基督的先驱

在那些日子里,施洗者[a]约翰来了,在犹太的旷野传道, 说:“你们应当悔改,因为天国近了。” 约翰就是藉着先知以赛亚所说的那个人。以赛亚说:

“在旷野有声音呼喊着:
‘你们当预备主的道,
当修直[b]他的路!’”[c]

约翰穿着骆驼毛做的衣服,腰束皮带。他的食物是蝗虫和野蜜。 那时,耶路撒冷、全犹太地区和整个约旦河一带的人,都出来到他那里, 承认自己的罪孽,在约旦河里受他的洗礼。

约翰看见许多法利赛人和撒都该人也来要受他的洗礼,就对他们说:“你们这些毒蛇的子孙!谁指示你们逃避那将要来临的震怒呢? 你们应当结出果子,与悔改的心相称! 你们不要心里想‘我们有亚伯拉罕为先祖。’我告诉你们:神能从这些石头中给亚伯拉罕兴起儿女来。 10 现在斧子已经放在树根上,所有不结好果子的树都要被砍下来,被丢进火里。

11 “我用水[d]给你们施洗,是为了你们的[e]悔改。但在我之后来的那一位,是比我更强有力的,我就是为他提鞋子也不配。他要用圣灵和火给你们施洗。 12 他手里拿着扬谷的锨,要扬净他的打谷场,把他的麦子收进仓库,却把糠秕用不灭的火烧掉。”

耶稣受洗

13 那时,耶稣从加利利来到约旦河,到了约翰那里,要受他的洗礼。 14 约翰想要阻止他,说:“我需要受你的洗礼,你反而到我这里来吗?”

15 耶稣回答他,说:“现在你就答应吧,因为我们如此成全一切的义,是合宜的。”于是约翰答应了他。

16 耶稣受了洗,一从水里上来,看哪,诸天就为他[f]开了,他看见神的灵好像鸽子降下,临到他身上。 17 这时候,忽然有声音从诸天传来,说:

“这是我的爱子,
我所喜悦的。”

Footnotes

  1. 马太福音 3:1 施洗——或译作“施浸”。
  2. 马太福音 3:3 修直——或译作“修平”。
  3. 马太福音 3:3 《以赛亚书》40:3。
  4. 马太福音 3:11 用水——或译作“在水里”。
  5. 马太福音 3:11 你们的——辅助词语。
  6. 马太福音 3:16 有古抄本没有“为他”。

João Batista prepara o caminho

Naqueles dias, João Batista apareceu no deserto da Judeia e começou a anunciar a seguinte mensagem: “Arrependam-se, pois o reino dos céus está próximo”.[a] O profeta Isaías se referia a João quando disse:

“Ele é uma voz que clama no deserto:

‘Preparem o caminho para a vinda do Senhor![b]

Abram a estrada para ele!’”.[c]

As roupas de João eram tecidas com pelos de camelo, e ele usava um cinto de couro e alimentava-se de gafanhotos e mel silvestre. Gente de Jerusalém, de toda a Judeia e de todo o vale do Jordão ia até ele. Quando confessavam seus pecados, ele os batizava no rio Jordão.

Mas, quando João viu que muitos fariseus e saduceus vinham ao lugar de batismo, ele os repreendeu abertamente. “Raça de víboras!”, exclamou. “Quem os convenceu a fugir da ira que está por vir? Provem por suas ações que vocês se arrependeram. Não pensem que podem dizer uns aos outros: ‘Estamos a salvo, pois somos filhos de Abraão’. Isso não significa nada, pois eu lhes digo que até destas pedras Deus pode fazer surgir filhos de Abraão. 10 Agora mesmo o machado do julgamento está pronto para cortar as raízes das árvores. Toda árvore que não produz bons frutos será cortada e lançada ao fogo.

11 “Eu batizo com[d] água aqueles que se arrependem. Depois de mim, porém, virá alguém mais poderoso que eu, alguém muito superior, cujas sandálias não sou digno de carregar. Ele os batizará com o Espírito Santo e com fogo.[e] 12 Ele já tem na mão a pá, e com ela separará a palha do trigo e limpará a área onde os cereais são debulhados. Juntará o trigo no celeiro, mas queimará a palha no fogo que nunca se apaga.”

O batismo de Jesus

13 Jesus foi da Galileia ao rio Jordão para que João o batizasse. 14 João, porém, tentou impedi-lo. “Eu é que preciso ser batizado pelo senhor”, disse ele. “Então por que vem a mim?”

15 Jesus respondeu: “É necessário que seja assim, pois devemos fazer tudo que Deus requer”.[f] E João concordou em batizá-lo.

16 Depois do batismo, enquanto Jesus saía da água, o céu se abriu,[g] e ele viu o Espírito de Deus descer como uma pomba e pousar sobre ele. 17 E uma voz do céu disse: “Este é meu Filho amado, que me dá grande alegria”.

Footnotes

  1. 3.2 Ou é chegado, ou vem em breve.
  2. 3.3a Ou Ele é uma voz que clama: “Preparem no deserto o caminho para a vinda do Senhor!”.
  3. 3.3b Is 40.3, conforme a Septuaginta.
  4. 3.11a Ou em.
  5. 3.11b Ou no Espírito Santo e em fogo.
  6. 3.15 Ou devemos cumprir toda a justiça.
  7. 3.16 Alguns manuscritos acrescentam diante dele.

