The Diatessaron Of Tatian

[1] [303] No man hath seen God at any time; the only Son, God, [304] which is in the bosom of his Father, he hath told of him.

[2] [305] And this is the witness of John when the Jews sent to him from Jerusalem priests [3] and Levites to ask him, Who art thou? [306] And he acknowledged, and denied not; [4] and he confessed that he was not the Messiah. [307] And they asked him again, What then? Art thou Elijah? And he said, I am not he. Art thou a prophet? He [5] said, No. [308] They said unto him, Then who art thou? that we may answer them that [6] sent us. What sayest thou of thyself? [309] And he said, I am the voice that crieth in [7] the desert, Repair ye the way of the Lord, as said Isaiah the prophet. [310] And they [8] that were sent were from [311] the Pharisees. [312] And they asked him and said unto him, Why baptizest thou now, when thou art not the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor a prophet? [9] [313] John answered and said unto them, I baptize with [314] water: among you is standing [10] one whom ye know not: [315] this is he who I said cometh after me and was before [11] me, the latchets of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose. [316] And that was in Bethany beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing.

[12] [317] Now John's raiment was camel's hair, and he was girded with skins, and his food [13] [Arabic, p.15] was of locusts and honey of the wilderness. [318] ^ [319] Then went out unto him the people of Jerusalem, and all Judæa, and all the region which is about the [14, 15] Jordan; [320] and they were baptized of him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. [321] But when he saw many of the Pharisees [322] and Sadducees [323] coming to be baptized, he said unto them, Ye children of vipers, who hath led you to flee from the wrath to come? [16, 17] [324] Do now the fruits which are worthy of repentance; [325] and think and say not within yourselves, We have a father, even Abraham; for I say unto you, that God is able to [18] raise up of these stones children unto Abraham. [326] Behold, the axe hath been laid at the roots of the trees, and so every tree that beareth not good fruit shall be taken and [19] cast into the fire. [327] And the multitudes were asking him and saying, What shall we do? [20] [328] He answered and said unto them, He that hath two tunics shall [329] give to him that [21] hath not; and he that hath food shall [330] do likewise. [331] And the publicans also came [22] to be baptized, and they said unto him, Teacher, what shall we do? [332] He said unto [23] them, Seek not more than what ye are commanded to seek. [333] And the servants [334] of the guard asked him and said, And we also, what shall we do? He said unto them, Do not violence to any man, nor wrong him; and let your allowances satisfy you.

[24] [335] And when the people were conjecturing about John, and all of them thinking [25] in their hearts whether he were haply [336] the Messiah, [337] John answered and said unto them, I baptize you with water; there cometh one after me who is stronger than I, the latchets of whose shoes I am not worthy to loosen; he will baptize you with the [26] Holy Spirit and fire: [338] who taketh the fan in his hand to cleanse his threshing-floors, [Arabic, p.16] and the wheat he gathereth into his garners, while the straw he shall burn in fire which can [339] not be put out.

[27] [340] And other things he taught and preached among the people.

[28] [341] Then came Jesus from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized of him. [29] [342] And Jesus was about thirty years old, and it was supposed that he was the son of [30] Joseph. [343] [344] And John saw Jesus coming unto him, and said, This is the Lamb of [31] God, that taketh on itself the burden of the sins of the world! [345] This is he concerning whom I said, There cometh after me a man who was before me, because he was [32] before me. [346] [347] And I knew him not; but that he should be made manifest to Israel, [33] for this cause came I to baptize with water. [348] And John was hindering him and [34] saying, I have need of being baptized by thee, and comest thou to me? [349] Jesus answered him and said, Suffer this now: thus it is our duty to fulfill all righteousness. [35] Then he suffered him. [350] And when all the people were baptized, Jesus also [36] was baptized. [351] And immediately he went up out of the water, and heaven opened [37] [Arabic, p.17] to him, [352] [353] and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in the similitude of the [38] body of a dove; [354] and lo, a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved [39] Son, in whom I am well pleased. [355] And John bare witness and said, I beheld the [40] Spirit descend from heaven like a dove; and it abode upon him. [356] But I knew him not; but he that sent me to baptize with water, he said unto me, Upon whomsoever thou shalt behold the Spirit descending and lighting upon him, the same is he that [41] baptizeth with the Holy Spirit. [357] And I have seen and borne witness that this is the Son of God.

[42, 43] [358] And Jesus returned from the Jordan, filled with the Holy Spirit. [359] And immediately the Spirit took him out into the wilderness, to be tried of the devil; [360] [361] and he [44] was with the beasts. [362] And he fasted forty days and forty nights. [363] And he ate nothing [45] in those days, and at the end of them he hungered. [364] And the tempter came and said unto him, If thou art the Son of God, speak, and these stones shall become [46] bread. [365] He answered and said, It is written, Not by bread alone shall man live, but [47] by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. [366] Then the devil [367] brought [48] him to the holy city, and set him on the pinnacle of the temple, [368] and said unto him, If thou art the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written,

He shall give his angels charge concerning thee:

And they shall take thee on their arms,

So that thy foot shall not stumble against a stone.

[49] [369] Jesus said unto him, And [370] it is written also, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy [50] God. [371] And the devil [372] took him up to a high mountain, and shewed him all the kingdoms [51] [Arabic, p.18] of the earth, and their glory, in the least time; [373] and the devil [374] said unto him, To thee will I give all this dominion, and its glory, which is delivered to [52] me that I may give it to whomsoever I will. [375] If then thou wilt worship before me, all of it shall be thine.