The Holy Spirit at the Baptism of Jesus
The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ (the Son of God). As it is written in Isaiah the prophet:
"Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you; he will prepare your way. A voice of one crying out
in the desert: 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.'" John [the] Baptist appeared in the
desert proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. People of the whole Judean
countryside and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptised by him
in the Jordan River as they acknowledged their sins. John was clothed in camel's hair, with a leather belt
around his waist. He fed on locusts and wild honey. And this is what he proclaimed: "One mightier
than I is coming after me. I am not worthy to stoop and loosen the thongs of his sandals. I have
baptised you with water; he will baptise you with the holy Spirit." It happened in those days that Jesus
came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptised in the Jordan by John.
On coming up out of the water He saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit, like a dove,
descending upon Him. And a voice came from the heavens, "You are my beloved Son; with you I am
well pleased." At once the Spirit drove Him out into the desert, and He remained in the desert for forty
days, tempted by Satan. He was among wild beasts, and the angels ministered to Him.
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In those days John the Baptist appeared, preaching in the desert of Judea (and) saying, "Repent, for the
kingdom of heaven is at hand!" It was of him that the prophet Isaiah had spoken when he said: "A voice
of one crying out in the desert, 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.'" John wore
clothing made of camel's hair and had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild
honey. At that time Jerusalem, all Judea, and the whole region around the Jordan were going out to him
and were being baptized by him in the Jordan River as they acknowledged their sins. When he saw
many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, "You brood of vipers!
Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce good fruit as evidence of your repentance.
And do not presume to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I tell you, God can
raise up children to Abraham from these stones. Even now the ax lies at the root of the trees. Therefore
every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. I am baptizing you
with water, for repentance, but the one who is coming after me is mightier than I. I am not worthy to
carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fan is in his hand.
He will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with
unquenchable fire." Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. John
tried to prevent him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and yet you are coming to me?" Jesus said
to him in reply, "Allow it now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he allowed
him. After Jesus was baptized, he came up from the water and behold, the heavens were opened (for
him), and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove (and) coming upon him. And a voice came
from the heavens, saying, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased."
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