¶ In those days¹ came John the² Baptist, preaching in³ the wilderness of⁴ Judaea,

And saying, Repent⁵ ye: for⁶ the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

For this is he that was spoken of by⁷ the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare⁸ ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

And the same John had his raiment⁹ of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his¹⁰ meat was locusts and wild¹¹ honey.

¹²Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan,

And were¹³ baptized of him in Jordan, confessing¹⁴ their sins.

¶ But when he saw many of the Pharisees¹⁵ and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation¹⁶ of vipers, who¹⁷ hath warned you to flee¹⁸ from the wrath to come?

Bring forth¹⁹ therefore fruits²⁰ meet²¹ for repentance:

And think²² not to say within yourselves, We²³ have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God²⁴ is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.

¶ And now²⁵ also the axe²⁶ is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore²⁷ every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn²⁸ down, and cast into the fire.

I indeed baptize²⁹ you with water unto repentance: but³⁰ he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose³¹ shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall³² baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:

Whose fan³³ is in his hand, and he will throughly³⁴ purge his floor, and gather³⁵ his wheat into the garner; but³⁶ he will burn up the chaff with³⁷ unquenchable fire.

¶³⁸Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.

But John³⁹ forbad him, saying, I have⁴⁰ need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?

And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer⁴¹ it to be so now: for⁴² thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.

And Jesus⁴³, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo⁴⁴, the heavens were opened unto him, and he⁴⁵ saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:

And lo⁴⁶ a voice from heaven, saying, This⁴⁷ is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.