Luke 3:1-17 ▼

1 Nowe, in the fifteenth yere of ye raigne of Tiberius Cesar, Pontius Pilate being lieftenaut of Iurie, and Herode being tetrarch of Galilee, & his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea, and of the region of ye Trachonites, and Lysanias the tetrarch of Abiline,

2 When Annas and Caiaphas were the hye priestes, the worde of the Lorde came vnto Iohn, the sonne of Zacharias, in the wyldernesse.

3 And he came into all the coastes about Iordane, preachyng the baptisme of repentaunce, for the remission of sinnes:

4 As it is writte in ye booke of the wordes of Esaias the prophete, saying: The voyce of a cryer in wyldernesse, prepare ye the way of ye Lorde, make his pathes strayght.

5 Euery valley shalbe fylled, and euery mountayne & hyll shalbe brought lowe: And thynges that be croked, shalbe made strayght, and the rough wayes shalbe made playne.

6 And all flesshe, shall see the saluation of God.

7 Then saide he to the people that were come foorth to be baptized of hym: O generations of vipers, who hath forewarned you to flee from the wrath to come?

8 Bryng foorth therefore due fruites of repentaunce, and begyn not to say within your selues, we haue Abraham to our father: For I saye vnto you, that God is able of these stones, to rayse vp childre vnto Abraham.

9 Nowe also is the axe layed vnto the roote of the trees: Euery tree therfore which bryngeth not foorth good fruite, is hewen downe, and cast into the fire.

10 And the people asked hym, saying: What shall we do then?

11 He aunswereth, and sayth vnto them: He that hath two coates, let him part with hym that hath none: and he that hath meate, let hym do lykewyse.

12 Then came publicanes also to be baptized, and saide vnto him: Maister, what shall we do?

13 And he sayde vnto them: Require no more then that which is appoynted vnto you.

14 The souldiours lykewyse demaunded of hym, saying: And what shall we do? And he saide vnto them: Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely, and be content with your wages.

15 As the people wayted, & all men mused in their heartes of Iohn, whether he were very Christe:

16 Iohn aunswered, and said vnto them all, In deede I baptize you with water: but one stronger then I commeth, whose shoes latched I am not worthy to vnlose, he shall baptize you with the holy ghost, and with fire.

17 Which hath his fanne in his hande, & wyll purge his floore, & wyll gather the wheate into his barne: but ye chaffe wyl burne vp, with fire that neuer shalbe quenched.