Part 6

003:004 as it is written in the book of the prophet Isaiah, "The voice of one crying aloud! `In the Desert prepare ye a road for the Lord: make His highway straight.

003:005 Every ravine shall be filled up, and every mountain and hill levelled down, the crooked places shall be turned into straight roads, and the rugged ways into smooth;

003:006 and then shall all mankind see God's salvation.'"

003:007 Accordingly John used to say to the crowds who came out to be baptized by him, "O vipers' brood, who has warned you to flee from the coming wrath?

003:008 Live lives which shall prove your change of heart; and do not begin to say to yourselves, `We have Abraham as our forefather,' for I tell you that God can raise up descendants for Abraham from these stones.

003:009 And even now the axe is lying at the root of the trees, so that every tree which fails to yield good fruit will quickly be hewn down and thrown into the fire."

003:010 The crowds repeatedly asked him, "What then are we to do?"

003:011 "Let the man who has two coats," he answered, "give one to the man who has none; and let the man who has food share it with others."

003:012 There came also a party of tax-gatherers to be baptized, and they asked him, "Rabbi, what are we to do?"

003:013 "Do not exact more than the legal amount," he replied.

003:014 The soldiers also once and again inquired of him, "And we, what are we to do?" His answer was, "Neither intimidate any one nor lay false charges; and be content with your pay."

003:015 And while the people were in suspense and all were debating in their minds whether John might possibly be the Anointed One,

003:016 he answered the question by saying to them all, "As for me, I am baptizing you with water, but One mightier than I is coming, whose very sandal-strap I am not worthy to unfasten: He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit and with fire.

003:017 His winnowing-shovel is in His hand to clear out His threshing-floor, and to gather the wheat into His storehouse; but the chaff He will burn up in fire unquenchable."

003:018 With many exhortations besides these he declared the Good News to the people.

003:019 But Herod the Tetrarch, being repeatedly rebuked by him about Herodias his brother's wife, and about all the wicked deeds that he had done,

003:020 now added this to crown all the rest, that he threw John into prison.

003:021 Now when all the people had been baptized, and Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the sky opened,

003:022 and the Holy Spirit came down in bodily shape, like a dove, upon Him, and a voice came from Heaven, which said, "Thou art My Son, dearly loved: in Thee is My delight."

003:023 And He--Jesus--when He began His ministry, was about thirty years old. He was the son (it was supposed) of Joseph, son of Heli,

003:024 son of Matthat, son of Levi, son of Melchi, son of Jannai, son of Joseph,

003:025 son of Mattathias, son of Amos, son of Nahum, son of Esli, son of Naggai,

003:026 son of Mahath, son of Mattathias, son of Semein, son of Josech, son of Joda,

003:027 son of Johanan, son of Resa, son of Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, son of Neri,

003:028 son of Melchi, son of Addi, son of Cosam, son of Elmadam, son of Er,

003:029 son of Joshua, son of Eliezar, son of Jorim, son of Maththat, son of Levi,

003:030 son of Symeon, son of Judah, son of Joseph, son of Jonam, son of Eliakim, son of

003:031 Melea, son of Menna, son of Mattatha, son of Nathan, son of David,