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

¹Ary tamin'izany andro izany dia niseho Jaona Mpanao batisa, nitory tany an-efitr'i Jodia nanao hoe:

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

²Mibebaha ianareo; fa efa akaiky ny fanjakan'ny lanitra.

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

³Fa izy no ilay nampilazaina an'Isaia mpaminany hoe: Injany! misy feon'ny miantso mafy any an-efitra hoe: Amboary ny lalan'i Jehovah, Ataovy mahitsy ny lalan-kalehany (Isa. 40. 3).

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

⁴Ary ny fitafian'izany Jaona izany dia lamba volon-drameva, ary fehin-kibo hoditra no tamin'ny valahany; ary ny fihinany dia valala sy tantely remby.

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

⁵Ary Jerosalema sy Jodia rehetra mbamin'ny tany rehetra amoron'i i Jordana dia nivoaka nankany amin'i Jaona,

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

⁶ka nataony batisa tao amin'ny ony Jordana ireny, rehefa niaiky ny fahotany.

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?

⁷Fa nony nahita ny Fariseo sy ny Sadoseo maro nanatona ny batisany izy, dia hoy izy taminy: Ry taranaky ny menarana, iza no nanoro hevitra anareo handositra ny fahatezerana ho avy?

⁸Therefore bring forth fruit worthy of repentance!

⁸Koa mamoaza voa miendrika ny fibebahana ianareo;

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.

⁹ary aza manao anakampo hoe: Manana an'i Abrahama ho rainay izahay; fa lazaiko aminareo fa Andriamanitra mahay manangana zanaka ho an'i Abrahama avy amin'ireto vato ireto.

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.

¹⁰Ary, indro, efa mipetraka eo amin'ny fototry ny hazo sahady ny famaky; koa ny hazo rehetra izay tsy mamoa voa tsara dia hokapaina ka hatsipy any anaty afo.

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”

¹¹Izaho dia manao batisa anareo amin'ny rano ho amin'ny fibebahana; fa Ilay avy ao aoriako no mahery noho izaho, ka tsy miendrika hitondra ny kapany aza aho; Izy no hanao batisa anareo amin'ny Fanahy Masina sy ny afo;

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.”

¹²eny an-tànany ny fikororohany, ary Izy hanadio tsara ny eo am-pamoloany ka hanangona ny variny ho any an-tsompitra; fa ny akofa sy ny mololo hodorany amin'ny afo tsy mety maty.

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

¹³Ary tamin'izay Jesosy dia avy tany Galilia ka tonga teo amoron'i Jordana, dia nanatona an'i Jaona Izy mba hataony batisa.

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

¹⁴Fa Jaona nandà Azy ka nanao hoe: Izaho no tokony hataonao batisa, ka Hianao indray va no mankaty amiko?

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.

¹⁵Fa namaly Jesosy ka niteny taminy hoe: Ekeo ihany ankehitriny, fa izao no mety amintsika hahatanteraka ny fahamarinana rehetra. Ka dia nekeny Izy.

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.

¹⁶Ary raha vao natao batisa Jesosy, dia niakatra avy teo amin'ny rano niaraka tamin'izay Izy; ary, indro, nisokatra taminy ny lanitra, ary hitany ny Fanahin'Andriamanitra nidina tahaka ny voromailala ka nankeo amboniny.Ary, injao! nisy feo avy tany an-danitra nanao hoe: Ity no Zanako malalako Izay sitrako.

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

¹⁷Ary, injao! nisy feo avy tany an-danitra nanao hoe: Ity no Zanako malalako Izay sitrako.