But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said to them, O generation of vipers, who has warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth fruits fit for repentance. Do not say, We have Abraham for our father, because I say to you, God is able to raise up children to Abraham with these stones. The axe is now laid to the root of the trees. Every tree which does not bring forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire.
I baptize you with water for repentance but He who comes after me is mightier than I. His shoes I am not worthy to carry. He shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with the fire whose fan is in His hand. He will throughly purge His floor and gather His wheat into the garner. He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.
When Jesus came from Galilee to Jordan to be baptized by him, John forbad Him. He said, Why come to me? I should be baptized by thee. Jesus answered, For now, suffer it to be so because it becomes us to fulfill all righteousness.
When Jesus was baptized He came up out of the water and the heavens opened to Him. John saw the Spirit of God descend like a dove and light upon Him. A voice from heaven said, This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.
4. Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After He fasted forty days and forty nights He was hungry. The tempter came to Him and said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. Jesus answered, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. The devil then took Him up into the holy city and sat Him on a pinnacle of the temple. He said, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down, for it is written, He shall give His angels charge concerning thee and in their hands they shall bear thee up lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. Jesus countered Him saying, It is also written, Thou shalt not test the Lord thy God.
Next, the devil took Him up into an exceedingly high mountain. He showed Him the kingdoms of the world in all their glory. He said, All these things I will give thee if thou will bow down and worship me. Then Jesus said, Get thee hence, Satan, for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and Him only shalt thou serve. Then the devil left Him. And, behold, angels came and ministered to Him.
When Jesus heard that John was cast into prison, He departed into Galilee. And, leaving Nazareth, He dwelt in Capernaum on the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim. This He did so that what was spoken by Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled: In the land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim by the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, the people which sat in darkness saw great light. And to those who sat in the region and shadow of death, light is sprung up. From this time forward Jesus began His teaching of repentance because the kingdom of God is at hand.
As Jesus walked by the sea of Galilee, He saw Simon, called Peter, and
Andrew, his brother. They were fishers and were casting a net into the
sea. He said to them, Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.
They left their nets and followed Him.
Going on from there, Jesus saw two other brethren, James, the son of Zebedee, and John. They were in a boat, mending their nets, with Zebedee, their father. Jesus called them and they immediately left the boat and their father and followed Him. Then Jesus went all about Galilee, teaching in the synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and disease among the people.
His fame spread throughout all Syria. They brought to Him sick people who were taken with diverse diseases, torments, and those who were possessed with devils. They brought those who were lunatic, and those who had palsy. He healed them. Great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judaea, and from beyond Jordan followed Him.