John the Baptist Prepares the Way(A)

In those days John the Baptist(B) came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven(C) has come near.” This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah:

“A voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
    make straight paths for him.’”[a](D)

John’s(E) clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist.(F) His food was locusts(G) and wild honey. People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. Confessing their sins, they were baptized(H) by him in the Jordan River.

But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: “You brood of vipers!(I) Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?(J) Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.(K) And do not think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’(L) I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. 10 The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.(M)

11 “I baptize you with[b] water for repentance.(N) But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with[c] the Holy Spirit(O) and fire.(P) 12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”(Q)

The Baptism of Jesus(R)

13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John.(S) 14 But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”

15 Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented.

16 As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened,(T) and he saw the Spirit of God(U) descending like a dove and alighting on him. 17 And a voice from heaven(V) said, “This is my Son,(W) whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”(X)

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 3:3 Isaiah 40:3
  2. Matthew 3:11 Or in
  3. Matthew 3:11 Or in

The Preaching of John the Baptist

Now (A)in those days (B)John the Baptist *[a]came, [b]preaching in the (C)wilderness of Judea, saying, (D)Repent, for (E)the kingdom of heaven has come near.” For this is the (F)one referred to [c]by Isaiah the prophet when he said,

(G)The voice of one [d]calling [e]out in the wilderness,
(H)Prepare the way of the Lord,
Make His paths straight!’”

Now John himself had [f](I)a garment of camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist; and his food was (J)locusts and wild honey. At that time Jerusalem (K)was going out to him, and all Judea and all (L)the region around the Jordan; and they were being (M)baptized by him in the Jordan River, as they confessed their sins.

But when he saw many of the (N)Pharisees and (O)Sadducees coming for [g]baptism, he said to them, “You [h](P)offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from (Q)the wrath to come? (R)Therefore produce fruit (S)consistent with repentance; and do not assume that you can say to yourselves, ‘(T)We have Abraham as our father’; for I tell you that God is able, from these stones, to raise up children for Abraham. 10 And the (U)axe is already laid at the root of the trees; therefore, (V)every tree that does not bear good fruit is being cut down and thrown into the fire.

11 “As for me, (W)I baptize you [i]with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; (X)He will baptize you [j]with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His (Y)winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear His threshing floor; and He will (Z)gather His wheat into the barn, but He will burn up the (AA)chaff with (AB)unquenchable fire.”

The Baptism of Jesus

13 (AC)Then Jesus *arrived (AD)from Galilee at the Jordan, coming to John to be baptized by him. 14 But John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I have the need to be baptized by You, and yet You are coming to me?” 15 But Jesus, answering, said to him, “Allow it at this time; for in this way it is fitting for us (AE)to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he *allowed Him. 16 After He was baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and [k](AF)he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and [l]settling on Him, 17 and behold, a voice from the heavens said, “(AG)This is [m]My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 3:1 Or arrived; or appeared
  2. Matthew 3:1 Or proclaiming as a herald
  3. Matthew 3:3 Or through
  4. Matthew 3:3 Or shouting
  5. Matthew 3:3 Or out, Prepare in the wilderness the way
  6. Matthew 3:4 Lit his garment
  7. Matthew 3:7 Later mss his baptism
  8. Matthew 3:7 Or brood
  9. Matthew 3:11 The Gr here can be translated in, with, or by
  10. Matthew 3:11 The Gr here can be translated in, with, or by
  11. Matthew 3:16 Or He
  12. Matthew 3:16 Lit coming upon Him
  13. Matthew 3:17 Or My Son, the Beloved

¶ Y en aquellos días vino Juan el Bautista predicando en el desierto de Judea,

y diciendo: Arrepentíos, que el Reino de los cielos se acerca.

Porque éste es aquel del cual fue dicho por el profeta Isaías, que dijo: Voz de uno que clama en el desierto; aparejad el camino del Señor, enderezad sus veredas.

Y tenía Juan su vestido de pelos de camellos, y una cinta de cuero alrededor de sus lomos; y su comida era langostas y miel silvestre.

Entonces salía a él Jerusalén, y toda Judea, y toda la provincia de alrededor del Jordán;

y eran bautizados de él en el Jordán, confesando sus pecados.

¶ Y viendo él muchos de los fariseos y de los saduceos, que venían a su bautismo, les decía: Generación de víboras, ¿quién os ha enseñado a huir de la ira que vendrá?

Haced pues frutos dignos de arrepentimiento,

y no penséis decir dentro de vosotros: a Abraham tenemos por padre; porque yo os digo, que puede Dios despertar hijos a Abraham aun de estas piedras.

10 Ahora, ya también el hacha está puesta a la raíz de los árboles; y todo árbol que no hace buen fruto, es cortado y echado en el fuego.

11 Yo a la verdad os bautizo en agua para arrepentimiento; mas el que viene tras de mí, más poderoso es que yo; los zapatos del cual yo no soy digno de llevar. El os bautizará en Espíritu Santo y fuego.

12 Su aventador en su mano está, y aventará su era; y recogerá su trigo en el alfolí, y quemará la paja en fuego que nunca se apagará.

13 ¶ Entonces Jesús vino de Galilea a Juan al Jordán, para ser bautizado de él.

14 Mas Juan lo resistía mucho, diciendo: Yo necesito ser bautizado de ti, ¿y tú vienes a mí?

15 Pero respondiendo Jesús le dijo: Deja ahora; porque así nos conviene cumplir toda justicia. Entonces le dejó.

16 Y Jesús, después que fue bautizado, subió luego del agua; y he aquí los cielos le fueron abiertos, y vio al Espíritu de Dios que descendía como paloma, y venía sobre él.

17 Y he aquí una voz de los cielos que decía: Este es mi Hijo amado, en el cual tengo contentamiento.