²⁴ And when the men who were sent by John had gone away, he said to the people, about John, What did you go out into the waste land to see? a tall stem moving in the wind?

¹⁴ So that we may be no longer children, sent this way and that, turned about by every wind of teaching, by the twisting and tricks of men, by the deceits of error;

² When Annas and Caiaphas were high priests, the word of the Lord came to John, the son of Zacharias, in the waste land.

⁸⁰ And the child became tall, and strong in spirit; and he was living in the waste land till the day when he came before the eyes of Israel.

¹⁷ For this reason, my loved ones, having knowledge of these things before they take place, take care that you are not turned away by the error of the uncontrolled, so falling from your true faith.

¹⁷ These are fountains without water, and mists before a driving storm; for whom the eternal night is kept in store.

⁶ Let him make his request in faith, doubting nothing; for he who has doubt in his heart is like the waves of the sea, which are troubled by the driving of the wind.

⁷ Let it not seem to such a man that he will get anything from the Lord;

⁸ For there is a division in his mind, and he is uncertain in all his ways.

¹⁷ If then I had such a purpose, did I seem to be changing suddenly? or am I guided in my purposes by the flesh, saying, Yes, today, and, No, tomorrow?

¹⁸ As God is true, our word to you is not Yes and No.

¹⁹ For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, whom we were preaching among you, even I and Silvanus and Timothy, was not Yes and No, but in him is Yes.

²⁰ For he is the Yes to all the undertakings of God: and by him all the words of God are made certain and put into effect, to the glory of God through us.

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

⁴ John came, and gave baptism in the waste land, preaching baptism as a sign of forgiveness of sin for those whose hearts were changed.

⁵ And there went out to him all the people of Judaea, and all those of Jerusalem, and they were given baptism by him in the river Jordan, saying that they were sinners.

⁷ And when they were going away, Jesus, talking of John, said to all the people, What went you out into the waste land to see? a tall stem moving in the wind?

⁸ But what went you out to see? a man delicately clothed? Those who have fair robes are in kings' houses.

¹ And in those days John the Baptist came preaching in the waste land of Judaea,

² Saying, Let your hearts be turned from sin; for the kingdom of heaven is near.

³ For this is he of whom Isaiah the prophet said, The voice of one crying in the waste land, Make ready the way of the Lord, make his roads straight.

⁴ Now John was clothed in camel's hair, with a leather band about him; and his food was locusts and honey.

⁵ Then Jerusalem and all Judaea went out to him, and all the people from near Jordan;

⁴ But because you were uncontrolled, the first place will not be yours; for you went up to your father's bed, even his bride-bed, and made it unclean.