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A HARMONY OF THE GOSPELS.

JOHN THE BAPTIST, HAVING RECEIVED THE WORD OF GOD, BEGINS TO PREACH.

Matt, iii. 1-12. Mark i. 1-8. Luke iii. 1-18.

1. The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Cæsar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea, and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene. Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. And in those days he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins, and saying, "Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet (Is. xl. 3) saying "The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make His paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places shall be made smooth, and all flesh shall see the salvation of God."

And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins, and his food was locusts and wild honey. Then went out to him, Jerusalem, and all Judea, And were all baptized of him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, "O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come, Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: 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. And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees; therefore, every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit, is hewn down and cast into the fire." And the people asked him, saying, “What shall we do then?" He answereth and saith unto them, "He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise." Then came also publicans to be baptized, and said unto him, "Master, what shall we do?" And he said unto them, "Exact no more than that which is appointed you." And the soldiery likewise demanded of him, saying, "And what shall we do?" And he said unto them, "Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages." And as the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of John, whether he were the Christ or not; John answered, saying unto them all, "I indeed baptize you with water, unto repentance but one mightier than I cometh after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose, he will baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire. Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner, but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable." And many other things in his exhortation, preached he unto the people.

THE BAPTISM OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST.

Matt. iii. 13-17. Mark i. 9-11. Luke iii. 21-23.

2. And it came to pass, in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him, But John forbad him, saying, "I have need to be baptized of thee and comest thou to me?" And Jesus answering, said unto him, "Suffer it to be so now; for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness." Then he suffered him. Now when all the people were baptized, and Jesus being baptized, went straightway up out of the water, and praying, he saw the heavens opened, and the Holy Spirit of God descending in a bodily shape, like a dove, and lighting upon him, and lo a voice from heaven, saying, "Thou art my beloved Son, in thee I am well pleased." And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age.

THE TEMPTATION OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST.

Matt. iv. 1-11. Mark i. 12-13. Luke iv. 1-13.

3. And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost, returned from Jordan, and immediately the Spirit driveth him into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan, and was with the wild beasts. And in those days he did eat nothing; and when they were ended, he afterwards hungered. And when the tempter came to him, he said, "If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.". And Jesus answered him, saying, it is written, (Deut. viii. 3.) "That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." Then the devil taketh into the Holy City, Jerusalem, and setteth him on a

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pinnacle of the temple, And saith unto him, "If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down;" for it is written (Ps. xci. 11, 12.) "He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up: lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone." Jesus said unto him, It is written again (Deut. vi. 16.) "Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God." Again the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them, in a moment of time, and the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it. If thou therefore wilt fall down and worship me, all shall be thine. And Jesus answered and said unto him, "Get thee behind me. Satan, for it is written, (Deut. vi. 13, 16, 20.) "Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve." And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season, and behold angels came and ministered unto him.

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THE JEWS SEND PRIESTS AND LEVITES FROM JERUSALEM UNTO JOHN, TO ENQUIRE WHO HE IS?

John i. 19-28.

4. And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent Priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who art thou?" And he confessed and denied not; but confessed "I am not the Christ." And they asked him, "What then? Art thou Elias ?" And he saith, "I am not." "Art thou that Prophet?" And he answered, "No.". Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself?" He said, "I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias." (Is. xl. 3.) And they which were sent were of the Pharisees,

And they asked him, and said unto him, "Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet?" John answered them, saying, "I baptize you with water, but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not: He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoes latchet I am not worthy to unloose." These things were done in Bethabara, beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing.

THE TESTIMONY OF JOHN THE BAPTIST TO OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST.

John i. 29-43.

5. The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." This is he of whom I said, "After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me. And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water." And John bare record, saying, "I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him. And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.' And I saw and bare record that this is the Son of God."

Again, the next day after, John stood, and two of his disciples; and looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, "Behold the Lamb of God!" And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. Then Jesus turned and saw them following, and saith unto them, "What seek ye?" They said unto him, "Rabbi, (which is to say being interpreted, Master,) where dwellest thou?" He saith unto them, "Come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day: for it was about the tenth hour.

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