Matthew 3
New American Standard Bible
The Preaching of John the Baptist
3 Now (A)in those days (B)John the Baptist *[a]came, [b]preaching in the (C)wilderness of Judea, saying, 2 “(D)Repent, for (E)the kingdom of heaven [c]is at hand.” 3 For this is the (F)one referred to [d]by Isaiah the prophet when he said,
“(G)The voice of one [e]calling [f]out in the wilderness,
‘(H)Prepare the way of the Lord,
Make His paths straight!’”
4 Now John himself had [g](I)a garment of camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist; and his food was (J)locusts and wild honey. 5 At that time Jerusalem (K)was going out to him, and all Judea and all (L)the region around the Jordan; 6 and they were being (M)baptized by him in the Jordan River, as they confessed their sins.
7 But when he saw many of the (N)Pharisees and (O)Sadducees coming for [h]baptism, he said to them, “You [i](P)offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from (Q)the wrath to come? 8 (R)Therefore produce fruit (S)consistent with repentance; 9 and do not assume that you can say to yourselves, ‘(T)We have Abraham as our father’; for I tell you that God is able, from these stones, to raise up children for Abraham. 10 And the (U)axe is already laid at the root of the trees; therefore, (V)every tree that does not bear good fruit is being cut down and thrown into the fire.
11 “As for me, (W)I baptize you [j]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 [k]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 the need to be baptized by You, and yet You are coming to me?” 15 But Jesus, answering, said to him, “Allow it at this time; for in this way it is fitting for us (AE)to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he *allowed Him. 16 After He was baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and [l](AF)he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and [m]settling on Him, 17 and behold, a voice from the heavens said, “(AG)This is [n]My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”
Footnotes
- Matthew 3:1 Or arrived; or appeared
- Matthew 3:1 Or proclaiming as a herald
- Matthew 3:2 Lit has come near
- Matthew 3:3 Or through
- Matthew 3:3 Or shouting
- Matthew 3:3 Or out, Prepare in the wilderness the way
- Matthew 3:4 Lit his garment
- Matthew 3:7 Later mss his baptism
- Matthew 3:7 Or brood
- Matthew 3:11 The Gr here can be translated in, with, or by
- Matthew 3:11 The Gr here can be translated in, with, or by
- Matthew 3:16 Or He
- Matthew 3:16 Lit coming upon Him
- Matthew 3:17 Or My Son, the Beloved
Matthew 3
English Standard Version
John the Baptist Prepares the Way
3 (A)In those days (B)John the Baptist came preaching in (C)the wilderness of Judea, 2 (D)“Repent, for (E)the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”[a] 3 For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said,
(F)“The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
(G)‘Prepare[b] the way of the Lord;
make his paths straight.’”
4 Now John wore (H)a garment of camel's hair and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was (I)locusts and (J)wild honey. 5 Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan were going out to him, 6 and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, (K)confessing their sins.
7 But when he saw many of (L)the Pharisees and (M)Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, (N)“You brood of (O)vipers! Who warned you to flee from (P)the wrath to come? 8 Bear fruit (Q)in keeping with repentance. 9 And do not presume to say to yourselves, (R)‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God is able from (S)these stones to raise up children for Abraham. 10 Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. (T)Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
11 (U)“I baptize you with water (V)for repentance, but (W)he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you (X)with the Holy Spirit and (Y)fire. 12 His (Z)winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and (AA)gather his wheat into the barn, (AB)but the chaff he will burn with (AC)unquenchable fire.”
The Baptism of Jesus
13 (AD)Then Jesus came (AE)from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. 14 (AF)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 thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented. 16 And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, (AG)the heavens were opened to him,[c] and he (AH)saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; 17 and behold, (AI)a voice from heaven said, (AJ)“This is my beloved Son,[d] with whom I am well pleased.”
Footnotes
- Matthew 3:2 Or the kingdom of heaven has come near
- Matthew 3:3 Or crying: Prepare in the wilderness
- Matthew 3:16 Some manuscripts omit to him
- Matthew 3:17 Or my Son, my (or the) Beloved
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
