The Life of Jesus

for this is he who was spoken of by Isaiah the prophet, saying, `A voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, straight make ye His paths.'

And this John had his clothing of camel's hair, and a girdle of skin round his loins, and his nourishment was locusts and honey of the field.

Then were going forth unto him Jerusalem, and all Judea, and all the region round about the Jordan,

and they were baptized in the Jordan by him, confessing their sins.

And having seen many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming about his baptism, he said to them, `Brood of vipers! who did shew you to flee from the coming wrath?

bear, therefore, fruits worthy of the reformation,

and do not think to say in yourselves, A father we have--Abraham, for I say to you, that God is able out of these stones to raise children to Abraham,

and now also, the axe unto the root of the trees is laid, every tree therefore not bearing good fruit is hewn down, and to fire is cast.

`I indeed do baptize you with water to reformation, but he who after me is coming is mightier than I, of whom I am not worthy to bear the sandals, he shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire,

whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his floor, and will gather his wheat to the storehouse, but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable.'

Then cometh Jesus from Galilee upon the Jordan, unto John to be baptized by him,

but John was forbidding him, saying, `I have need by thee to be baptized--and thou dost come unto me!'

But Jesus answering said to him, `Suffer now, for thus it is becoming to us to fulfil all righteousness,' then he doth suffer him.

And having been baptized, Jesus went up immediately from the water, and lo, opened to him were the heavens, 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 Son--the Beloved, in whom I did delight.'

Then Jesus was led up to the wilderness by the Spirit, to be tempted by the Devil,

and having fasted forty days and forty nights, afterwards he did hunger.

And the Tempter having come to him said, `If Son thou art of God--speak that these stones may become loaves.'

But he answering said, `It hath been written, Not upon bread alone doth man live, but upon every word coming forth from the mouth of God.'

Then doth the Devil take him to the holy city, and doth set him on the pinnacle of the temple,

and saith to him, `If Son thou art of God--cast thyself down, for it hath been written, that, His messengers He shall charge concerning thee, and on hands they shall bear thee up, that thou mayest not dash on a stone thy foot.'

Jesus said to him again, `It hath been written, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.'

Again doth the Devil take him to a very high mount, and doth shew to him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them,

and saith to him, `All these to thee I will give, if falling down thou mayest bow to me.'

Then saith Jesus to him, `Go--Adversary, for it hath been written, The Lord thy God thou shalt bow to, and Him only thou shalt serve.'