1 The office, doctrine, and life of John. 7 The Pharises are reproved. 8 The fruits of repentance. 13 Christ is baptised in Jordan. 17 And authorised by God his Father.
1.*And in athose days, John the Baptist came and preached in the bwilderness of Judea,
2.And said, ^Repent: for the ckingdom of heaven is at hand.
3.For this is he of whom it is spoken by the Prophet Esaias, saying, *The voice of him that cryeth in the wilderness, is, Prepare ye the way of the Lord: make his paths straight.
4.*And this John had his dgarment of camel’s hair, & a girdle of a skin about his loins: his meat was also e^locusts & wild honey.
5.*Then went out to him Jerusalem and all Judea, and all the region round about Jordan.
6.And they were baptised of him in Jordan, fconfessing their sins.
7.Now when he saw many of the Pharisees & of the Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, *O ^generations of vipers, who hath forewarned you to flee from the anger to come?
8.Bring forth therefore gfruits worthy amendment of life,
9.And think not to say with your selves, *We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.
10.And now also is the haxe put to the root of the trees: *therefore every tree, which bringeth not forth good fruit, is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
11.*In deed I baptise you with water to amendment of life, but he that cometh after me, is mightier then I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he will baptise you with the holie Ghost, and with ifire.
12.Which hath his kfan in his hand, and will make clean his floor, and gather his wheat into his garner, but will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.
13.¶ *Then came Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptised of him.
14.But John put him back, saying, I have need to be baptised of thee, and commest thou to me?
15.Then Jesus answering, said to him, Let be now: for thus it becometh us to lfulfil all righteousness. So he suffered him.
16.And Jesus when he was baptised, came straight out of the water. And lo, the heavens were opened unto him, & John saw the Spirit of God descending like a mdove, and lighting upon him.
17.And lo, a voice came from heaven, saying, *nThis is my *beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
He menaces those venomous and malicious Pharisees with the judgement of God, except they show before men such works as are agreeable to the profession of the godly, whom Isaiah calls the trees of righteousness, ch. 61.3.