The Gospel of Matthew

Aquarian Gospel

Chapter Three

Chapter 61 (partial)

1: In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,

IT came to pass when John, the son of Zacharias and Elizabeth, had finished all his studies in the Egyptian schools, that he returned to Hebron, where he abode for certain days.
2) And then he sought the wilderness and made his home in David's cave where, many years before, he was instructed by the Egyptian sage

Chapter 62 (partial)

2: And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

3: For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
 

NEXT day John went again into the temple courts and said,
2) Prepare, O Israel, prepare to meet your king.
3) The chief priests and the scribes would know the meaning of his words; they said.
4) Bold man, what is the purport of this message that you bring to Israel? If you be seer and prophet tell us plainly who has sent you here?
5) And John replied, I am the voice of one who cries out in the wilderness, Prepare the way, make straight the paths, for, lo, the Prince of Peace will come to rule in love.
6) Your prophet Malachi wrote down the words of God:
7) And I will send Elijah unto you before the retribution day shall come, to turn again the hearts of men to God, and if they will not turn, lo, I will smite them with a curse.
8) You men of Israel; you know your sins. As I passed by I saw a wounded bird prone in your streets, and men of every class were beating it with clubs; and then I saw that Justice was its name.
9) I looked again and saw that its companion had been killed; the pure white wings of Righteousness were trampled in the dust.
10) I tell you men, your awfulness of guilt has made a cesspool of iniquity that sends a fearful stench to heaven.
11) Reform, O Israel, reform; prepare to meet your king.

4: And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey.

4) He clothed himself with skins of beasts; his food was carobs, honey, nuts and fruits. (from Chapter 61)

The rest of Chapter 61 and 62

Chapter 63

5: Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan,

AND John went down to Jericho; there he abode with Alpheus.
2) And when the people heard that he was there they came in throngs to hear him speak.
3) He spoke to none; but when the time was due he went down to the Jordan ford, and to the multitudes he said.

4) Reform and in the fount of purity wash all your sins away; the kingdom is at hand.
5) Come unto me and in the waters of this stream be washed, symbolic of the inner cleansing of the soul.²
6) And, lo, the multitudes came down, and in the Jordan they were washed, and every man confessed his sins.
7) For many months, in all the regions round about, John pled for purity and righteousness, and after many days he went again to Bethany; and there he taught.                               

8) At first few but the honest seekers came; but, by and by, the selfish and the vicious came with no contrition; came because the many came.

7: 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?

9) And when John saw the unrepentant Pharisees and Sadducees come unto him, he said,
10) You children of the vipers, stay; are you disturbed by news of coming wrath?

11) Go to, and do the things that prove repentance genuine.

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.

12) Is it enough for you to say that you are heirs of Abraham?   I tell you, no.
13) The heirs of Abraham are just as wicked in the sight of God when they do wrong as any heathen man.

10: And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which brings not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

14) Behold the axe! and every tree that bears not whole-

some fruit is cut down at the roots and cast into the fire.

15) And then the people asked, What must we do?
16) And John replied, Accept the ministry of helpfulness for all mankind; spend not upon your selfish selves all that you have.
17) Let him who has two coats give one to him who has no coat; give part of all the food you have to those in need.
18) And when the publicans came up and asked, What must we do? John answered them,
19) Be honest in your work; do not increase for selfish gain the tribute you collect; take nothing more than what your king demands.
20) And when the soldiers came and asked, What must we do?
The harbinger replied,
21) Do violence to none; exact no wrongful thing, and be contented with the wages you receive.
22) Among the Jews were many who had been waiting for the Christ to come, and they regarded John as Christ.
 

11: I indeed baptize you with 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 with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:

23) But to their questions John replied, In water I do cleanse, symbolic of the cleansing of the soul; but when he comes who is to come, lo, he will cleanse in Holy Breath and purify in fire.

12: Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.

24) His fan is in his hand, and he will separate the wheat and chaff; will throw the chaff away, but garner every grain of wheat. This is the Christ.
25) Behold he comes! and he will walk with you, and you will know him not.
26) He is the king; the latchet of his shoes I am not worthy to unloose.
27) And John left Bethany and went again unto the Jordan ford.

Chapter 64

13: Then came Jesus from Galilee to Jordan to John,

THE news reached Galilee, and Jesus with the multitude went down to where the harbinger was preaching at the ford.
2) When Jesus saw the harbinger he said.
Behold the man of God! Behold the greatest of the seers! Behold, Elijah has returned!
3) Behold the messenger whom God has sent to open up the way! The kingdom is at hand.
 

4) When John saw Jesus standing with the throng he said,
Behold the king who cometh in the name of God!

5) And Jesus said to John, I would be washed in water as a symbol of the cleansing of the soul.

14: But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized by you, and you come to me?
 

6) And John replied, You do not need to wash, for you are pure in thought, and word, and deed. And if you need to wash I am not worthy to perform the rite.

15: And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becomes us to fulfill all righteousness. Then he suffered him.

7) And Jesus said, I come to be a pattern for the sons of men, and what I bid them do, that I must do; and all men must be washed, symbolic of the cleansing of the soul.
8) This washing we establish as a rite – baptism rite we call it now, and so it shall be called.
9) Your work, prophetic harbinger, is to prepare the way, and to reveal the hidden things.
10) The multitudes are ready for the words of life, and I come to be made known by you to all the world, as prophet of the Triune God, and as the chosen one to manifest the Christ to men.

16: And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:

11) Then John led Jesus down into the river at the ford and he baptized him in the sacred name of him who sent him forth to manifest the Christ to men                                    12) And as they came out of the stream, the Holy Breath, in form of dove, came down and sat on Jesus' head.

17: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

13) A voice from heaven said,
This is the well-beloved son of God, the Christ, the love of God made manifest.
14) John heard the voice, and understood the message of the voice.
15) Now Jesus went his way, and John preached to the multitude.
16) As many as confessed their sins, and turned from evil ways to ways of right, the harbinger baptized, symbolic of the blotting out of sins by righteousness.