1. Now in the fifteenth year of the government of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judaea, and Herod tetrarch of Galilee, and Philip his brother tetrarch of Ituraea and the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene,
2. in the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came upon John, the son of Zacharias, in the wilderness.
3. And he came into all the district round the Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins,
4. as it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet: Voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.
5. Every gorge shall be filled up, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low, and the crooked places shall become a straight path, and the rough places smooth ways,
6. and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.
7. He said therefore to the crowds which went out to be baptised by him, Offspring of vipers, who has forewarned you to flee from the coming wrath?
8. Produce therefore fruits worthy of repentance; and begin not to say in yourselves, We have Abraham for our father, for I say unto you that God is able of these stones to raise up children to Abraham.
9. And already also the axe is applied to the root of the trees; every tree therefore not producing good fruit is cut down and cast into the fire.
10. And the crowds asked him saying, What should we do then?
11. And he answering says to them, He that has two body-coats, let him give to him that has none; and he that has food, let him do likewise.