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Chapter 3 - John The Baptist
1. In due course, John the Baptist came to the edge of the wilderness and preached at the banks of the Jordan.
2. John the Baptist preached of baptism in accordance with the old laws of god, according to which the way to knowledge was to be prepared.
3. He preached that god's laws shall be followed because he is the sole ruler of this human lineage.
4. He preached that above god, however, stands Creation, the source of the worlds, universes and all living creatures.
5. And so he taught that the genderless Creation is the mystery of all mysteries; death and life, light and darkness, being and non-being.
6. And so he taught once again that god, the lord and ruler of this human lineage and of those who travelled from afar, the celestial sons, holds Creation in high esteem.
7. All Judea and all the people of Jerusalem went forth to John the Baptist, acknowledging the wisdom of the old laws of god, and let themselves be baptized by him in the river Jordan.
8. John wore a garment made from camel's hair and a leather belt around his loins. His food consisted of locusts and wild honey.
9. While he was baptizing many of the people, many Pharisees and Sadducees came to him who humiliated him with malicious talk.
10. But John the Baptist spoke, "You brood of vipers, who told you that you will escape from future wrath, once your false teachings are revealed?
11. "See to it that you bear righteous fruit of repentance and learn the truth.
12. "Turn away from the evil of your false teachings, which you carry out with arrogance and pursuant with your greed for power and fortune.
13. "Do not think just of saying to each other, 'We have Abraham as father'.
14. "I say to you, with his knowledge and his power, god is able to raise up children to Abraham out of these stones, because he has knowledge of the mystery of Creation.
15. "Already the axe has been laid at the root of the trees. Therefore, any tree that does not bring forth good fruit will be hewn down and thrown into the fire.
16. "You brood of vipers, in two times a thousand years you and your followers, who pursue false teachings out of your own arrogance in your greed for power and fortune, shall be vanquished and, on account of your lies, punished.
17. "So it shall be when humankind begins to comprehend, and when the chaff is separated from the grain.
18. "It will be at the time when your false teachings will be laughed at and humankind discovers the truth.
19. "This will come to pass when humankind builds singing lights and chariots of fire, with which they can escape into the cosmos, as is done by god and his followers, the celestial sons,
20. "namely those who taught us the wisdom and knowledge of Creation,
21. "and who urged us to obey the laws of nature and live according to them.
22. "Oh you renegades, you brood of vipers, get away from this place, because you are impure and cursed in your false teachings.
23. "Get away from this place, because I can by my own accord baptize you into repentance only with water; but he who comes after me is stronger than I, and I am not worthy of removing his sandals. He will baptize you with the knowledge of the spirit and with the fire of truth.
24. "He has his winnowing fork in his hand; he will sweep his threshing floor and gather the wheat into his granary, but he will burn the chaff with unquenchable fire.
25. "The lie can never withstand the truth, which destroys evil in its fire."