Matthew 3
Wycliffe Bible
3 In those days John Baptist came, and preached in the desert of Judaea, [In those days came John Baptist, preaching in the desert of Judaea,]
2 and said, Do ye penance, for the kingdom of heavens shall approach.[a]
3 For this is he, of whom it is said by Esaias, the prophet, saying, A voice of a crier in desert, Make ye ready the ways of the Lord; make ye right the paths of him.[b]
4 And this John [Forsooth that same John] had clothing of camel's hairs, and a girdle of skin about his loins; and his meat was honeysuckles [soothly his meat was locusts], and honey of the wood.
5 Then Jerusalem went out to him, and all Judaea, and all the country about Jordan;
6 and they were washed of him in Jordan [and were christened of him in Jordan], acknowledging their sins.
7 But he saw many of the Pharisees and of Sadducees coming to his baptism, and said to them, Generation of adders, who showed to you to flee from the wrath that is to come? [Soothly he seeing many of Pharisees and of Sadducees coming to his baptism, said to them, Generations of adders, who showed to you to flee from wrath to come?]
8 Therefore do ye worthy fruits of penance,
9 and do not ye say within you, We have Abraham to our father; for I say to you, that God is mighty to raise up of these stones the sons of Abraham.
10 And now the ax is put to the root of the tree; therefore every tree that maketh not good fruit, shall be cut down, and shall be cast into the fire.
11 I wash you in water [Soothly I christen you in water], into penance; but he that shall come after me is stronger than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear; he shall baptize you [he shall baptize, or christen, you] in the Holy Ghost and [in] fire.
12 Whose winnowing cloth is in his hand, and he shall fully cleanse his corn floor, and shall gather his wheat into his barn; but the chaff he shall burn with fire that may not be quenched.[c]
13 Then Jesus came from Galilee into Jordan to John, to be baptized of him [to be christened of him].
14 And John forbade him, and said, I owe to be baptized of thee, and thou comest to me? [Soothly John forbade him, saying, I owe to be christened of thee, and comest thou to me?]
15 But Jesus answered, and said to him, Suffer now, for thus it falleth to us to fulfill all rightwiseness [Forsooth Jesus answering said to him, Suffer now, for so it becometh us to fulfill all rightwiseness]. Then John suffered him.
16 And when Jesus was baptized, at once he went up from the water [Forsooth Jesus christened ascended up anon from the water]; and lo! heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God coming down as a dove, and coming on him [and coming upon him];
17 and lo! a voice from heaven, saying, This is my loved Son [and lo! a voice from heavens, saying, This is my beloved Son], in which I have well pleased to me.
Footnotes
- Matthew 3:2 saying, Do ye penance, for the kingdom of heaven shall nigh.
- Matthew 3:3 Forsooth this is he, of whom it is said by Esaias, saying, A voice of a man crying in desert, Make ye ready the way of the Lord; make ye rightful the paths of him.
- Matthew 3:12 Whose winnowing cloth, or fan, in his hand, and he shall fully cleanse his floor, and shall gather his wheat into his barn; but chaffs he shall burn with fire unquenchable, or that never shall be quenched.
Matthew 3
New Matthew Bible
The baptism, preaching, and office of John the Baptist, and how Christ was baptized by him in the Jordan.
3 In those days John the Baptist came and preached in the wilderness of Judea, 2 saying, Repent: the kingdom of heaven is at hand! 3 This is he of whom it is spoken by the prophet Isaiah, who says, The voice of a crier in wilderness: Prepare the Lord’s way, and make his paths straight.
4 This John had his garment of camel’s hair, and a girdle of skin about his loins. His food was locusts and wild honey. 5 At that time Jerusalem and all Judea, and all the region round about the Jordan, went out to him, 6 and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.
7 When he saw many of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees come to his baptism, he said to them, O offspring of vipers, who has taught you to flee from the vengeance to come? 8 Bring forth therefore the fruits belonging to repentance. 9 And see that you ones do not think to say in yourselves, We have Abraham as our father. For I say to you that God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. 10 Even now is the axe put to the root of the trees, so that every tree which does not bring forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire. 11 I baptize you in water in token of repentance, but he who comes after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. 12 He has also his fan in his hand, and will purge his floor, and gather the wheat into his garner, and will burn the chaff with unquenchable fire.
