Matthew 3
Amplified Bible
The Preaching of John the Baptist
3 In those days [a]John the Baptist appeared, preaching in the Wilderness of Judea [along the western side of the Dead Sea] and saying, 2 “[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.” 3 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)
4 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) 5 At that time Jerusalem was going out to him, and all Judea and all the district around the Jordan; 6 and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, as they confessed their sins.
7 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? 8 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]; 9 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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Matthew 3:10 Lit laid at.
- Matthew 3:11 The Greek here can be translated in, with, or by.
- 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).
- 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.
- 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.
- Matthew 3:16 The descent of the Holy Spirit identified Jesus in His humanity for His ministry as the Messiah.
- 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.
Matthew 3
Mounce Reverse Interlinear New Testament
3 In en · de · ho those ekeinos days hēmera John Iōannēs the ho Baptist baptistēs began paraginomai his mission in en the ho wilderness erēmos of ho Judea Ioudaia, proclaiming kēryssō, 2 · kai “ Repent metanoeō, for gar the ho kingdom basileia of ho heaven ouranos is at hand engizō. 3 For gar this houtos is eimi he ho who was spoken legō of by dia Isaiah ēsaias the ho prophet prophētēs when he said legō, ‘The voice phōnē of one crying boaō out in en the ho wilderness erēmos: Prepare hetoimazō the ho way hodos of the Lord kyrios; make poieō his autos paths tribos straight.’” · ho
4 Now de · ho John Iōannēs wore echō · ho clothing endyma made of apo camel’ s kamēlos hair thrix, with kai a leather dermatinos belt zōnē about peri · ho his autos waist osphys; · ho and de his autos food trophē was eimi locusts akris and kai wild agrios honey meli. 5 At that time tote people were going ekporeuomai out to pros him autos from Jerusalem Hierosolyma and kai all pas · ho Judea Ioudaia and kai all pas the ho region perichōros along the ho Jordan Iordanēs, 6 and kai they were being baptized baptizō by hypo him autos in en the ho Jordan Iordanēs River potamos, confessing exomologeomai · ho their autos sins hamartia.
7 But de when he saw many polys of the ho Pharisees Pharisaios and kai Sadducees Saddoukaios coming erchomai for epi · ho baptism baptisma, he said legō to them autos, “ You brood gennēma of vipers echidna! Who tis warned hypodeiknymi you hymeis to flee pheugō from apo the ho coming mellō wrath orgē? 8 Therefore oun bear poieō fruit karpos worthy axios of ho repentance metanoia, 9 and kai do not mē presume dokeō you can say legō to en yourselves heautou, ‘ We have echō · ho Abraham Abraam as our father patēr’; for gar I say legō to you hymeis that hoti God theos is able dynamai · ho from ek · ho these houtos stones lithos to raise egeirō up children teknon to ho Abraham Abraam. 10 Even de now ēdē the ho axe axinē is lying keimai at pros the ho root rhiza of the ho trees dendron; so oun any pas tree dendron that does not mē bear poieō good kalos fruit karpos will be cut ekkoptō down and kai thrown ballō into eis the fire pyr.
11 “ I egō baptize baptizō you hymeis with en water hydōr for eis repentance metanoia, but de the ho one who comes erchomai after opisō me egō is eimi greater ischuros than I egō— I am eimi not ou worthy hikanos even to remove bastazō his hos · ho sandals hypodēma. He autos will baptize baptizō you hymeis with en the Holy hagios Spirit pneuma and kai with fire pyr. 12 His hos · ho winnowing fork ptyon is in en · ho his autos hand cheir, and kai he will clean diakatharizō out · ho his autos threshing halōn floor and kai gather synagō · ho his autos wheat sitos into eis the ho barn apothēkē; but de the ho chaff achuron he will burn katakaiō up with unquenchable asbestos fire pyr.”
13 Then tote Jesus Iēsous came paraginomai · ho from apo · ho Galilee Galilaia to pros John Iōannēs at epi the ho Jordan Iordanēs river · ho · ho to be baptized baptizō by hypo him autos. 14 · ho But de John Iōannēs tried diakōlyō to prevent him autos, saying legō, “ I egō need chreia echō to be baptized baptizō by hypo you sy, and kai yet do you sy come erchomai to pros me egō?” 15 But de Jesus Iēsous answered apokrinomai · ho him autos, “ Let aphiēmi it be so now arti; for gar in this way houtōs it is eimi fitting prepō for us hēmeis to fulfill plēroō all pas righteousness dikaiosynē.” Then tote he allowed aphiēmi him autos. 16 And de when Jesus Iēsous was baptized baptizō, · ho just as he was coming anabainō up from apo the ho water hydōr, · kai the ho heavens ouranos were opened anoigō, and kai he saw the ho Spirit pneuma of ho God theos descending katabainō like hōsei a dove peristera and kai lighting erchomai on epi him autos. 17 And kai a voice phōnē from ek · ho heaven ouranos said legō, “ This houtos is eimi · ho my egō Son hyios, the ho Beloved agapētos, in en whom hos I delight eudokeō.”
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The Mounce Reverse Interlinear™ New Testament (MOUNCE)
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