²⁴ And when the messengers of John were departed, he began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to behold? a reed shaken with the wind?

¹⁴ that we may be no longer children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, in craftiness, after the wiles of error;

² in the highpriesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness.

⁸⁰ And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his showing unto Israel.

¹⁷ Ye therefore, beloved, knowing `these things' beforehand, beware lest, being carried away with the error of the wicked, ye fall from your own stedfastness.

¹⁷ These are springs without water, and mists driven by a storm; for whom the blackness of darkness hath been reserved.

⁶ But let him ask in faith, nothing doubting: for he that doubteth is like the surge of the sea driven by the wind and tossed.

⁷ For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord;

⁸ a doubleminded man, unstable in all his ways.

¹⁷ When I therefore was thus minded, did I show fickleness? or the things that I purpose, do I purpose according to the flesh, that with me there should be the yea yea and the nay nay?

¹⁸ But as God is faithful, our word toward you is not yea and nay.

¹⁹ For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, `even' by me and Silvanus and Timothy, was not yea and nay, but in him is yea.

²⁰ For how many soever be the promises of God, in him is the yea: wherefore also through him is the Amen, unto the glory of God through us.

²³ He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said Isaiah the prophet.

⁴ John came, who baptized in the wilderness and preached the baptism of repentance unto remission of sins.

⁵ And there went out unto him all the country of Judaea, and all they of Jerusalem; And they were baptized of him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.

⁷ And as these went their way, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to behold? a reed shaken with the wind?

⁸ But what went ye out to see? a man clothed in soft `raiment'? Behold, they that wear soft `raiment' are in king's houses.

¹ And in those days cometh John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, saying,

² Repent ye; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

³ For this is he that was spoken of through Isaiah the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make ye ready the way of the Lord, Make his paths straight.

⁴ Now John himself 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 unto him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about the Jordan;

⁴ Boiling over as water, thou shalt not have the pre-eminence; Because thou wentest up to thy father's bed; Then defiledst thou it: he went up to my couch.