¹Then in those days comes John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judea,

²and saying: Change your heart, for the kingdom of the heavens has drawn near.

³For this is the One having been spoken of through Isaiah the prophet, saying: The voice of one crying in the wilderness, prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

⁴Now John himself was having his garment of hair of a camel and a belt of leather around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey.

⁵At that time were going out to him Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region around Jordan,

⁶and were being immersed by him in Jordan River, confessing their sins.

⁷Now when he had seen many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his immersion, he said to them: Brood of vipers, who forewarned you to flee from the coming wrath?

⁸Therefore produce fruit worthy of change of heart,

⁹and do not presume to say within yourselves: As father we have Abraham; for I say to you that God is able out of these stones to raise up children to Abraham.

¹⁰Now already the ax is applied to the root of the trees; therefore every tree not producing good fruit is cut down and is thrown into the fire.

¹¹I myself indeed immerse you with water to change of heart, however the One coming after me is mightier than I, of whom I am not fit to carry the sandals; he himself will immerse you with the Holy Spirit and with fire,

¹²whose winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, and will gather his wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn up with unquenchable fire.

¹³Then Jesus comes from Galilee to Jordan, to John, to be immersed by him.

¹⁴But John was hindering him, saying: I myself have need to be immersed by you, and you yourself come to me?

¹⁵However Jesus answered and said to him: Permit it now, for thus it is fitting to us to fulfill all righteousness. Then he permits him.

¹⁶And having been immersed, Jesus immediately went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and alighting upon him.

¹⁷And behold, a voice out of the heavens, saying: This is my beloved Son, in whom I was well pleased.