The Preaching of John the Baptist

In those days [a]John the Baptist appeared, preaching in the Wilderness of Judea [along the western side of the Dead Sea] and saying, [b]Repent [change your inner self—your old way of thinking, regret past sins, live your life in a way that proves repentance; seek God’s purpose for your life], for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” This is the one who was mentioned by the prophet Isaiah when he said,

The voice of one shouting in the wilderness,
Prepare the road for the Lord,
[c]Make His highways straight (level, direct)!’”(A)

Now this same John had clothing made of camel’s hair and a [wide] leather [d]band around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey.(B) At that time Jerusalem was going out to him, and all Judea and all the district around the Jordan; and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, as they confessed their sins.

But when he saw many of the [e]Pharisees and [f]Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the [divine] wrath and judgment to come? So produce fruit that is consistent with repentance [demonstrating new behavior that proves a change of heart, and a conscious decision to turn away from sin]; and do not presume to say to yourselves [as a defense], ‘We have Abraham for our father [so our inheritance assures us of salvation]’; for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children (descendants) for Abraham.(C) 10 And already the axe [of God’s judgment] is [g]swinging toward the root of the trees; therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

11 “As for me, I baptize you [h]with water because of [your] repentance [that is, because you are willing to change your inner self—your old way of thinking, regret your sin and live a changed life], but He (the Messiah) who is coming after me is mightier [more powerful, more noble] than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to remove [even as His slave]; He will baptize you [who truly repent] with the Holy Spirit and [you who remain unrepentant] with [i]fire (judgment).(D) 12 His [j]winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear out His threshing floor; and He will gather His wheat (believers) into His barn (kingdom), but He will burn up the chaff (the unrepentant) with unquenchable fire.”

The Baptism of Jesus

13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan [River], to be baptized by him.(E) 14 But John tried to prevent Him [vigorously protesting], saying, “It is I who need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?” 15 But Jesus replied to him, “Permit it just now; for this is the fitting way for us [k]to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John permitted [it and baptized] Him. 16 After Jesus was baptized, He came up immediately out of the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he (John) saw the [l]Spirit of God descending as a dove and lighting on Him (Jesus),(F) 17 and behold, a [m]voice from heaven said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased and delighted!”(G)

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 3:1 Considered the last of the Old Testament prophets, John the Baptist was the son of Zecharias (Zechariah) the priest and his wife, Elizabeth. Elizabeth and Mary, the mother of Jesus, were related (Luke 1:36), and Mary may have been with Elizabeth at the time John was born (Luke 1:56). John the Baptist is not to be confused with John the Apostle who along with his brother, James, was among the twelve disciples of Jesus.
  2. Matthew 3:2 Jews believed they would automatically be granted entrance into the Messianic kingdom, so this new teaching that repentance was required was very difficult to accept.
  3. Matthew 3:3 A ruler or nobleman traveling in the wilderness would have a crew of workmen preparing and clearing the road ahead of him. In spiritual terms, the message was clearing the way for the arrival of the Messiah by preparing the hearts of His followers.
  4. Matthew 3:4 This band (sash, girdle) was about six inches wide and had clasps or fasteners in front. It was used to carry personal items such as a dagger, money or other necessary things.
  5. Matthew 3:7 The Pharisees identified with the common people and had control over them. They were prominent legalistic leaders in Judaism who were experts in Mosaic Law and its rituals and traditions. They believed in the resurrection of the dead, immortality of the soul and in the existence of angels and spirits.
  6. Matthew 3:7 The Sadducees were aristocratic members of a priestly group (religious party) who controlled the temple. They denied the possibility of a resurrection and the existence of any spiritual beings apart from God. Although the Sadducees were in the minority, they were leaders of the Sanhedrin, controlling the Jewish High Court.
  7. Matthew 3:10 Lit laid at.
  8. Matthew 3:11 The Greek here can be translated in, with, or by.
  9. Matthew 3:11 Another view of “fire” purports that the text refers to the fiery baptism of the Holy Spirit, not judgment. According to this view the fire indicates that the believer is purified as in the refining of gold. Fire burns up the impurities and the gold (the believer) survives (cf 1 Cor 3:12, 13; James 1:3). The Holy Spirit promised here has been associated with Pentecost, purification, testing, and judgment. Each person who accepts Jesus is filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:5-8).
  10. Matthew 3:12 A tool roughly resembling a pitchfork, used to separate grains of wheat from the chaff by throwing the wheat into the air, and allowing the wind to blow away the lighter chaff.
  11. Matthew 3:15 This act of baptism identified Jesus with sinners whose sins He would ultimately bear, and to whom His righteousness would be imparted.
  12. Matthew 3:16 The descent of the Holy Spirit identified Jesus in His humanity for His ministry as the Messiah.
  13. Matthew 3:17 This is the first instance recorded in the Gospels of the Father speaking audibly to His Son. Also see Matt 17:5; Mark 1:11; 9:7; Luke 3:22; 9:35; John 12:28.