1In those days came Yokhanan HaMatbil; and he was declaring in the wilderness of Y’hudah, 2saying, “Repent; for Malkhut HaShamayim [The Kingdom of Heaven] is near.” 3For it was he of whom it was said by Yesha-Yahu HaNavi, “The voice which cries in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way of יהוה , and straighten His highways’.” 4Now the same Yokhanan’s clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had leather belts around his waist, and his food was roots and wild honey. 5Then there went out to him Yerushalayim, and all of Y’hudah, and the whole country around the Yarden. 6And they were immersed by him in the river Yarden, as they confessed their sins. 7But when he saw a great many of the P’rushim and Tzedokim who were coming to be immersed, he said to them, “O offspring of scorpions, who has warned you to escape from the anger which is to come? 8Bring forth therefore fruits which are worthy of repentance; 9and do not think and say within yourselves, ‘We have Avraham as our father;’ for I say to you that Elohim can raise up children for Avraham from these stones. 10Behold, the axe is already placed at the root of the trees; therefore, every tree which does not bear good fruits shall be cut down and cast in the fire. 11I am just immersing you with water for repentance; but He who is coming after me is greater than I, the one even whose shoes I am not worthy to remove; He will immerse you with The Ru’akh HaKodesh [The Holy Spirit], and with fire, 12whose shovel is in His hand, and He purifies His threshings; the wheat He gathers into His barns, and the straw He burns up in the unquenchable fire.”
13Then Yeshua came from the Galil to the Yarden to Yokhanan, to be immersed by him. 14But Yokhanan tried to stop Him, and said, “I need to be immersed by you, and yet have you come to me?” 15But Yeshua answered and said to him, “Permit it now, for this is necessary for us, so that all tzedaka [righteousness] may be fulfilled;” and then he permitted Him.
16When Yeshua was immersed, He immediately came out of the water; and the heavens were opened to Him, and he saw Ru’akh HaElohim descending like a dove, and resting upon Him; 17and behold, a voice from the heavens, which said, “This is my Ben HaAhuv, with whom I am pleased.”
אבַּיָּמִים הָהֵם קָם יוֹחָנָן הַמַּטְבִּיל וַיְהִי קֹרֵא בְמִדְבַּר יְהוּדָה לֵאמֹר׃ בשׁוּבוּ כִּי מַלְכוּת הַשָׁמַיִם קָרְבָה לָבוֹא׃ גכִּי זֶה הוּא אֲשֶׁר נִבָּא עָלָיו יְשַׁעְיָהוּ הַנָּבִיא לֵאמֹר קוֹל קוֹרֵא בַמִּדְבָּר פַּנּוּ דֶּרֶךְ יהוה יַשְׁרוּ מְסִלּוֹתָיו. דוְיוֹחָנָן לְבוּשׁוֹ שְׂעַר גְּמַלִּים וְאֵזוֹר עוֹר בְּמָתְנָיו וּמַאֲכָלוֹ שָׁרָשִׁים וּדְבַשׁ בָּר. הוַתֵּצֵא אֵלָיו יְרוּשָׁלַיִם וְכָל יְהוּדָה וְכָל כִּכַּר הַיַּרְדֵּן. ווַיִּטָּבְלוּ עַל יָדוֹ בַּיַּרְדֵּן וַיִּתְוַדּוּ אֶת חַטֹּאתָם. זוַיְהי כִּרְאוֹתוֹ רַבִּים מִן הַפְּרוּשִׁים וְהַצְדוֹקִים נִגָּשִׁים לְהִטָּבֵל וַיֹּאמֶר לָהֶם יַלְדֵי צִפְעוֹנִים מִי הִשְׂכִּיל אֶתְכֶם לְהִמָּלֵט מִן הַקֶּצֶף הֶעָתִיד לָבֹא? חלָכֵן עֲשׂוּ פְרִי רָאוּי לַתְּשׁוּבָה; טוְאַל תַּחְשְׁבוּ בִלְבַבְכֶם לֵאמֹר אַבְרָהָם הוּא אָבִינוּ כִּי אֲנִי אֹמֵר לָכֶם כִּי מִן הָאֲבָנִים הָאֵלֶּה יָכוֹל הָאֱלֹהִים לְהָקִים בָּנִים לְאַבְרָהָם. יוּכְבָר הוּשַׂם הַגַּרְזֶן עַל שֹׁרֶשׁ הָעֵצִים וְהִנֵּה כָל עֵץ אֲשֶׁר אֵינֶנּוּ עֹשֶׂה פְּרִי טוֹב יִכָּרֵת וְיֻשְׁלַךְ בָּאֵשׁ. יאהֵן אָנֹכִי טוֹבֵל אֶתְכֶם בַּמַּיִם לַתְּשׁוּבָה וְהַבָּא אַחֲרַי חָזָק מִמֶּנִּי אֲשֶׁר קָטֹנְתִּי מִשְּׂאֵת נְעָלָיו וְהוּא יִטְבֹּל אֶתְכֶם בְּרוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ וּבָאֵשׁ, יבוּבְיָדוֹ הַמִּזְרֶה וְזָרָה אֶת גָּרְנוֹ וְאָסַף אֶת דְּגָנוֹ אֶל אוֹצָרוֹ וְאֶת הַמֹּץ יִשְׂרְפֶנּוּ בָאֵשׁ אֲשֶׁר בִּלְתִּי נִכְבֵּית.
יגוַיָּבֹא יֵשׁוּעַ מִן הַגָּלִיל הַיַּרְדֵּנָה אֶל יוֹחָנָן לְהִטָּבֵל עַל יָדוֹ. ידוְיוֹחָנָן חָשַׂךְ אוֹתוֹ לֵאמֹר אָנֹכִי צָרִיךְ לְהִטָּבֵל עַל יָדֶךָ וְאַתָּה בָּא אֵלַי? טווַיַּעַן יֵשׁוּעַ וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו הַנִּיחָה לִּי עַכְשָׁו כִּי כֵן יָאֶה לָנוּ לְמַלֵּא כָּל הַצְּדָקָה וַיַּנַּח לוֹ.
טזוַיְהִי כַּאֲשֶׁר נִטְבַּל יֵשׁוּעַ וַיְמַהֵר וַיַּעַל מִן הַמָּיִם וְהִנֵּה הַשָׁמַיִם נִפְתְּחוּ לוֹ וַיַּרְא אֶת רוּחַ אֱלֹהִים יוֹרֶדֶת כְּיוֹנָה וְנָחָה עָלָיו; יזוְהִנֵּה קוֹל מִן הַשָׁמַיִם אוֹמֵר זֶה בְּנִי הָאָהוּב אֲשֶׁר חָפַצְתִּי בּוֹ.
D'var יהוה , The Word of יהוה 