The Mission of John the Baptist
(Isaiah 40:1–5; Matthew 3:1–12; Mark 1:1–8; John 1:19–28)

1Nowe, in the fifteenth yere of ye raigne of Tiberius Cesar, Pontius Pilate being lieftenaut of Iurie, and Herode being tetrarch of Galilee, & his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea, and of the region of ye Trachonites, and Lysanias the tetrarch of Abiline, 2When Annas and Caiaphas were the hye priestes, the worde of the Lorde came vnto Iohn, the sonne of Zacharias, in the wyldernesse. 3And he came into all the coastes about Iordane, preachyng the baptisme of repentaunce, for the remission of sinnes:

4As it is writte in ye booke of the wordes of Esaias the prophete, saying: The voyce of a cryer in wyldernesse, prepare ye the way of ye Lorde, make his pathes strayght.

5Euery valley shalbe fylled, and euery mountayne & hyll shalbe brought lowe: And thynges that be croked, shalbe made strayght, and the rough wayes shalbe made playne.

6And all flesshe, shall see the saluation of God.

7Then saide he to the people that were come foorth to be baptized of hym: O generations of vipers, who hath forewarned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8Bryng foorth therefore due fruites of repentaunce, and begyn not to say within your selues, we haue Abraham to our father: For I saye vnto you, that God is able of these stones, to rayse vp childre vnto Abraham. 9Nowe also is the axe layed vnto the roote of the trees: Euery tree therfore which bryngeth not foorth good fruite, is hewen downe, and cast into the fire.

10And the people asked hym, saying: What shall we do then? 11He aunswereth, and sayth vnto them: He that hath two coates, let him part with hym that hath none: and he that hath meate, let hym do lykewyse. 12Then came publicanes also to be baptized, and saide vnto him: Maister, what shall we do? 13And he sayde vnto them: Require no more then that which is appoynted vnto you. 14The souldiours lykewyse demaunded of hym, saying: And what shall we do? And he saide vnto them: Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely, and be content with your wages.

15As the people wayted, & all men mused in their heartes of Iohn, whether he were very Christe: 16Iohn aunswered, and said vnto them all, In deede I baptize you with water: but one stronger then I commeth, whose shoes latched I am not worthy to vnlose, he shall baptize you with the holy ghost, and with fire. 17Which hath his fanne in his hande, & wyll purge his floore, & wyll gather the wheate into his barne: but ye chaffe wyl burne vp, with fire that neuer shalbe quenched.

18And many other thinges, in his exhortation, preached he vnto the people. 19Then Herode the tetrarch, when he was rebuked of hym for Herodias, his brother Philippes wyfe, and for all the euyls which Herode dyd, 20Added this aboue all, & shut vp Iohn in pryson.

The Baptism of Jesus
(Matthew 3:13–17; Mark 1:9–11; John 1:29–34)

21Nowe it came to passe, as all the people were baptized, and when Iesus was baptized, and dyd praye, that the heauen was opened, 22And the holy ghost came downe, in a bodyly shape lyke a Doue, vpon hym: and a voyce came from heauen, which sayde, Thou art my beloued sonne, in thee I am well pleased.

The Genealogy of Jesus
(Ruth 4:18–22; Matthew 1:1–17)

23And Iesus him selfe began to be about thirtie yeres of age, beyng (as he was supposed) the sonne of Ioseph: whiche was the sonne of Heli, 24Whiche was the sonne of Matthat, whiche was the sonne of Leui, whiche was the sonne of Melchi, whiche was the sonne of Ianna, whiche was the sonne of Ioseph: 25Whiche was ye sonne of Matthathias, whiche was the sonne of Amos, whiche was the sonne of Naum, whiche was the sonne of Hesly, which was the sonne of Nagge: 26Whiche was the sonne of Maath, which was the sonne of Matthathias, which was the sonne of Semei, whiche was the sonne of Ioseph, whiche was the sonne of Iuda: 27Whiche was the sonne of Ioanna, which was the sonne of Rhesa, whiche was the sonne of Zorobabel, whiche was the sonne of Salathiel, which was the sonne of Neri: 28Whiche was the sonne of Melchi, whiche was the sonne of Addi, whiche was the sonne of Cosam, whiche was the sonne of Elmodam, whiche was the sonne of Er: 29Whiche was the sonne of Iose, which was the sonne of Eliezer, whiche was sonne of Iorim, whiche was ye sonne of Matthat, which was ye sonne of Leui: 30Whiche was the sonne of Simeon, whiche was the sonne of Iuda, whiche was the sonne of Ioseph, whiche was the sonne of Ionan, whiche was the sonne of Eliacim: 31Whiche was the sonne of Melea, whiche was ye sonne of Menam, whiche was ye sonne of Matthatha, which was the sonne of Nathan, whiche was the sonne of Dauid: 32Whiche was ye sonne of Iesse, whiche was the sonne of Obed, which was the sonne of Booz, whiche was the sonne of Salmo, which was ye sonne of Naasso: 33Whiche was the sonne of Aminadab, whiche was the sonne of Aram, whiche was the sonne of Esron, whiche was the sonne of Phares, whiche was the sonne of Iuda: 34Whiche was ye sonne of Iacob, whiche was the sonne of Asaac, which was the sonne of Abraham, whiche was ye sonne of Thara, which was the sonne of Nachor: 35Which was ye sonne of Saruch, which was the sonne of Ragau, whiche was the sonne of Phaleg, which was ye sonne of Heber, which was the sonne of Sala: 36whiche was the sonne of Arphaxad, whiche was the sonne of Sem, whiche was the sonne of Noe, whiche was the sonne of Lamech: 37Whiche was the sonne of Mathusala, whiche was the sonne of Enoch, which was the sonne of Iared, whiche was the sonne of Maleleel, whiche was the sonne of Cainan: 38Which was the sonne of Henos, which was ye sonne of Seth, which was ye sonne of Adam, which was the sonne of God.