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

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.

²⁵ And there followed him many multitudes from Galilee, and Decapolis, and Jerusalem, and Judea, and beyond the Jordan.

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.

⁹ `But what went ye out to see? -- a prophet? yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet,

¹⁰ for this is he of whom it hath been written, Lo, I do send My messenger before thy face, who shall prepare thy way before thee.

¹¹ Verily I say to you, there hath not risen, among those born of women, a greater than John the Baptist, but he who is least in the reign of the heavens is greater than he.

¹² `And, from the days of John the Baptist till now, the reign of the heavens doth suffer violence, and violent men do take it by force,

⁷ Then said he to the multitudes coming forth to be baptised by him, `Brood of vipers! who did prompt you to flee from the coming wrath?

¹⁶ the law and the prophets `are' till John; since then the reign of God is proclaimed good news, and every one doth press into it;

²³ and John was also baptizing in Aenon, nigh to Salem, because there were many waters there, and they were coming and were being baptized --

³⁵ he was the burning and shining lamp, and ye did will to be glad, for an hour, in his light.