Chapter III: Christ's Baptism and Temptation

1 [3:1]AND in those days came John the Baptist preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying, [3:2]Change your minds, for the kingdom of Heaven is at hand. [3:3]For this is he that was spoken of by Isaiah the prophet, saying; A voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. [3:4]And this John had his clothes of camel's hair, and a leather girdle about his loins, and his food was locusts and wild honey. [3:5]Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judea, and all the region about the Jordan, [3:6] and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.

2 [3:7]And seeing many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come for the baptism, he said to them; Offspring of vipers, who has warned you to flee from the wrath to come? [3:8]Bear fruit, therefore, worthy of a change of mind; [3:9]and think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham for a father; for I tell you that God is able of these stones to raise up children to Abraham; [3:10]and already the axe lies at the root of the trees; every tree, therefore, which bears not good fruit is cut down and cast into the fire. [3:11]I indeed baptize you with water to a change of mind; but he that comes after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not fit to bear; he shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit, and fire; [3:12]whose winnowing shovel is in his hand, and he will thoroughly clean his threshing floor, and gather his wheat into the storehouse; but the chaff he will burn with an inextinguishable fire.

3 [3:13]Then came Jesus from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. [3:14]But, he refused him, saying, I have need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me? [3:15]But Jesus answered and said to him, Suffer me now; for thus, it becomes us to complete all righteousness. Then he suffered him; [3:16] and Jesus being baptized went up immediately from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descend like a dove and come upon him. [3:17]And behold, a voice from the heavens, saying, This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.

4 [4:1]Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness, to be tempted by the devil. [4:2]And having fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterwards hungry. [4:3]And the tempter came and said to him, If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become bread. [4:4]And he answered and said; It is written, man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word which proceeds from the mouth of God. [4:5]Then the devil took him into the holy city, and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, [4:6]and said to him, If you are the Son of God, cast yourself down; for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning you, and they shall take you up on their hands, lest at any time you dash your foot against a stone. [4:7]Jesus said to him, Again it is written, You shall not try the Lord your God. [4:8]Again the devil took him away on a very high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world, and their glory, [4:9]and said to him, All these things will I give you, if you will fall down and worship me. [4:10]Then Jesus said to him, Get behind me Satan; for it is written, You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve. [4:11]Then the devil left him; and behold angels came and waited on him.