Part 3

003:004 This man John wore a garment of camel's hair, and a loincloth of leather; and he lived upon locusts and wild honey.

003:005 Then large numbers of people went out to him--people from Jerusalem and from all Judaea, and from the whole of the Jordan valley--

003:006 and were baptized by him in the Jordan, making full confession of their sins.

003:007 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he exclaimed, "O vipers' brood, who has warned you to flee from the coming wrath?

003:008 Therefore let your lives prove your change of heart;

003:009 and do not imagine that you can say to yourselves, `We have Abraham as our forefather,' for I tell you that God can raise up descendants for Abraham from these stones.

003:010 And already the axe is lying at the root of the trees, so that every tree which does not produce good fruit will quickly be hewn down and thrown into the fire.

003:011 I indeed am baptizing you in water on a profession of repentance; but He who is coming after me is mightier than I: His sandals I am not worthy to carry for a moment; He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit and in fire.

003:012 His winnowing-shovel is in His hand, and He will make a thorough clearance of His threshing-floor, gathering His wheat into the storehouse, but burning up the chaff in unquenchable fire."

003:013 Just at that time Jesus, coming from Galilee to the Jordan, presents Himself to John to be baptized by him.

003:014 John protested. "It is I," he said, "who have need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?"

003:015 "Let it be so on this occasion," Jesus replied; "for so we ought to fulfil every religious duty." Then he consented;

003:016 and Jesus was baptized, and immediately went up from the water. At that moment the heavens opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him,

003:017 while a voice came from Heaven, saying, "This is My Son, the dearly loved, in whom is My delight."

004:001 At that time Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the Desert in order to be tempted by the Devil.

004:002 There He fasted for forty days and nights; and after that He suffered from hunger.

004:003 So the Tempter came and said, "If you are the Son of God, command these stones to turn into loaves."

004:004 "It is written," replied Jesus, "`It is not on bread alone that a man shall live, but on whatsoever God shall appoint.'"

004:005 Then the Devil took Him to the Holy City and caused Him to stand on the roof of the Temple,

004:006 and said, "If you are God's Son, throw yourself down; for it is written, "`To His angels He will give orders concerning thee, and on their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any moment thou shouldst strike thy foot against a stone.'"

004:007 "Again it is written," replied Jesus, "`Thou shalt not put the Lord thy God to the proof.'"

004:008 Then the Devil took Him to the top of an exceedingly lofty mountain, from which he caused Him to see all the Kingdoms of the world and their splendour,

004:009 and said to Him, "All this I will give you, if you will kneel down and do me homage."

004:010 "Begone, Satan!" Jesus replied; "for it is written, `To the Lord thy God thou shalt do homage, and to Him alone shalt thou render worship.'"

004:011 Thereupon the Devil left Him, and angels at once came and ministered to Him.

004:012 Now when Jesus heard that John was thrown into prison, He withdrew into Galilee,

004:013 and leaving Nazareth He went and settled at Capernaum, a town by the Lake on the frontiers of Zebulun and Naphtali,

004:014 in order that these words, spoken through the Prophet Isaiah, might be fulfilled,