開路先鋒

那時,施洗者約翰來到猶太的曠野傳道,說: 「悔改吧,因為天國臨近了!」 約翰就是以賽亞先知所說的那位,他說:「有人在曠野大聲呼喊,『預備主的道,修直祂的路。』」

約翰身穿駱駝毛的衣服,腰束皮帶,吃的是蝗蟲、野蜜。 那時,耶路撒冷、猶太各地和約旦河一帶的人都來到約翰那裡, 承認他們的罪,在約旦河裡接受他的洗禮。

約翰看見很多法利賽人和撒都該人也來受洗,就對他們說:「你們這些毒蛇的後代!誰指示你們逃避那將臨的烈怒呢? 你們要結出與悔改相稱的果子。 不要心裡說,『我們是亞伯拉罕的子孫。』我告訴你們,上帝可以從這些石頭中興起亞伯拉罕的子孫。 10 現在斧頭已經放在樹根上了,不結好果子的樹都要被砍下,丟在火裡。 11 我用水為你們施洗,叫你們悔改。但在我之後,有位比我更有能力的要來,我連替祂提鞋都不配。祂要用聖靈和火為你們施洗。 12 祂手拿簸箕,要把穀場清理乾淨,將麥子存入倉裡,用不滅的火把糠秕燒盡。」

耶穌受洗

13 後來,耶穌從加利利來到約旦河要約翰為祂施洗。 14 約翰想要攔住祂,就說:「應該是你為我施洗才對,你反倒來找我?」

15 耶穌回答說:「你就這樣做吧!我們理當這樣遵行上帝一切的要求。」於是約翰答應了。

16 耶穌受了洗,剛從水裡上來,天就開了。祂看見上帝的聖靈像鴿子一樣降到祂身上, 17 又有聲音從天上傳來:「這是我的愛子,我甚喜悅祂。」

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

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

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.

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.

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

And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.

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?

Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:

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.

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

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:

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

13 Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.

14 But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?

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

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:

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

The Messiah’s Herald

In those days John the Baptist came,(A) preaching in the Wilderness of Judea(B) and saying, “Repent, because the kingdom of heaven has come near!”(C) For he is the one spoken of through the prophet Isaiah, who said:

A voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
Prepare the way for the Lord;
make His paths straight!(D)[a]

John himself had a camel-hair garment with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. Then people from Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the vicinity of the Jordan were flocking to him, and they were baptized by him in the Jordan River as they confessed their sins.(E)

When he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees(F) coming to the place of his baptism,[b] he said to them, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?(G) Therefore produce fruit(H) consistent with[c] repentance. And don’t presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’(I) For I tell you that God is able to raise up children for Abraham from these stones! 10 Even now the ax is ready to strike the root of the trees! Therefore, every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.(J)

11 “I baptize you with[d] water for repentance,[e](K) but the One who is coming after me is more powerful than I. I am not worthy to remove[f] His sandals. He Himself will baptize you with[g] the Holy Spirit and fire.(L) 12 His winnowing shovel[h] is in His hand, and He will clear His threshing floor and gather His wheat into the barn. But the chaff He will burn up with fire that never goes out.”(M)

The Baptism of Jesus

13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptized by him.(N) 14 But John tried to stop Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and yet You come to me?”

15 Jesus answered him, “Allow it for now, because this is the way for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed Him to be baptized.

16 After Jesus was baptized, He went up immediately from the water. The heavens(O) suddenly opened for Him,[i] and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming down on Him.(P) 17 And there came a voice from heaven:

This is My beloved Son.
I take delight in Him!(Q)

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 3:3 Is 40:3
  2. Matthew 3:7 Lit to his baptism
  3. Matthew 3:8 Lit fruit worthy of
  4. Matthew 3:11 Or in
  5. Matthew 3:11 Baptism was the means by which repentance was expressed publicly.
  6. Matthew 3:11 Or to carry
  7. Matthew 3:11 Or in
  8. Matthew 3:12 A wooden farm implement used to toss threshed grain into the wind so the lighter chaff would blow away and separate from the heavier grain
  9. Matthew 3:16 Other mss omit for Him

The Preaching of John the Baptist

(Mark 1.1-8; Luke 3.1-18; John 1.19-28)

Years later, John the Baptist started preaching in the desert of Judea. (A) He said, “Turn back to God! The kingdom of heaven[a] will soon be here.”[b]

(B) John was the one the prophet Isaiah was talking about, when he said,

“In the desert someone
    is shouting,
‘Get the road ready
    for the Lord!
Make a straight path
    for him.’ ”

(C) John wore clothes made of camel's hair. He had a leather strap around his waist and ate grasshoppers and wild honey.

From Jerusalem and all Judea and from the Jordan River Valley crowds of people went to John. They told how sorry they were for their sins, and he baptized them in the river.

(D) Many Pharisees and Sadducees also came to be baptized. But John said to them:

You bunch of snakes! Who warned you to run from the coming judgment? Do something to show you have really given up your sins. (E) And don't start telling yourselves that you belong to Abraham's family. I tell you that God can turn these stones into children for Abraham. 10 (F) An ax is ready to cut the trees down at their roots. Any tree that doesn't produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into a fire.

11 I baptize you with water so you will give up your sins.[c] But someone more powerful is going to come, and I am not good enough even to carry his sandals.[d] He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. 12 (G) His threshing fork is in his hand, and he is ready to separate the wheat from the husks.[e] He will store the wheat in a barn and burn the husks in a fire that never goes out.

The Baptism of Jesus

(Mark 1.9-11; Luke 3.21,22)

13 Jesus left Galilee and went to the Jordan River to be baptized by John. 14 But John kept objecting and said, “I ought to be baptized by you. Why have you come to me?”

15 Jesus answered, “For now this is how it should be, because we must do all God wants us to do.” Then John agreed.

16 So Jesus was baptized. And as soon as he came out of the water, the sky opened, and he saw the Spirit of God coming down on him like a dove. 17 (H) Then a voice from heaven said, “This is my own dear Son, and I am pleased with him.”

Footnotes

  1. 3.2 kingdom of heaven: In the Gospel of Matthew “kingdom of heaven” is used with the same meaning as “God's kingdom” in Mark and Luke.
  2. 3.2 will soon be here: Or “is already here.”
  3. 3.11 so you will give up your sins: Or “because you have given up your sins.”
  4. 3.11 carry his sandals: This was one of the duties of a slave.
  5. 3.12 His threshing fork is in his hand, and he is ready to separate the wheat from the husks: After Jewish farmers had trampled out the grain, they used a large fork to pitch the grain and the husks into the air. Wind would blow away the light husks, and the grain would fall back to the ground, where it could be gathered up.