3 For this is he that was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah, saying: The voice of one crying

in the wilderness, Prepare the way of the Lord, make 4 straight his paths. And he, John, had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his food was locusts and wild honey.

5

Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judea, and 6 all the region about the Jordan, and were immers7 ed by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins. But ! when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his immersion, he said to them: Brood of vipers, who has warned you to flee from the com8 ing wrath? Bring forth therefore fruit meet for 9 repentance; and think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham for our father; for I say to you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children 10 to Abraham. And now the axe is laid to the root

of the trees; therefore every tree that brings not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 11 I indeed immerse you in water unto repentance; but

he that comes after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to bear; he will immerse 12 you in the Holy Spirit and fire. Whose fan is in

his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his threshing-floor, and will gather his wheat into the garner; but the chaff he will burn up with fire unquenchable. 13 Then Jesus comes from Galilee to the Jordan to 14 John, to be immersed by him. But John sought to hinder him, saying: I have need to be immersed by

thee, and dost thou come to me? And Jesus an- 15 swering said to him: Suffer it now; for thus it becomes us to fulfill all righteousness. Then he suffered him. And Jesus, when he was immersed, went 16 up straightway from 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. And 17 lo, a voice out of heaven, saying: This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

IV. THEN was Jesus led up by the Spirit into 1 the wilderness, to be tempted by the Devil. And 2 when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he afterwards hungered. And the tempter came, and 3 said to him: If thou art the Son of God, command that these stones become bread. But he answered 4 and said: It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.

Then the Devil takes him up into the holy city, 5 and sets him on the pinnacle of the temple, and says to him: If thou art the Son of God, cast thyself 6 down; for it is written, He shall give his angels command concerning thee; and on their hands they shall bear thee up, lest haply thou dash thy foot against a stone. Jesus said to him: Again it 7 is written, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.

Again the Devil takes him up into an exceeding 8 high mountain, and shows him all the kingdoms of

9 the world, and the glory of them; and says to him All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall 10 down and worship me. Then Jesus says to him: Get thee hence, Satan; for it is written: Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt 11 thou serve. Then the Devil leaves him; and behold, angels came and ministered to him.

12 And hearing that John was delivered up, he re13 tired into Galilee. And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, 14 in the borders of Zebulun and Naphtali. That it

might be fulfilled which was spoken through Isaiah 15 the prophet, saying: The land of Zebulun, and the

land of Naphtali, by the way of the sea, beyond the 16 Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles; the people that sat

in darkness saw great light; and to them that sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up. 17 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say: Repent; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. 18 And walking by the sea of Galilee, he saw two

brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were 19 fishers. And he says to them: Come after me, and 20 I will make you fishers of men. And they straight21 way left their nets, and followed him. And going

on from thence, he saw other two brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets ;

and he called them.

And they immediately left 22

the ship and their father, and followed him.

And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in 23 their synagogues, and preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every infirmity among the people. And his fame went forth 24 into all Syria; and they brought to him all that were sick, taken with divers diseases and torments, and possessed with devils, and lunatic, and palsied; and he healed them. And great multitudes followed him 25 from Galilee, and Decapolis, and Jerusalem, and Judea, and from beyond the Jordan.

V. AND seeing the multitudes, he went up into the 1 mountain; and when he had sat down, his disciples came to him. And he opened his mouth, and taught 2 them, saying:

Happy the poor in spirit; for theirs is the king- 3 dom of heaven.

Happy they that mourn; for they shall be com- 4. forted.

Happy the meek; for they shall inherit the earth. 5 Happy they that hunger and thirst after right- 6 eousness ; for they shall be filled.

Happy the merciful; for they shall obtain mercy. 7 Happy the pure in heart; for they shall see God. 8 Happy the peacemakers; for they shall be called 9 sons of God.

V. 5. or, the land

10

11

Happy they that are persecuted for righteousness' sake; for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Happy are ye, when they shall revile and persecute you, and shall say all evil against you falsely, for 12 my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad; because great is your reward in heaven, for so persecuted they the prophets that were before you.

13

Ye are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has lost its savor, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.

14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set 15 on a hill can not be hid. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under the bushel, but on the lightstand; 16 and it shines to all that are in the house. So let

17

your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

Think not that I have come to destroy the law, or the prophets; I have not come to destroy, but 18 to fulfill. For verily I say to you, till heaven and

earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall not pass from 19 the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore

shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven; but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

V. 11. Some ancient copies omit falsely.