Mattheum 3
1 In diebus autem illis venit Ioannes Baptista prædicans in deserto Iudææ,
About that time John the Baptist first appeared, proclaiming in the wilderness of Judea:
2 et dicens: Pœnitentiam agite: appropinquavit enim regnum cælorum.
‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.’
3 Hic est enim, qui dictus est per Isaiam prophetam dicentem: Vox clamantis in deserto: Parate viam Domini: rectas facite semitas eius.
John was the one who was spoken of in the prophet Isaiah, where he says – “The voice of one crying aloud in the wilderness: ‘Make ready the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.’”
4 Ipse autem Ioannes habebat vestimentum de pilis camelorum, et zonam pelliceam circa lumbos suos: esca autem eius erat locustæ, et mel silvestre.
John’s clothes were made of camels’ hair, with a leather strap round his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey.
5 Tunc exibat ad eum Ierosolyma, et omnis Iudæa, et omnis regio circa Iordanem;
At that time Jerusalem, and all Judea, as well as the whole district of the Jordan, went out to him
6 et baptizabantur ab eo in Iordane, confitentes peccata sua.
and were baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins.
7 Videns autem multos Pharisæorum, et Sadducæorum venientes ad baptismum suum, dixit eis: Progenies viperarum, quis demonstravit vobis fugere a ventura ira?
But when John saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to receive his baptism, he said to them, ‘You children of snakes! Who has prompted you to seek refuge from the coming judgment?
8 Facite ergo fructum dignum pœnitentiæ.
Let your life, then, prove your repentance;
9 Et ne velitis dicere intra vos: Patrem habemus Abraham. Dico enim vobis quoniam potens est Deus de lapidibus istis suscitare filios Abrahæ.
and do not think that you can say among yourselves “Abraham is our ancestor,” for I tell you that out of these stones God is able to raise descendants for Abraham!
10 Iam enim securis ad radicem arborum posita est. Omnis ergo arbor, quæ non facit fructum bonum, excidetur, et in ignem mittetur.
Already the axe is lying at the root of the trees. Therefore every tree that fails to bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.
11 Ego quidem baptizo vos in aqua in pœnitentiam: qui autem post me venturus est, fortior me est, cuius non sum dignus calceamenta portare: ipse vos baptizabit in Spiritu Sancto, et igni.
I, indeed, baptize you with water to teach repentance; but he who is coming after me is more powerful than I, and I am not fit even to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.
12 Cuius ventilabrum in manu sua: et permundabit aream suam: et congregabit triticum suum in horreum, paleas autem comburet igni inextinguibili.
His winnowing-fan is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing-floor, and store his grain in the barn, but the chaff he will burn with a fire that cannot be put out.’
13 Tunc venit Iesus a Galilæa in Iordanem ad Ioannem, ut baptizaretur ab eo.
Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan, to John, to be baptized by him.
14 Ioannes autem prohibebat eum, dicens: Ego a te debeo baptizari, et tu venis ad me?
But John tried to prevent him. ‘I need to be baptized by you,’ he said, ‘so why have you come to me?’
15 Respondens autem Iesus, dixit ei: Sine modo: sic enim decet nos implere omnem iustitiam. Tunc dimisit eum.
‘This is the way it should be for now,’ Jesus answered, ‘because we should do everything that God requires.’ So John agreed.
16 Baptizatus autem Iesus, confestim ascendit de aqua, et ecce aperti sunt ei cæli: et vidit Spiritum Dei descendentem sicut columbam, et venientem super se.
After the baptism of Jesus, and just as he came up from the water, the heavens opened, and he saw the Spirit of God coming down like a dove and resting on him,
17 Et ecce vox de cælis dicens: Hic est Filius meus dilectus, in quo mihi complacui.
and from the heavens there came a voice which said, ‘This is my dearly loved son, who brings me great joy.’
