Study Desk

And in those days cometh John the Baptist, proclaiming in the wilderness of Judea,

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?

`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,

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!'

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,

Verily I say to you, there hath not risen, among those born of women, a greater than John the Baptist, but he who is least in the reign of the heavens is greater than he.

`And, from the days of John the Baptist till now, the reign of the heavens doth suffer violence, and violent men do take it by force,

and said to his servants, `This is John the Baptist, he did rise from the dead, and because of this the mighty energies are working in him.'

And she having been instigated by her mother -- `Give me (says she) here upon a plate the head of John the Baptist;

and they said, `Some, John the Baptist, and others, Elijah, and others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.'

Then understood the disciples that concerning John the Baptist he spake to them.

And Jesus answering said, `Ye have not known what ye ask for yourselves; are ye able to drink of the cup that I am about to drink? and with the baptism that I am baptized with, to be baptized?' They say to him, `We are able.'

And he saith to them, `Of my cup indeed ye shall drink, and with the baptism that I am baptized with ye shall be baptized; but to sit on my right hand and on my left is not mine to give, but -- to those for whom it hath been prepared by my father.'

the baptism of John, whence was it? -- from heaven, or from men?' And they were reasoning with themselves, saying, `If we should say, From heaven; he will say to us, Wherefore, then, did ye not believe him?

having gone, then, disciple all the nations, (baptizing them -- to the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,

John came baptizing in the wilderness, and proclaiming a baptism of reformation -- to remission of sins,

and there were going forth to him all the region of Judea, and they of Jerusalem, and they were all baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.

I indeed did baptize you with water, but he shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit.'