girdle of skin about his loins; and he did eat locusts and wild honey.

Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judæa, and all the region round about Jordan, and were baptized of him in Jordan, 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 axe 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. I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."

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 after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire: whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and will gather the wheat into his garner; but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable."

And many other things in his exhortation preached he unto the people.

But Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him for Herodias his brother Philip's wife, and for all the evils

which Herod had done, added yet this above all, that he shut up John in prison.

Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. But John forbad him, saying: "I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?"

And Jesus answering said unto him: "Suffer it to be so now for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness." Then he suffered him.

And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water, praying: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God in a bodily shape descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: and, lo, a voice from heaven, saying: "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."

And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and immediately the spirit driveth him into the wilderness. And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan; and was with the wild beasts. And in those days he did eat nothing.

And when the tempter came to him, he said: "If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread." But he answered and said: "It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God."

And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said unto him: "All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it. If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine."

And Jesus answered and said unto him: "Get thee behind me Satan, for it is written: Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve."

And he brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said unto him: "If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence: for it is