The Preaching of John the Baptist

Now (A)in those days (B)John the Baptist *[a]came, [b]preaching in the (C)wilderness of Judea, saying, (D)Repent, for (E)the kingdom of heaven [c]is at hand.” For this is the (F)one referred to [d]by Isaiah the prophet when he said,

(G)The voice of one [e]crying in the wilderness,
(H)Make ready the way of the Lord,
Make His paths straight!’”

Now John himself had [f](I)a garment of camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist; and his food was (J)locusts and wild honey. Then Jerusalem (K)was going out to him, and all Judea and all (L)the district around the Jordan; and they were being (M)baptized by him in the Jordan River, as they confessed their sins.

But when he saw many of the (N)Pharisees and (O)Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, “You (P)brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from (Q)the wrath to come? (R)Therefore bear fruit (S)in keeping with repentance; and do not suppose that you can say to yourselves, ‘(T)We have Abraham for our father’; for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children to Abraham. 10 The (U)axe is already laid at the root of the trees; therefore (V)every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

11 “As for me, (W)I baptize you [g]with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; (X)He will baptize you [h]with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His (Y)winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear His threshing floor; and He will (Z)gather His wheat into the barn, but He will burn up the (AA)chaff with (AB)unquenchable fire.”

The Baptism of Jesus

13 (AC)Then Jesus *arrived (AD)from Galilee at the Jordan coming to John, to be baptized by him. 14 But John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I have need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?” 15 But Jesus answering said to him, “Permit it at this time; for in this way it is fitting for us (AE)to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he *permitted Him. 16 After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and [i](AF)he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and [j]lighting on Him, 17 and behold, a voice out of the heavens said, “(AG)This is [k]My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.”

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 3:1 Or arrived, or appeared
  2. Matthew 3:1 Or proclaiming as a herald
  3. Matthew 3:2 Lit has come near
  4. Matthew 3:3 Or through
  5. Matthew 3:3 Or shouting
  6. Matthew 3:4 Lit his garment
  7. Matthew 3:11 The Gr here can be translated in, with or by
  8. Matthew 3:11 The Gr here can be translated in, with or by
  9. Matthew 3:16 Or He
  10. Matthew 3:16 Lit coming upon Him
  11. Matthew 3:17 Or My Son, the Beloved

And in those days cometh John the Baptist, proclaiming in the wilderness of Judea,

and saying, `Reform, for come nigh hath the reign of the heavens,'

for this is he who was spoken of by Isaiah the prophet, saying, `A voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, straight make ye His paths.'

And this John had his clothing of camel's hair, and a girdle of skin round his loins, and his nourishment was locusts and honey of the field.

Then were going forth unto him Jerusalem, and all Judea, and all the region round about the Jordan,

and they were baptized in the Jordan by him, confessing their sins.

And having seen many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming about his baptism, he said to them, `Brood of vipers! who did shew you to flee from the coming wrath?

bear, therefore, fruits worthy of the reformation,

and do not think to say in yourselves, A father we have -- Abraham, for I say to you, that God is able out of these stones to raise children to Abraham,

10 and now also, the axe unto the root of the trees is laid, every tree therefore not bearing good fruit is hewn down, and to fire is cast.

11 `I indeed do baptize you with water to reformation, but he who after me is coming is mightier than I, of whom I am not worthy to bear the sandals, he shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire,

12 whose fan [is] in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his floor, and will gather his wheat to the storehouse, but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable.'

13 Then cometh Jesus from Galilee upon the Jordan, unto John to be baptized by him,

14 but John was forbidding him, saying, `I have need by thee to be baptized -- and thou dost come unto me!'

15 But Jesus answering said to him, `Suffer now, for thus it is becoming to us to fulfill all righteousness,' then he doth suffer him.

16 And having been baptized, Jesus went up immediately from the water, and lo, opened to him were the heavens, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming upon him,

17 and lo, a voice out of the heavens, saying, `This is My Son -- the Beloved, in whom I did delight.'