THE VOICE IN THE WILDERNESS.

Luke iii. 1-6.

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 the tetrarch of Abilene,

2 Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came unto John, the son of Zacharias, in the wilderness.

'3 And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance, for the remission of

sins;

4 As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the

Luke iii. 1-6.

prophet, saying,

The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

5 Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth;

6 And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.

THE TEACHING OF THE BAPTIST.

Luke iii. 7-18.

13 And he said unto them, Exact no more than that which is appointed you.

14 And the soldiers 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.

18 And many other things in his exhortation preached he unto the people*.

* See Vol. Nativity, p. 217.