¹وفي تلك الايام جاء يوحنا المعمدان يكرز في برية اليهودية.

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

²قائلا توبوا لانه قد اقترب ملكوت السموات.

²“Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!”

³فان هذا هو الذي قيل عنه باشعياء النبي القائل صوت صارخ في البرية اعدوا طريق الرب. اصنعوا سبله مستقيمة.

³For this is he who was spoken of by Isaiah the prophet, saying, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness, make ready the way of the Lord. Make his paths straight.” Isaiah 40:3

⁴ويوحنا هذا كان لباسه من وبر الابل وعلى حقويه منطقة من جلد. وكان طعامه جرادا وعسلا بريا.

⁴Now John himself wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey.

⁵حينئذ خرج اليه اورشليم وكل اليهودية وجميع الكورة المحيطة بالاردن.

⁵Then people from Jerusalem, all of Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him.

⁶واعتمدوا منه في الاردن معترفين بخطاياهم

⁶They were baptized or, immersed by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.

⁷فلما رأى كثيرين من الفريسيين والصدوقيين ياتون الى معموديته قال لهم يا اولاد الافاعي من اراكم ان تهربوا من الغضب الآتي.

⁷But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for his baptism, or, immersion he said to them, “You offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

⁸فاصنعوا اثمارا تليق بالتوبة.

⁸Therefore bring forth fruit worthy of repentance!

⁹ولا تفتكروا ان تقولوا في انفسكم لنا ابراهيم ابا. لاني اقول لكم ان الله قادر ان يقيم من هذه الحجارة اولادا لابراهيم.

⁹Don’t think to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham for our father,’ for I tell you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones.

¹⁰والآن قد وضعت الفاس على اصل الشجر. فكل شجرة لا تصنع ثمرا جيدا تقطع وتلقى في النار.

¹⁰“Even now the axe lies at the root of the trees. Therefore every tree that doesn’t bring forth good fruit is cut down, and cast into the fire.

¹¹انا اعمدكم بماء للتوبة. ولكن الذي يأتي بعدي هو اقوى مني الذي لست اهلا ان احمل حذاءه. هو سيعمدكم بالروح القدس ونار.

¹¹I indeed baptize or, immerse you in water for repentance, but he who comes after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit. TR and NU add “and with fire”

¹²الذي رفشه في يده وسينقي بيدره ويجمع قمحه الى المخزن. واما التبن فيحرقه بنار لا تطفأ

¹²His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his threshing floor. He will gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn up with unquenchable fire.”

¹³حينئذ جاء يسوع من الجليل الى الاردن الى يوحنا ليعتمد منه.

¹³Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him.

¹⁴ولكن يوحنا منعه قائلا انا محتاج ان اعتمد منك وانت تأتي اليّ.

¹⁴But John would have hindered him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and you come to me?”

¹⁵فاجاب يسوع وقال له اسمح الآن. لانه هكذا يليق بنا ان نكمل كل بر. حينئذ سمح له.

¹⁵But Jesus, answering, said to him, “Allow it now, for this is the fitting way for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed him.

¹⁶فلما اعتمد يسوع صعد للوقت من الماء. واذا السموات قد انفتحت له فرأى روح الله نازلا مثل حمامة وآتيا عليه.

¹⁶Jesus, when he was baptized, went up directly from the water: and behold, the heavens were opened to him. He saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming on him.

¹⁷وصوت من السموات قائلا هذا هو ابني الحبيب الذي به سررت

¹⁷Behold, a voice out of the heavens said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”