Christ in art/Chapter 4: The Voice In The Wilderness
CHAPTER IV.
THE VOICE IN THE WILDERNESS.
OW in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar,
Pontius Pilate being governor of Judaea, and Herod being
tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of
Iturea and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the
tetrarch of Abilene, Annas and Caiaphas being the high-priests, the word of God came unto John the Baptist, the
son of Zacharias, in the wilderness. And he came into all the
country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for
the remission of sins; saying, " Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at
hand"; as it is written in the prophets, "Behold, I send my messenger
before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee." " The voice of
one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his
paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill
shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the
rough ways shall be made smooth; and all flesh shall see the salvation of
God."
And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey.
Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan, and were baptized of him in Jordon, confessing their sins. But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, " O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: and think 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 now also the ax is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore, every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire."
And the people asked him, saying, "What shall we do then? " He answereth and saith unto them, "He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise." Then came also publicans to be baptized, and said unto him, "Master, what shall we do?" And he said unto them, " Exact no more than that which is appointed you."
And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, "And what shall we do? " And he said unto them, "Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely: and be content with your wages."
And as the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of John, whether he were the Christ, or not; John answered, saying unto them all, "I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier, than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire: whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and will gather the wheat into his gamer; but the chaff he will burn with fire unquench able." And many other things in his exhortation preached he unto the people.