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Juan el Bautista en el desierto(A)

Por aquel tiempo se presentó Juan el Bautista en el desierto de Judea. En su proclamación decía: «¡Vuélvanse a Dios, porque el reino de los cielos está cerca!»

Juan era aquel de quien Dios había dicho por medio del profeta Isaías:

«Una voz grita en el desierto:
“Preparen el camino del Señor;
ábranle un camino recto.”»

La ropa de Juan estaba hecha de pelo de camello, y se la sujetaba al cuerpo con un cinturón de cuero; su comida era langostas y miel del monte. La gente de Jerusalén y todos los de la región de Judea y de la región cercana al Jordán salían a oírle. Confesaban sus pecados y Juan los bautizaba en el río Jordán.

Pero cuando Juan vio que muchos fariseos y saduceos iban a que los bautizara, les dijo: «¡Raza de víboras! ¿Quién les ha dicho a ustedes que van a librarse del terrible castigo que se acerca? Pórtense de tal modo que se vea claramente que se han vuelto al Señor, y no presuman diciéndose a sí mismos: “Nosotros somos descendientes de Abraham”; porque les aseguro que incluso a estas piedras Dios puede convertirlas en descendientes de Abraham. 10 El hacha ya está lista para cortar los árboles de raíz. Todo árbol que no da buen fruto, se corta y se echa al fuego. 11 Yo, en verdad, los bautizo con agua para invitarlos a que se vuelvan a Dios; pero el que viene después de mí los bautizará con el Espíritu Santo y con fuego. Él es más poderoso que yo, que ni siquiera merezco llevarle sus sandalias. 12 Trae su pala en la mano y limpiará el trigo y lo separará de la paja. Guardará su trigo en el granero, pero quemará la paja en un fuego que nunca se apagará.»

Jesús es bautizado(B)

13 Jesús fue de Galilea al río Jordán, donde estaba Juan, para que éste lo bautizara. 14 Al principio Juan quería impedírselo, y le dijo:

—Yo debería ser bautizado por ti, ¿y tú vienes a mí?

15 Jesús le contestó:

—Déjalo así por ahora, pues es conveniente que cumplamos todo lo que es justo ante Dios.

Entonces Juan consintió. 16 En cuanto Jesús fue bautizado y salió del agua, el cielo se le abrió y vio que el Espíritu de Dios bajaba sobre él como una paloma. 17 Se oyó entonces una voz del cielo, que decía: «Éste es mi Hijo amado, a quien he elegido.»

The Work of John the Baptist

About that time John the Baptist began preaching in the desert area of Judea. John said, “Change your hearts and lives because the kingdom of heaven is near.” John the Baptist is the one Isaiah the prophet was talking about when he said:

“This is a voice of one
    who calls out in the desert:
‘Prepare the way for the Lord.
    Make the road straight for him.’” Isaiah 40:3

John’s clothes were made from camel’s hair, and he wore a leather belt around his waist. For food, he ate locusts and wild honey. Many people came from Jerusalem and Judea and all the area around the Jordan River to hear John. They confessed their sins, and he baptized them in the Jordan River.

Many of the Pharisees and Sadducees came to the place where John was baptizing people. When John saw them, he said, “You are snakes! Who warned you to run away from God’s coming punishment? Do the things that show you really have changed your hearts and lives. And don’t think you can say to yourselves, ‘Abraham is our father.’ I tell you that God could make children for Abraham from these rocks. 10 The ax is now ready to cut down the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.[a]

11 “I baptize you with water to show that your hearts and lives have changed. But there is one coming after me who is greater than I am, whose sandals I am not good enough to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 He will come ready to clean the grain, separating the good grain from the chaff. He will put the good part of the grain into his barn, but he will burn the chaff with a fire that cannot be put out.”[b]

Jesus Is Baptized by John

13 At that time Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan River and wanted John to baptize him. 14 But John tried to stop him, saying, “Why do you come to me to be baptized? I need to be baptized by you!”

15 Jesus answered, “Let it be this way for now. We should do all things that are God’s will.” So John agreed to baptize Jesus.

16 As soon as Jesus was baptized, he came up out of the water. Then heaven opened, and he saw God’s Spirit coming down on him like a dove. 17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love, and I am very pleased with him.”

Footnotes

  1. 3:10 The ax . . . fire. This means that God is ready to punish his people who do not obey him.
  2. 3:12 He will . . . out. This means that Jesus will come to separate good people from bad people, saving the good and punishing the bad.

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 Proclamation of John the Baptist

In those days John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.’[a] This is the one of whom the prophet Isaiah spoke when he said,

‘The voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
“Prepare the way of the Lord,
    make his paths straight.”’

Now John wore clothing of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. Then the people of Jerusalem and all Judea were going out to him, and all the region along the Jordan, and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.

But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, ‘You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruit worthy of repentance. Do not presume to say to yourselves, “We have Abraham as our ancestor”; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. 10 Even now the axe is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

11 ‘I baptize you with[b] water for repentance, but one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with[c] the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing-fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing-floor and will gather his wheat into the granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.’

The Baptism of Jesus

13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptized by him. 14 John would have prevented him, saying, ‘I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?’ 15 But Jesus answered him, ‘Let it be so now; for it is proper for us in this way to fulfil all righteousness.’ Then he consented. 16 And when Jesus had been baptized, just as he came up from the water, suddenly the heavens were opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. 17 And a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved,[d] with whom I am well pleased.’

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 3:2 Or is at hand
  2. Matthew 3:11 Or in
  3. Matthew 3:11 Or in
  4. Matthew 3:17 Or my beloved Son