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”。

John Prepares the Way(A)

Later, John the Baptizer appeared in the desert of Judea. His message was, “Turn to God and change the way you think and act, because the kingdom of heaven is near.” Isaiah the prophet spoke about this man when he said,

“A voice cries out in the desert:
    ‘Prepare the way for the Lord!
        Make his paths straight!’”

John wore clothes made from camel’s hair and had a leather belt around his waist. His diet consisted of locusts and wild honey.

Jerusalem, all Judea, and the whole Jordan Valley went to him. As they confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River.

But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming to be baptized, he said to them, “You poisonous snakes! Who showed you how to flee from God’s coming anger? Do those things that prove you have turned to God and have changed the way you think and act. Don’t think you can say, ‘Abraham is our ancestor.’ I can guarantee that God can raise up descendants for Abraham from these stones. 10 The ax is now ready to cut the roots of the trees. Any tree that doesn’t produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into a fire. 11 I baptize you with water so that you will change the way you think and act. But the one who comes after me is more powerful than I. I am not worthy to remove his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing[a] shovel is in his hand, and he will clean up his threshing floor.[b] He will gather his wheat into a barn, but he will burn the husks in a fire that can never be put out.”

John Baptizes Jesus(B)

13 Then Yeshua appeared. He came from Galilee to the Jordan River to be baptized by John. 14 But John tried to stop him and said, “I need to be baptized by you. Why are you coming to me?”

15 Yeshua answered him, “This is the way it has to be now. This is the proper way to do everything that God requires of us.”

Then John gave in to him. 16 After Yeshua was baptized, he immediately came up from the water. Suddenly, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God coming down as a dove to him. 17 Then a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love—my Son with whom I am pleased.”

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 3:12 Winnowing is the process of separating husks from grain.
  2. Matthew 3:12 A threshing floor is an outdoor area where grain is separated from its husks.