Introducing the Unitarian Standard Version Bible
References Used in the Unitarian Standard Version
Textual changes are underlined.
1
And in those days cometh John the Baptist, preaching in the
wilderness of Judaea, and saying, 2 "Repent ye; for the kingdom
of heaven is at hand." 3 For this is he that was spoken of
through Isaiah the prophet, saying,
"The voice of one crying in the wilderness, 'Make ye ready the way of Jehovah(a), Make his paths straight(b).'"
4 Now John himself had his raiment of camel`s hair, and a leather girdle about his loins; and his food was locusts and wild honey. 5 Then went out unto him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about the Jordan; 6 and they were baptized of him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said unto them, "Ye offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Bring forth therefore fruit worthy of repentance: 9 and think not to say within yourselves, 'We have Abraham to our father': for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. 10 But now the axe lieth at the root of the trees: every tree therefore that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 11 I indeed baptize you in water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you in holy spirit and fire: 12 whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his threshing-floor; and he will gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn up with unquenchable fire."
13
Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to the Jordan unto John, to be
baptized of him. 14 But John would have hindered him, saying, "I
have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?" 15 But
Jesus answering said unto him, "Permit [it] now: for thus it
becometh us to fulfil all righteousness." Then he permitted him.
16 And Jesus when he was baptized(c), went up straightway
from the water: and lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he
saw God's spirit descending as a dove, and coming upon him; 17
and lo, a voice out of the heavens, saying, "This is my beloved
Son, in whom I am well pleased."
Footnotes
(a) Isaiah 40:3
(b) "Nothing can be more erroneous, in
most cases, than to draw the conclusion, that because the
Scripture asserts some particular thing to have been done by
God, therefore he did it immediately, and no instruments were
employed by him. How much difficulty and contradiction, as well
in theology as in interpretation, has such a mode of reasoning
produced! In interpreting the principles of human laws, we say,
Qui facit per alium, facit per se. [“ He who does
any thing by another, does it by himself.”] Does not common
sense approve of this, as applied to the language of the
Scriptures? Nothing can be more evident than that the sacred
writers have expressed themselves in a manner which recognises
this principle. — PROFESSOR STUART: Excur. on Heb. ii. 2. [These
observations will justly apply to the passage in question. God
came into the world, by the agency of his Son Jesus Christ; and
therefore did John the Baptist prepare the way of Jehovah, by
preparing the way of the Messiah.]" John Wilson,
shortened to all other footnotes here as JW
(c) BAPTISQHNAI/baptizo - rendered
"immersed in the Emphatic Diaglott and Julia Smith Bible
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