EARLY WISDOM GOSPELS^81
YESHUA BAPTIZES IN YEHUDA
After this Yeshua and his students came into the land of Yehuda.^34 He stayed
there with them and baptized.
Yohanan also was baptizing in Ainon near Salim, since there were many
waters there, and the people came and were baptized. Yohanan had not yet
been thrown into prison.
There was a dispute between Yohanan's students and a Jew^35 about cere-
monial washing. They came toward Yohanan and said, "Rabbi, the one who
was with you across the Jordan, to whom you testified, look, he is baptizing all
who come to him."
Yohanan answered,
"No one can receive anything
unless it comes from heaven.
You are my witnesses that I have said,
'I am not the messiah
but I am sent before him.'
"He who has the bride is the groom.
The groom's friend who stands near and hears him
is filled with joy at the groom's voice.
So my happiness is completed.
He must increase and I be diminished.
"The one who comes from above is above all.
The one who is of the earth is of the earth
and speaks from the earth.
The one who comes from the sky is above all.
To what he has seen and heard he testifies,
yet his testimony no one receives.
Who receives his testimony proves that god is true.
Whom god sent speaks the words of god,
for the wind of spirit he gives out is beyond measure.
The father loves the son and has given all things into his hand.- Judea.
- In this context a Jew means a person from Judea as opposed to another region of Israel.