1Mange år senere begyndte Johannes Døber at prædike ude i Judæas ødemark. Hans budskab lød sådan her: (Mark 1,1; Luk 3,1; Joh 1,19)2„I skal ændre jeres indstilling, for nu er Guds rige kommet!”3Det er ham, der tales om i profeten Esajas’ bog, dér hvor der står: „Der lyder en stemme i ødemarken: ‚Ban vej for Herren! Gør jer klar til hans komme!’ ”[1] (Es 40,3)4Johannes’ profetkappe var vævet af kamelhår, og han havde et læderbælte om livet. Hans mad bestod af græshopper og honning fra vilde bier.5Folk fra Jerusalem og hele egnen omkring Jordanfloden—ja fra hver eneste del af Judæa—kom ud i ødemarken for at høre ham.6Og dem, der bekendte deres synder, døbte han i Jordanfloden.7Men da han så, at mange farisæere og saddukæere[2] også kom for at blive døbt, råbte han til dem: „Slangeyngel! Hvem har bildt jer ind, at I kan slippe for Guds straf?8Bevis med jeres liv, at I virkelig har taget afstand fra jeres synder.9Det hjælper jer ikke at sige: ‚Vi er da børn af Abraham.’[3] Nu skal jeg fortælle jer noget: Gud kan forvandle de sten her til børn af Abraham!10Øksen ligger allerede klar ved foden af træerne, og det træ, som ikke bærer god frugt, skal hugges om og kastes i ilden.11Jeg døber med vand, for at det skal føre til en ændret indstilling, men snart kommer der en, som har større magt, end jeg har. Jeg er ikke engang værdig til at bære hans sandaler. Han vil døbe med[4] Helligåndens kraft[5] og med ild.12Han har kasteskovlen i hånden for at rense kornet for avner. Kernerne samler han i sin lade, men avnerne vil blive brændt i en uudslukkelig ild.”
Jesus bliver døbt med vand og Helligånd
13Jesus ankom nu fra Galilæa til Jordanfloden for at blive døbt af Johannes. (Mark 1,9; Luk 3,21)14Men Johannes ville ikke gøre det: „Det er jo mig, der trænger til at blive døbt af dig!” protesterede han. „Hvorfor kommer du så til mig?”15„Gør det nu,” sagde Jesus, „for på den måde gør vi Guds vilje.” Johannes gjorde da, som Jesus ønskede.16I samme øjeblik Jesus efter dåben steg op af vandet, blev himlen pludselig åbnet, og Guds Ånd kom over ham som en due, der dalede ned ovenfra.17Samtidig lød der en stemme fra himlen: „Det er min elskede Søn. Ham er jeg fuldt ud tilfreds med.”[6]
1In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, (Josva 15,61; Dom 1,16; Mark 1,2; Luk 3,2; Joh 1,6)2“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”[1] (Dan 2,44; Matt 4,17; Matt 6,10; Matt 10,7; Mark 1,15)3For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare[2] the way of the Lord; make his paths straight.’” (Es 40,3; Luk 1,76; Joh 1,23)4Now John wore a garment of camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. (3.Mos 11,22; 1.Sam 14,26; 2.Kong 1,8; Zak 13,4; Heb 11,37)5Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan were going out to him,6and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. (Ap G 19,18)7But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? (Salm 140,3; Matt 12,34; Matt 22,23; Matt 23,13; Matt 23,15; Matt 23,33; Rom 5,9; Ef 5,6; Kol 3,6; 1.Thess 1,10)8Bear fruit in keeping with repentance. (Ap G 26,20)9And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. (Matt 4,3; Joh 8,39)10Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. (Matt 7,19; Luk 13,7; Luk 13,9; Joh 15,2; Joh 15,6)11“I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. (Es 4,4; Mal 3,2; Joh 1,15; Joh 1,26; Joh 1,27; Joh 1,33; Joh 3,30; Ap G 1,5; Ap G 2,3; Ap G 11,16; Ap G 13,24; Ap G 13,25; Ap G 19,4)12His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.” (Es 30,24; Mal 4,1; Matt 13,30; Mark 9,43; Mark 9,48)
The Baptism of Jesus
13Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. (Matt 2,22; Mark 1,9; Luk 3,21; Joh 1,32)14John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” (Joh 13,6)15But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented.16And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him,[3] and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; (Luk 4,18; Luk 4,21; Joh 1,32; Ap G 7,56; Ap G 10,38)17and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son,[4] with whom I am well pleased.” (Salm 2,7; Es 42,1; Matt 17,5; Joh 12,28; Ef 1,6; Kol 1,13; 2.Pet 1,17; 1.Joh 5,9)