Gospel Reading for Today

From my forthcoming The Second Testament

Yēsous and a wilderness dipper

3:1       In those days Yōannēs the Dipper arrives announcing in the wilderness of Youdaias, saying, 2 “Convert! The Heavens’ Empire has come close!” 

3 For this is the spoken about through Yēsaias [Isaiah] the prophet, saying,

            A voice bellowing in the wilderness;

            ‘Get ready the Lord’s path,

            Make his ways straight!’

4 Yōannēs himself was having his clothing from camel’s hairs and an animal skin belt around his waist, and his provision was locusts and wild syrup. 5 Then Yierosoluma [Jerusalem] and all Youdaia and all the Yordanēs [Jordan River] region was journeying out to him, 6 and were being dipped in the Yordanēs River by him, publicly acknowledging their sins.

7          Seeing many of the Observant and Elites [Pharisees and Sadducees] coming to his dipping, he said to them,

Knot of vipers! Who exhibited to you to flee from the anger about to come? 8 Therefore, make fruit deserving of conversion 9 and don’t think to say among yourselves, ‘We have Abra’am as father,’ for I say to you that ‘God is able to raise up from these stones children for Abra’am.’ 10 Already the ax is laid on the trees’ root. Therefore, every tree not making beautiful fruit is chopped down and tossed into fire. 11 I dip you in water for conversion, but the one coming after me is stronger than me  – of him I am not adequate to carry the sandals. He will dip you in Holy Spirit-and-fire. 12 His sifting shovel is in his hand and he will clear his floor and will collect his wheat into storage, but the husks he will burn in an inextinguishable fire.