1 Fazia quinze anos que Tibério era o Imperador romano. Nesse tempo Pôncio Pilatos era o governador da Judeia, Herodes governava a Galileia, o seu irmão Filipe governava a região da Itureia e Traconites, e Lisânias era o governador de Abilene. 2 E Anás e Caifás eram os Grandes Sacerdotes . Foi nesse tempo que a mensagem de Deus foi dada, no deserto, a João, filho de Zacarias. 3 E João atravessou toda a região do rio Jordão, anunciando esta mensagem:

— Arrependam-se dos seus pecados e sejam batizados, que Deus perdoará vocês.

4 Isso aconteceu como o profeta Isaías tinha escrito no seu livro:

"Alguém está gritando no deserto:

Preparem o caminho para o Senhor passar!

Abram estradas retas para ele!

5 Todos os vales serão aterrados,

e todos os morros e montes

serão aplanados.

Os caminhos tortos serão endireitados,

e as estradas esburacadas

serão consertadas.

6 E todos verão a salvação que Deus dá."

7 As multidões iam se encontrar com João para serem batizadas por ele. Ele dizia a todos:

— Ninhada de cobras venenosas! Quem disse que vocês escaparão do terrível castigo que Deus vai mandar? 8 Façam coisas que mostrem que vocês se arrependeram dos seus pecados. E não digam uns aos outros: "Nós somos descendentes de Abraão." Pois eu afirmo a vocês que até destas pedras Deus pode fazer descendentes de Abraão! 9 O machado já está pronto para cortar as árvores pela raiz. Toda árvore que não dá frutas boas será cortada e jogada no fogo.

10 Então o povo perguntava:

— O que devemos fazer?

11 Ele respondia:

— Quem tiver duas túnicas dê uma a quem não tem nenhuma, e quem tiver comida reparta com quem não tem.

12 Alguns cobradores de impostos também chegaram para serem batizados e perguntaram a João:

— Mestre, o que devemos fazer?

13 — Não cobrem mais do que a lei manda! — respondeu João.

14 Alguns soldados também perguntavam:

— E nós, o que devemos fazer?

E João respondia:

— Não tomem dinheiro de ninguém, nem pela força nem por meio de acusações falsas. E se contentem com o salário que recebem.

15 As esperanças do povo começaram a aumentar, e eles pensavam que talvez João fosse o Messias. 16 Mas João disse a todos:

— Eu batizo vocês com água, mas está chegando alguém que é mais importante do que eu, e não mereço a honra de desamarrar as correias das sandálias dele. Ele os batizará com o Espírito Santo e com fogo. 17 Com a pá que tem na mão, ele vai separar o trigo da palha. Guardará o trigo no seu depósito, mas queimará a palha no fogo que nunca se apaga.

18 João anunciava de muitas maneiras diferentes a boa notícia ao povo e apelava a eles para que mudassem de vida. 19 Mas falou contra o governador Herodes porque ele havia casado com Herodias, a esposa do irmão do próprio Herodes. E também porque ele tinha feito muitas outras coisas más. 20 Então Herodes fez uma coisa ainda pior: mandou pôr João na cadeia.

21 Depois do batismo de todo aquele povo, Jesus também foi batizado. E, quando Jesus estava orando, o céu se abriu, 22 e o Espírito Santo desceu na forma de uma pomba sobre ele. E do céu veio uma voz, que disse:

— Tu és o meu Filho querido e me dás muita alegria.

23 Jesus começou o seu trabalho quando tinha mais ou menos trinta anos de idade. Ele era, conforme pensavam, filho de José, que era filho de Eli, 24 filho de Matate, filho de Levi, filho de Melqui, filho de Janai, filho de José, 25 filho de Matatias, filho de Amós, filho de Naum, filho de Esli, filho de Nagai, 26 filho de Maate, filho de Matatias, filho de Semei, filho de José, filho de Jodá, 27 filho de Joanã, filho de Resa, filho de Zorobabel, filho de Salatiel, filho de Neri, 28 filho de Melqui, filho de Adi, filho de Cosã, filho de Elmadã, filho de Er, 29 filho de Josué, filho de Eliézer, filho de Jorim, filho de Matate, filho de Levi, 30 filho de Simeão, filho de Judá, filho de José, filho de Jonã, filho de Eliaquim, 31 filho de Meleá, filho de Mená, filho de Matatá, filho de Natã, filho de Davi, 32 filho de Jessé, filho de Obede, filho de Boaz, filho de Sala, filho de Nasom, 33 filho de Aminadabe, filho de Admim, filho de Arni, filho de Esrom, filho de Peres, filho de Judá, 34 filho de Jacó, filho de Isaque, filho de Abraão, filho de Tera, filho de Naor, 35 filho de Serugue, filho de Reú, filho de Pelegue, filho de Éber, filho de Selá, 36 filho de Cainã, filho de Arpaxade, filho de Sem, filho de Noé, filho de Lameque, 37 filho de Matusalém, filho de Enoque, filho de Jarede, filho de Maalalel, filho de Cainã, 38 filho de Enos, filho de Sete, filho de Adão, filho de Deus.

