And there went out to him all the country of Judaea, and all they of Jerusalem, and they were baptized of him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.

But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism he said unto them, “Ye offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?  Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, ’We have Abraham to our father’:  for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.  And even now the axe also lieth at the root of the trees:  every tree therefore that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.”

And the multitudes asked him, saying, “What then must we do?”

And he answered and said unto them, “He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath food, let him do likewise.”

And there came also publicans to be baptized, and they said unto him, “Teacher, what must we do?”

And he said unto them, “Extort no more than that which is appointed you.”

And soldiers also asked him, saying, “And we, what must we do?”

And he said unto them, “Extort from no man by violence, neither accuse any one wrongfully; and be content with your wages.”

And as the people were in expectation, and all men reasoned in their hearts concerning John, whether haply he were the Christ; John answered, saying unto them all, “I indeed baptize you with water; but there cometh he that is mightier than I, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose:  he shall baptize you in the Holy Spirit and in fire:  whose fan is in his hand, thoroughly to cleanse his threshing-floor, and to gather the wheat into his garner; but the chaff he will burn up with unquenchable fire.”

With many other exhortations therefore preached he good tidings unto the people.

THE BAPTISM OF JESUS.

And it came to pass in those days, when all the people were baptized, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee to the Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.

But John would have hindered him, saying, “I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?”

But Jesus answering said unto him, “Suffer it now:  for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness.”

Then he suffereth him.  And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway from the water; and lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming upon him; and lo, a voice out of the heavens, saying, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

THE TEMPTATION IN THE WILDERNESS.

Then straightway was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil, and he was with the wild beasts, and did eat nothing in those days.  And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he afterward hungered.