert of Judea,

2  And saying: *Do penance: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

3 For this is he, who was spoken of by Isaias the prophet, saying: *A voice of one crying in the desert: Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.

4 And John himself had his garment of camels' hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins, and his food was locusts and wild honey.

5 *Then went out to him Jerusalem and all Judea, and all the country about the Jordan:

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

7 And seeing many of the Pharisees, and Sadducees *coming to his baptism, he said to them: Ye brood of vipers, who hath shewed you to flee from the wrath to come?

8 Bring forth, therefore, fruit worthy of penance.

9 And think not to say within yourselves: *We have Abraham for our father: for I tell you that God is able of these stones to raise up children to Abraham.

10 For now the axe is laid to the root of the trees.  Every tree therefore that yieldeth not good fruit, shall be cut down, and cast into the fire.

11 *I indeed baptize you with water unto penance: but he who is to come after me, is stronger than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to carry: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire.

12 Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly cleanse his floor: and gather his wheat into the barn; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.

13 *Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to the Jordan, unto John, to be baptized by him.

14 But John stayed him, saying, I ought to be baptized by thee, and comest thou to me?

15 And Jesus answering said to him: Suffer it now: for so it becometh us to fulfil all justice.  Then he suffered him.

16 And Jesus being baptized, went up presently 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 from heaven, saying: This is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased.

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*

1:  A.D. 30.

2:  Mark i. 4.; Lu. iii. 3.

3:  Is. xl. 3.; Mark i. 3.; Lu. iii. 4.

5:  Mark i. 5.

7:  Luke iii. 7.

9:  John viii. 89.

11:  Mark i. 8.; Luke iii. 16.; John i. 26.; Acts i. 5.

13:  Mark i. 9.

17:  A.D. 30.; Luke iii. 22.; Luke ix. 35.; 2 Peter i. 17.

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