1 In the fiftenthe yeer of the empire of Tiberie, the emperoure, whanne Pilat of Pounce gouernede Judee, and Eroude was prince of Galilee, and Filip, his brothir, was prince of Iturye, and of the cuntre of Tracon, and Lisanye was prince of Abilyn,2 vndir the princis of prestis Annas and Caifas, the word of the Lord was maad on Joon, the sone of Zacarie, in desert.3 And he cam in to al the cuntre of Jordan, and prechide baptym of penaunce in to remyssioun of synnes.4 As it is wrytun in the book of the wordis of Isaye, the prophete, The voice of a crier in desert, Make ye redi the weie of the Lord, make ye hise pathis riyt.5 Ech valey schal be fulfillid, and euery hil and litil hil schal be maad lowe; and schrewid thingis schulen ben in to dressid thingis, and scharp thingis in to pleyn weies;6 and euery fleisch schal se the heelthe of God.7 Therfor he seid to the puple, which wente out to be baptisid of hym, Kyndlyngis of eddris, who schewide to you to fle fro the wraththe to comynge?8 Therfor do ye worthi fruytis of penaunce, and bigynne ye not to seie, We han a fadir Abraham; for Y seie to you, that God is myyti to reise of these stoonys the sones of Abraham.9 And now an axe is sett to the roote of the tree; and therfor euery tre that makith no good fruyt, schal be kit doun, and schal be cast in to the fier.10 And the puple axide hym, and seiden, What thanne schulen we do?11 He answeride, and seide to hem, He that hath twei cootis, yyue to hym that hath noon; and he that hath metis, do in lijk maner.12 And pupplicans camen to be baptisid; and thei seiden to hym, Maister, what schulen we do?13 And he seide to hem, Do ye no thing more, than that that is ordeyned to you.14 And knyytis axiden hym, and seiden, What schulen also we do? And he seide to hem, Smyte ye wrongfuli no man, nethir make ye fals chalenge, and be ye apayed with youre sowdis.15 Whanne al the puple gesside, and alle men thouyten in her hertis of Joon, lest perauenture he were Crist,16 Joon answeride, and seide to alle men, Y baptize you in watir; but a stronger than Y schal come aftir me, of whom Y am not worthi to vnbynde the lace of his schoon; he schal baptize you in the Hooli Goost and fier.17 Whos `wynewyng tool in his hond, and he schal purge his floor of corn, and schal gadere the whete in to his berne; but the chaffis he schal brenne with fier vnquenchable.18 And many othere thingis also he spak, and prechide to the puple. But Eroude tetrark, whanne he was blamed of Joon for Erodias,19 the wijf of his brother, and for alle the yuelis that Eroude dide,20 encreside this ouer alle, and schitte Joon in prisoun.21 And it was don, whanne al the puple was baptised, and whanne Jhesu was baptised, and preiede, heuene was openyd.22 And the Hooli Goost cam doun in bodili licnesse, as a dowue on hym; and a vois was maad fro heuene, Thou art my derworth sone, in thee it hath plesid to me.23 And Jhesu hym silf was bigynninge as of thritti yeer, that he was gessid the sone of Joseph, which was of Heli,24 which was of Mathath, which was of Leuy, which was of Melchi, that was of Jamne,25 that was of Joseph, that was of Matatie, that was of Amos, that was of Naum, that was of Hely, that was of Nagge,26 that was of Mathath, that was of Matatie, that was of Semei, that was of Joseph, that was of Juda, that was of Johanna,27 that was of Resa, that was of Zorobabel, that was of Salatiel,28 that was of Neri, that was of Melchi, that was of Addi, that was of Cosan, that was of Elmadan, that was of Her,29 that was of Jhesu, that was of Eleasar, that was of Jorum, that was of Matath,30 that was of Leuy, that was of Symeon, that was of Juda, that was of Joseph, that was of Jona, that was of Eliachym,31 that was of Melca, that was of Menna, that of Mathatha, that was of Nathan,32 that was of Dauid, that was of Jesse, that was of Obeth, that was of Boz, that was of Salmon, that was of Nason,33 that was of Amynadab, that was of Aram, that was of Esrom, that was of Fares,34 that was of Judas, that was of Jacob, that was of Isaac, that was of Abraham, that was of Tare, that was of Nachor,35 that was of Seruth, that was of Ragau, that was of Faleth, that was of Heber,36 that was of Sale, that was of Chaynan, that was of Arfaxath, that was of Sem, that was of Noe, that was of Lameth,37 that was of Matussale, that was of Enok, that was of Jareth, that was of Malaliel, that was of Cainan, that was of Enos,38 that was of Seth, that was of Adam, that was of God.