Gospel of the Holy Twelve
1NOW in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee (Caiaphas being the high priest, and Annas chief of the Sanhedrim) the word of God came unto Iohn the son of Zacharias, in the wilderness.
2And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. As it is written in the prophets, Behold I send my messenger before thy face, who shall prepare thy way before thee; the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Holy One, make straight the paths of the Anointed.
3Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth. And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.
4And the same Iohn had his raiment of camel’s hair, and a girdle of the same about his loins, and his meat was the fruit of the locust tree and wild honey. Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judea, and all the region round about Jordan, and were baptized of him in the Jordan confessing their sins.
5And he said to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him, O generation of disobedient ones, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father.
6For I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
7And the wealthier people asked him, saying, What shall we do then? He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath food let him do likewise.
8Then came also certain taxgatherers to be baptised and said unto him, Master, what shall we do? And he said unto them, Exact no more than that which is appointed you, and be merciful after your power.
9And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with sufficient wages.
10And to all he spake, saying, Keep yourselves from blood and things strangled and from dead bodies of birds and beasts, and from all deeds of cruelty, and from all that is gotten of wrong; Think ye the blood of beasts and birds will wash away sin! I tell you Nay, Speak the Truth. Be just, Be merciful to one another and to all creatures that live, and walk humbly with your God.
11And as the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of Iohn, whether he were the Christ or not, Iohn answered; saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but One mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose.
12He shall also baptize you with water and with fire. Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and will gather the wheat into his garner; but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable. And many other things in his exortation preached he unto the people. LECTION 7. 4.-The fruit of the Carob tree ("S. Iohn's Bread") ; not the insect of that name, as is supposed by the people in general. LECTION 7. 10,-As noticed before, the Essenes did not frequent the blood sacrifices of the Temple. Iohn and Iesus acted accordingly.
