Matthew(i)
2 when Anna and Cayphas were the hye pryestes: the word of God came vuto Iohn the sonne of Zacharias in the wildernes.
3 And he came into all the costes about Iordan, preaching the baptisme of repentaunce for the remissyon of synnes,
4 as it is written in the boke of the sayinges of Esaias the prophete which sayeth. The voyce of a cryer in wildernes, prepare the waye of the Lorde, make hys pathes strayght.
5 Euerye valley shall be fylled, and euerye mountayne and hyll shall be brought lowe. And croked thinges shalbe made straight: and the rough wayes shalbe made smoth:
6 and all fleshe shall se the sauioure sent of God.
7 Then sayde he to the people that were come to be baptysed of him. O generacion of vipers, who hath taught you to flye from the wrath to come?
8 Bringe forth due frutes of repentaunce, and begin not to saye in your selues, we haue Abraham to our father: For I say vnto you God is able of these stones to rayse vp chyldren vnto Abraham.
9 Now also is the axe lyed vnto the rote of the trees, so that euery tree which bringeth not forth good frute shall be hewen doune, and cast into the fyre.
10 And the people axed him sayinge: What shall we do then?
11 He aunswered and sayd vnto theim: He that hath two cotes, let him parte with him that hath none, & he that hath meate let him do lykewyse.
12 Then came there publicans to be baptysed, and sayde vnto hym: Maister, what shall we do?
13 And he sayde vnto them: require nomore then that which is appointed vnto you.
14 The souldioures lykewyse demaunded of him saiynge: and what shall we do? And he sayde to them: Do violence to no man: neither trouble any man wrongfullye: but be content with your wages.
15 As the people were in a doubte, and all men disputed in their hertes of Iohn, whither he were very Christ,
16 Iohn aunswered and sayde to them all: I baptyse you with water, but a stronger then I cometh after me, whose shoe latchet I am not worthy to vnlouse: he wyll baptyse you with the holye ghost, and with fyre.
17 Which hath his fanne in his hande, and wyll purge his floore, and wyll gather the corne into his barne, but the chaffe wil he burne with fyre that neuer shalbe quenched.
18 And many other thinges in his exhortacion preached he vnto the people.
19 Then Herode the Tetrarche (when he was rebuked of him for Herodias his brothers wyfe and for al the euyls, which Herode had done)
20 added this aboue al, and laied Ihon in prison.