s the prophet, saying: A
voice of one crying in the desert, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make
straight his paths.

3:4. And the same John had his garment of camel's hair, and a leathern
girdle about his loins: and his meat was locusts and wild honey.

3:5. Then went out to him Jerusalem and all Judea, and all the country
about Jordan:

3:6. And were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.

3:7. And seeing many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his
baptism, he said to them: Ye brood of vipers, who hath shewed you to
flee from the wrath to come?

Pharisees and Sadducees... These were two sects among the Jews: of which
the former were for the most part notorious hypocrites; the latter, a
kind of freethinkers in matters of religion.

3:8. Bring forth therefore fruit worthy of penance.

3:9. And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham for our
father. For I tell you that God is able of these stones to raise up
children to Abraham.

3:10. For now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree
therefore that doth not yield good fruit, shall be cut down, and cast
into the fire.

3:11. I indeed baptize you in water unto penance, but he that shall come
after me, is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he
shall baptize you in the Holy Ghost and fire.

3:12. Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his floor
and gather his wheat into the barn; but the chaff he will burn with
unquenchable fire.

3:13. Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to the Jordan, unto John, to be
baptized by him.

3:14. But John stayed him, saying: I ought to be baptized by thee, and
comest thou to me?

3:15. And Jesus answering, said to him: Suffer it to be so now. For so
it becometh us to fulfil all justice. Then he suffered him.

3:16. And Jesus being baptized, forthwith came out of the water: and lo,
the heavens were opened to him: and he saw the Spirit of God descending
as a dove, and coming upon him.

3:17. And behold a voice from heaven saying: This is my beloved Son, in
whom I am well pleased.

Matthew Chapter 4

Christ's fast of forty days: He is tempted. He begins to preach, to call
disciples to him, and to work miracles.

4:1. Then Jesus was led by the spirit into the desert, to be tempted by
the devil.

4:2. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterwards he
was hungry.

4:3. And the tempter coming said to him: If thou be the Son of God,