Matthew 3

¹In tho daies Joon Baptist cam, and prechide in the desert of Judee,

²and seide, Do ye penaunce, for the kyngdom of heuenes shal neiye.

³For this is he, of whom it is seid bi Ysaie, the prophete, seyinge, A vois of a crier in desert, Make ye redi the weies of the Lord; make ye riyt the pathis of hym.

⁴And this Joon hadde clothing of camels heeris, and a girdil of skynne aboute hise leendis; and his mete was honysoukis, and hony of the wode.

⁵Thanne Jerusalem wente out to hym, and al Judee, and al the cuntre aboute Jordan;

⁶and thei weren waischun of hym in Jordan, `and knowlechiden her synnes.

⁷But he siy manye of the Farysees and of Saduceis comynge to his baptym, and seide to hem, Generaciouns of eddris, who shewide to you to fle fro the wraththe that is to come?

⁸Therfor do ye worthi fruyte of penaunce,

⁹and nyle ye seie with ynne you, We han Abraham to fadir; for Y seie to you, that God is myyti to reise vp of these stoones the sones of Abraham.

¹⁰And now the ax is put to the roote of the tree; therfore euery tree that makith not good fruyt, shal be kit doun, and shal be cast in to the fier.

¹¹Y waische you in water, in to penaunce; but he that shal come after me is strongere than Y, whos schoon Y am not worthi to bere; he shal baptise you in the Hooli Goost and fier.

¹²Whos wynewing cloth is in his hoond, and he shal fulli clense his corn flore, and shal gadere his whete in to his berne; but the chaffe he shal brenne with fier that mai not be quenchid.

¹³Thanne Jhesus cam fro Galilee in to Jordan to Joon, to be baptised of hym.

¹⁴And Joon forbede him, and seide, Y owe to be baptisid of thee, and thou comest to me?

¹⁵But Jhesus answeride, and seide to hym, Suffre nowe, for thus it fallith to vs to fulfille al riytfulnesse.

¹⁶Thanne Joon suffride hym. And whanne Jhesus was baptisid, anoon he wente up fro the watir; and lo! heuenes weren openyd to hym, and he saie the Spirit of God comynge doun as a dowue, and comynge on hym; and loo!

¹⁷a vois fro heuenes, seiynge, This is my louyd sone, in which Y haue plesid to me.

Matthew 3

¹In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judea,

²And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

³For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

⁴And the same John had his raiment of camel’s hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey.

⁵Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judea, and all the region round about Jordan,

⁶And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.

⁷But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

⁸Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:

⁹And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.

¹⁰And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

¹¹I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:

¹²Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.

¹³Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.

¹⁴But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?

¹⁵And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.

¹⁶And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:

¹⁷And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.