1 N ow in those days comes John the baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,

فِي تِلْكَ الأيّامِ جاءَ يُوحَنّا المَعمَدانُ لِيَعِظَ فِي بَرِّيَّةِ اليَهُودِيَّةِ،

2 a nd saying, Repent, for the kingdom of the heavens has drawn nigh.

وَكانَ يَقُولُ: «تُوبُوا لِأنَّ مَلَكوتَ السَّماواتِ قَرِيبٌ.»

3 F or this is he who has been spoken of through Esaias the prophet, saying, Voice of him that crieth in the wilderness: prepare ye the way of Lord, make straight his paths.

وَيُوحَنّا هَذا هُوَ الَّذِي تَكَلَّمَ عَنْهُ النَّبِيُّ إشَعْياءُ عِندَما قالَ: «صَوتُ إنسانٍ يُنادِي فِي البَرِّيَّةِ وَيَقولُ: ‹أعِدُّوا الطَّرِيْقَ للرَّبِّ. اجعَلُوا السُّبُلَ مُستَقِيْمَةً مِنْ أجلِهِ.›»

4 A nd John himself had his garment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins, and his nourishment was locusts and wild honey.

كانَ يُوحَنّا يَلبِسُ ثِياباً مِنْ وَبَرِ الجِمالِ، وَعَلَى وَسْطِهِ حِزامٌ مِنْ جِلْدٍ، وَيَأكُلُ جَراداً وَعَسَلاً بَرِّيّاً.

5 T hen went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the country round the Jordan,

فِي ذَلِكَ الوَقتِ، بَدَأ كُلُّ النّاسِ يَأتونَ مِنْ مَدِينَةِ القُدسِ وَمِنْ إقليمِ اليَهُودِيَّةِ كُلِّهِ، وَمِنَ المِنطَقَةِ المُحِيطَةِ بِنَهْرِ الأُردُنِّ لِيَسْمَعُوهُ.

6 a nd were baptised by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.

وَكانَ يُعَمِّدُهُمْ فِي نَهْرِ الأُردُنِّ بَعْدَ أن يَعتَرِفوا بِخَطاياهُمْ.

7 B ut seeing many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, Offspring of vipers, who has forewarned you to flee from the coming wrath?

وَعِندَما رَأى يُوحَنّا أنَّ كَثِيرِينَ مِنَ الفِرِّيسِيِّينَ وَالصَّدُوقِيِّينَ يَأتُونَ لِكَي يُعَمِّدَهُمْ، قالَ لَهُمْ: «يا نَسلَ الأفاعِي، مَنِ الَّذِي نَبَّهَكُمْ إلَى الهُرُوبِ مِنَ الغَضَبِ القادِمِ؟

8 P roduce therefore fruit worthy of repentance.

اصنَعُوا ثَمَراً يُبَرهِنُ تَوبَتَكُمْ،

9 A nd do not think to say within yourselves, We have Abraham for father; for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children to Abraham.

وَلا تَتَفاخَرُوا بِقَولِكُمْ: ‹إبراهِيْمُ هُوَ أبُونا.› فَإنِّي أقُولُ لَكُمْ إنَّ اللهَ قادِرٌ عَلَى أنْ يَخلِقَ مِنْ هَذِهِ الصُّخُورِ أولاداً لإبْراهِيْمَ.

10 A nd already the axe is applied to the root of the trees; every tree therefore not producing good fruit is cut down and cast into the fire.

ها هِيَ الفَأْسُ مَوضُوعَةٌ عَلَى أُصُولِ سِيْقانِ الأشجارِ. وَسَتُقطَعُ كُلُّ شَجَرَةٍ لا تُثْمِرُ ثَمَراً جَيِّداً، وَسَيُلقَى بِها فِي النّارِ.

11 I indeed baptise you with water to repentance, but he that comes after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not fit to bear; he shall baptise you with Holy Spirit and fire;

«أنا أُعَمِّدُكُمْ فِي ماءٍ لإعلانِ تَوبَتِكُمْ، أمّا الَّذِي يَأتِي بَعدِي فَهُوَ أعظَمُ مِنِّي، وَلَسْتُ مُستَحِقّاً أنْ أخلَعَ حِذاءَهُ. هُوَ سَيُعَمِّدُكُمْ فِي الرُّوحِ القُدُسِ وَنارٍ.

12 w hose winnowing fan in his hand, and he shall thoroughly purge his threshing-floor, and shall gather his wheat into the garner, but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable.

سَيَحمِلُ مِذْراتَهُ فِي يَدِهِ وَسَيُنَقِّي بَيدَرَهُ، فَيَجمَعَ حُبوبَهُ فِي المَخْزَنِ، وَيَحرِقَ التِّبْنَ بِنارٍ لا تُطفَأُ.» مَعمُودِيَّةُ يَسُوع

13 T hen comes Jesus from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptised of him;

ثُمَّ جاءَ يَسُوعُ مِنْ إقلِيمِ الجَلِيلِ إلَى نَهْرِ الأُردُنِّ، لِأنَّهُ أرادَ أنْ يُعَمِّدَهُ يُوحَنّا.

14 b ut John urgently forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptised of thee; and comest thou to me?

وَلَكِنَّ يُوحَنّا حاوَلَ مَنْعَهُ وَقالَ: «أنا أحتاجُ أنْ تُعَمِّدَنِي، فَلِماذا تَأتِي إلَيَّ؟»

15 B ut Jesus answering said to him, Suffer now; for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffers him.

فَأجابَهُ يَسُوعُ: «اسْمَحْ بِذَلِكَ الآنَ، لِأنَّهُ مِنَ الَّلائِقِ أنْ نُتَمِّمَ كُلَّ ما يَطلُبُهُ اللهُ.» حِينَئِذٍ سَمَحَ لَهُ يُوحَنّا بِأنْ يَتَعَمَّدَ.

16 A nd Jesus, having been baptised, went up straightway from the water, and lo, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming upon him:

فَتَعَمَّدَ يَسُوعُ فِي الماءِ. وَحالَ صُعُودِهِ مِنَ الماءِ، انفَتَحَتِ السَّماءُ، وَرَأى رُوحَ اللهِ يَنزِلُ عَلَى هَيئَةِ حَمامَةٍ وَيَستَقِرُّ عَلَيهِ.

17 a nd behold, a voice out of the heavens saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I have found my delight.

وَجاءَ صَوتٌ مِنَ السَّماءِ يَقُولُ: «أنتَ هُوَ ابنِي المَحبُوبُ. أنا راضٍ عَنكَ كُلَّ الرِّضا.»