by the wise men, was exceeding wroth; and he sent forth, and slew all the male children that were in Bethlehem, and in all its borders, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had exactly learned from the wise men. Then was ful-17 filled that which was spoken through Jeremiah the prophet, saying: A voice was heard in Ramah, 18 weeping, and great mourning; Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not. But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of 19 the Lord appears in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying; Arise, and take the young child and his 20 mother, and go into the land of Israel; for they are dead who sought the young child's life. And he 21 arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel. But when he heard 22 that Archelaus reigned in Judea in the room of Herod his father, he was afraid to go thither; and being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee. And he came and dwelt 23 in a city called Nazareth; that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene. III. IN those days came John the Immerser, 1 preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying: 2 Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. V. 18. In some ancient copies: lamentation and weeping 3 For this is he that was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah, saying: The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare the way of the Lord, make 4 straight his paths. And he, John, had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his food was locusts and wild honey. 5 Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judea, and 6 all the region about the Jordan, and were immers7 ed by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins. But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his immersion, he said to them: Brood of vipers, who has warned you to flee from the com8 ing wrath? Bring forth therefore fruit meet for 9 repentance; and think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham for our father; for I say to you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children 10 to Abraham. And now the axe is laid to the root of the trees; therefore every tree that brings not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 11 I indeed immerse you in water unto repentance; but he that comes after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to bear; he will immerse 12 you in the Holy Spirit and fire. Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his threshing-floor, and will gather his wheat into the garner; but the chaff he will burn up with fire unquenchable. Then Jesus comes from Galilee to the Jordan to 14 John, to be immersed by him. But John sought to hinder him, saying: I have need to be immersed by 13 thee, and dost thou come to me? And Jesus an- 15 swering said to him: Suffer it now; for thus it becomes us to fulfill all righteousness. Then he suffered him. And Jesus, when he was immersed, went 1 up straightway from the water; and lo, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending, as a dove, and coming upon him. And 17 lo, a voice out of heaven, saying: This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. IV. THEN was Jesus led up by the Spirit into 1 the wilderness, to be tempted by the Devil. And 2 when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he afterwards hungered. And the tempter came, and 3 said to him: If thou art the Son of God, command that these stones become bread. But he answered 4 and said: It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. Then the Devil takes him up into the holy city, 5 and sets him on the pinnacle of the temple, and says to him: If thou art the Son of God, cast thyself 6 down; for it is written, He shall give his angels command concerning thee; and on their hands they shall bear thee up, lest haply thou dash thy foot against a stone. Jesus said to him: Again it 7 is written, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. Again the Devil takes him up into an exceeding 8 high mountain, and shows him all the kingdoms of 9 the world, and the glory of them; and says to him: All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall 10 down and worship me. Then Jesus says to him: Get thee hence, Satan; for it is written: Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt 11 thou serve. Then the Devil leaves him; and behold, angels came and ministered to him. 12 And hearing that John was delivered up, he re13 tired into Galilee. And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, 14 in the borders of Zebulun and Naphtali. That it might be fulfilled which was spoken through Isaiah 15 the prophet, saying: The land of Zebulun, and the 17 land of Naphtali, by the way of the sea, beyond the 16 Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles; the people that sat in darkness saw great light; and to them that sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up. From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say: Repent; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. 18 And walking by the sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were 19 fishers. And he says to them: Come after me, and 20 1 will make you fishers of men. And they straight21 way left their nets, and followed him. And going on from thence, he saw other two brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them. And they immediately left 22 the ship and their father, and followed him. And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in 23 their synagogues, and preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every infirmity among the people. And his fame went forth 24 into all Syria; and they brought to him all that were sick, taken with divers diseases and torments, and possessed with devils, and lunatic, and palsied; and he healed them. And great multitudes followed him 25 from Galilee, and Decapolis, and Jerusalem, and Judea, and from beyond the Jordan. V. AND seeing the multitudes, he went up into the 1 mountain; and when he had sat down, his disciples came to him. And he opened his mouth, and taught 2 them, saying: Happy the poor in spirit; for theirs is the king- 3 dom of heaven. Happy they that mourn; for they shall be comforted. Happy the meek; for they shall inherit the earth. 5 Happy they that hunger and thirst after right- 6 eousness; for they shall be filled. Happy the merciful; for they shall obtain mercy. 7 Happy the pure in heart; for they shall see God. 8 Happy the peacemakers; for they shall be called 9 sons of God. V. 5. or, the land |