²⁴ And the messengers of John having gone away, he began to say unto the multitudes concerning John: `What have ye gone forth to the wilderness to look on? a reed by the wind shaken?

¹⁴ that we may no more be babes, tossed and borne about by every wind of the teaching, in the sleight of men, in craftiness, unto the artifice of leading astray,

² Annas and Caiaphas being chief priests -- there came a word of God unto John the son of Zacharias, in the wilderness,

⁸⁰ And the child grew, and was strengthened in spirit, and he was in the deserts till the day of his shewing unto Israel.

¹⁷ Ye, then, beloved, knowing before, take heed, lest, together with the error of the impious being led away, ye may fall from your own stedfastness,

¹⁷ These are wells without water, and clouds by a tempest driven, to whom the thick gloom of the darkness to the age hath been kept;

⁶ and let him ask in faith, nothing doubting, for he who is doubting hath been like a wave of the sea, driven by wind and tossed,

⁷ for let not that man suppose that he shall receive anything from the Lord --

⁸ a two-souled man `is' unstable in all his ways.

¹⁷ This, therefore, counselling, did I then use the lightness; or the things that I counsel, according to the flesh do I counsel, that it may be with me Yes, yes, and No, no?

¹⁸ and God `is' faithful, that our word unto you became not Yes and No,

¹⁹ for the Son of God, Jesus Christ, among you through us having been preached -- through me and Silvanus and Timotheus -- did not become Yes and No, but in him it hath become Yes;

²⁰ for as many as `are' promises of God, in him `are' the Yes, and in him the Amen, for glory to God through us;

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

⁴ John came baptizing in the wilderness, and proclaiming a baptism of reformation -- to remission of sins,

⁵ and there were going forth to him all the region of Judea, and they of Jerusalem, and they were all baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.

⁷ And as they are going, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John, `What went ye out to the wilderness to view? -- a reed shaken by the wind?

⁸ `But what went ye out to see? -- a man clothed in soft garments? lo, those wearing the soft things are in the kings' houses.

¹ And in those days cometh John the Baptist, proclaiming in the wilderness of Judea,

² and saying, `Reform, for come nigh hath the reign of the heavens,'

³ for this is he who was spoken of by Isaiah the prophet, saying, `A voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, straight make ye His paths.'

⁴ And this John had his clothing of camel's hair, and a girdle of skin round his loins, and his nourishment was locusts and honey of the field.

⁵ Then were going forth unto him Jerusalem, and all Judea, and all the region round about the Jordan,

⁴ Unstable as water, thou art not abundant; For thou hast gone up thy father's bed; Then thou hast polluted: My couch he went up!