Joseph, being warned in a dream, flees to Egypt -- John's mission -- He baptizeth Jesus.

¹⁾Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of JudaeaJudea, in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,

²⁾Saying, Where is hethe child that is born, Kingthe Messiah of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and arehave come to worship him.

³⁾When Herod the king had heard theseof thingsthe child, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.

⁴⁾And when he had gathered all the chief priests, and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them, wheresaying, Where is the place that is written of by the prophets, in which Christ should be born? For he greatly feared, yet he believed not the prophets.

⁵⁾And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus itIt is written by the prophetprophets, that he should be born in Bethlehem of Judea, for thus have they said,

⁶⁾The word of the Lord came unto us, saying, And thou Bethlehem, which lieth in the land of JudaJudea, in thee shall be born a prince, which art not the least among the princes of Juda:Judea; for out of thee shall come athe GovernorMessiah, thatwho shall rulesave my people Israel.

⁷⁾Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men privily, enquiredinquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.

⁸⁾And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found himthe child, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.

⁹⁾When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, tilluntil it came and stood over where the young child was.

¹⁰⁾When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.

¹¹⁾And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child, with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshippedworshiped him:. andAnd when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.

¹²⁾And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.

¹³⁾And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord, appearethappeared to Joseph in a dreamvision, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and betarry thou there until I bring thee word:; for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.

¹⁴⁾WhenAnd then he arose, heand took the young child, and histhe child's mother, by night, and departed into Egypt:;

¹⁵⁾And was there until the death of Herod:, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord, by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my sonSon.

¹⁶⁾Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth,; and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquiredinquired of the wise men.

¹⁷⁾Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by JeremyJeremiah the prophet, saying,

¹⁸⁾In RamaRamah there was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning,; RachelRachael weeping for the loss of her children, and would not be comforted, because they arewere not.

¹⁹⁾But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appearethappeared in a dreamvision to Joseph in Egypt,

²⁰⁾Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel:; for they are dead whichwho sought the young child's life.

²¹⁾And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel.

²²⁾But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in JudaeaJudea, in the roomstead of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither:; but notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dreamvision, he turned asidewent into the partseastern part of Galilee:;

²³⁾And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth:, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene.

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²⁴⁾And 3it came to pass that Jesus grew up with his brethren, 17and vvwaxed strong, 2and mwaited upon the Lord for the time of his ministry to come.

¹²⁵⁾InAnd he served under his father, and he spake not as other men, neither could he be taught; for he needed not that any man should teach him.

²⁶⁾And after many years, the hour of his ministry drew nigh.

²⁷⁾And in those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of JudaeaJudea,

²²⁸⁾And saying, Repent ye:; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

³²⁹⁾For thisI isam he thatwho was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, and make his paths straight.

⁴³⁰⁾And the same John had his raiment of camel'scamels' hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meatfood was locusts and wild honey.

⁵³¹⁾Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all JudaeaJudea, and all the region round about Jordan,

⁶³²⁾And many were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.

⁷³³⁾But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O, generation of vipers,vipers! who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

⁸³⁴⁾BringWhy is it that ye receive not the preaching of him whom God hath sent? If ye receive not this in your hearts, ye receive not me; and if ye receive not me, ye receive not him of whom I am sent to bear record; and for your sins ye have no cloak.

³⁵⁾Repent, therefore, and bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:;

⁹³⁶⁾And think not to say within yourselves, We are the children of Abraham, and we only have Abrahampower to bring seed unto our father: Abraham; for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children untointo Abraham.

¹⁰³⁷⁾And now, also, the axe is laid unto the root of the trees:; therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit, isshall be hewn down, and cast into the fire.

¹¹³⁸⁾I indeed baptize you with water, untoupon your repentance:; butand when he thatof whom I bear record cometh, after mewho is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear:, (or whose place I am not able to fill,)as I said, I indeed baptize you before he shallcometh, that when he cometh he may baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:.

¹²³⁹⁾WhoseAnd it is he of whom I shall bear record, whose fan isshall be in his hand, and he will throughlythoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but hein the fullness of his own time will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.

¹³⁴⁰⁾ThenThus came John, preaching and baptizing in the river of Jordan; bearing record that he who was coming after him had power to baptize with the Holy Ghost and fire.

⁴¹⁾And then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan, unto John, to be baptized of him.;

¹⁴⁴²⁾But John forbadrefused him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and why comest thou to me?

¹⁵⁴³⁾And Jesus, answering, said unto him, Suffer itme to be sobaptized now:of thee, for thus it becometh us to fulfilfulfill all righteousness. Then he suffered him.

¹⁶⁴⁴⁾And John went down into the water and baptized him.

⁴⁵⁾And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water:; and John saw, and lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:Jesus.

¹⁷⁴⁶⁾And lo, he heard a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear ye him.