In those days John the Baptist arrived preaching in the wilderness of Judea,

For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying: "A voice of one crying in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the LORD; make His paths straight.'"

Then Jerusalem, and all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan were going out to him

But seeing many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, "Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?

There shall be there a pure way, and it shall be called a holy way; and there shall not pass by there any unclean person, neither shall there be there an unclean way; but the dispersed shall walk on it, and they shall not go astray.

Thus says the Lord, Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths of the Lord; and see what is the good way and walk in it, and you shall find purification for your souls. But they said, We will not walk [in them].

Therefore produce fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say among yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham out of these stones.

So the people were asking him, saying, "What shall we do then?"

Then tax collectors also came to be baptized, and said to him, "Teacher, what shall we do?"

For it was better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than knowing it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them.

The baptism of John--where was it from? From heaven or from men?" And they were arguing among themselves, saying, "If we say, 'From heaven,' He will say to us, 'Why then did you not believe him?'

"For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, 'He has a demon.'

And when all the people heard Him, even the tax collectors justified God, having been baptized with the baptism of John.

But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God for themselves, because they had not been baptized by him.

You have sent to John, and he has testified to the truth.

He was the burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light.

Now as John was finishing his course, he said, 'Whom do you suppose me to be? I am not He. But behold, there comes One after me, the sandal of whose feet I am not worthy to loosen.'

For those dwelling in Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they did not know Him, nor the voices of the Prophets which are being read according to each Sabbath, condemning [him], they fulfilled [the Scriptures].

And when they finished all the things having been written about Him, taking Him down from the tree, they put [Him] in a tomb.

And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she found out that He was reclining in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of perfume,

Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he spoke within himself, saying, "This [Man], if He were a prophet, would know who and what sort of woman [this is] who touches Him, for she is a sinner."

There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other [owed] fifty.

Simon answered and said, "I suppose [it is the one] to whom he forgave more." And He said to him, "You have judged correctly."

You gave Me no kiss, but this [woman] has not stopped kissing My feet since the time I came in.

For which reason I say to you, her many sins have been forgiven, because she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little."

And those who were reclining at the table with Him began to say within themselves, "Who is this who even forgives sins?"

But My people hearkened not to My voice; and Israel gave no heed to Me.

So I let them go after the ways of their own hearts; they will go on in their own ways.

But they refused to attend, and madly turned their back, and made their ears heavy, so that they should not hear.

And they made their heart disobedient, so as not to hearken to My law, and the words which the Lord Almighty sent forth by His Spirit by the former prophets: so there was great wrath from the Lord Almighty.

And the Father Himself, who sent Me, has testified about Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His form.

You search the Scriptures, because you think [that] in them you have eternal life; and these are they which testify about Me.

in meekness instructing those that oppose, if God perhaps may give them repentance, to a full knowledge of the truth,

Take heed, brothers, lest there be in anyone of you a wicked heart of unbelief in departing from the living God;

and having fallen away, to renew [them] again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and hold Him up to contempt.

but if it bears thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to being cursed, of which the end [is] for burning.

And I gave her time so that she might repent, and she does not wish to repent of her fornication.