13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan, to John, to be baptized by him. 14 But John stopped him, saying, I ought to be baptized by you, and do you come to me? 15 Jesus answered and said to him, Let it be so now, for thus it behoves us, to fulfil all righteousness.
Then John let him. 16 And Jesus, as soon as he was baptized, came straight out of the water. And lo, heaven was open over him, and John saw the Spirit of God descend like a dove and light upon him. 17 And lo, there came a voice from heaven, saying, This is he: my beloved Son, in whom is my delight.
Matthew 3
1599 Geneva Bible
3 1 John preacheth. 4 His apparel and meat. 5 He baptizeth. 8 The fruits of repentance. 10 The axe at the root of the trees. 12 The fan and the chaff. 13 Christ is baptized.
1 And (A)in [a]those days, [b]John the Baptist came and preached in the [c]wilderness of Judea,
2 And said, [d]Repent: for the [e]kingdom of heaven is at hand.
3 For this is he of whom it is spoken by the Prophet Isaiah, saying, (B)The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord: [f]make his paths straight.
4 (C)And this John had his garment of camel’s hair, and a girdle of a skin about his loins, his meat was also [g]locusts and wild honey.
5 (D)Then went out to him [h]Jerusalem and all Judea, and all the region round about Jordan,
6 And they were baptized of him in Jordan, [i]confessing their sins.
7 [j]Now when he saw many of the Pharisees, and of the Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, (E)O generation of vipers, who hath forewarned you to flee from the anger to come?
8 [k]Bring forth therefore fruit worthy amendment of life,
9 [l]And [m]think not to say [n]with yourselves, (F)We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able even of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.
10 And now also is the axe put to the root of the trees: (G)therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit, is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
11 (H)[o]Indeed I baptize you with water to [p]amendment of life, but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear, he will baptize you with the holy Ghost, and with fire.
12 [q]Which hath his fan in his hand, and will [r]make clean his floor, and gather his wheat into his garner, but will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.
13 ¶ (I)[s]Then came Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John to be baptized of him.
14 But John earnestly put him back, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?
15 Then Jesus answering, said to him, Let be now: for thus it becometh us to fulfill [t]all righteousness. So he suffered him.
16 And Jesus when he was baptized, came straight out of the water. And lo, the heavens were opened unto [u]him, and John saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and [lighting] upon him.
17 [v]And lo, a voice came from heaven, saying, (J)This is my beloved Son, in whom I am [w]well pleased.
Footnotes
- Matthew 3:1 Not when Joseph went to dwell at Nazareth, but a great while after, about the space of 15 years: for in the 30 year of his age was Jesus baptized of John: therefore by those days is meant, at that time that Jesus remained as yet an inhabitant of the town of Nazareth.
- Matthew 3:1 John, who through his singular holiness and rare austereness of life caused all men to cast their eyes upon him, prepareth the way for Christ following fast on his heels, as the Prophet Isaiah foretold, and delivereth the sum of the Gospel, which in short space after should be delivered more fully.
- Matthew 3:1 In a hilly country, which was notwithstanding inhabited, for Zechariah dwelt there, Luke 1:40, and there was Joab’s house, 1 Kings 2:34; and besides these, Joshua maketh mention of six towns that were in the wilderness, Josh. 15:62.
- Matthew 3:2 The word in the Greek tongue signifieth a changing of our minds and heart from evil to better.
- Matthew 3:2 The kingdom of Messiah, whose government shall be heavenly, and nothing but heavenly.
- Matthew 3:3 Make him a plain and smooth way.
- Matthew 3:4 Locusts were a kind of meat which certain of the East people use, which were therefore called devourers of Locusts. . . .
- Matthew 3:5 The people of Jerusalem.
- Matthew 3:6 Acknowledging that they were saved only by free remission and forgiveness of their sins.
- Matthew 3:7 There is nothing that stoppeth up the way of mercy and salvation against us so much as the opinion of our own righteousness doth.
- Matthew 3:8 True repentance is an inward thing which hath its seat in the mind and heart.
- Matthew 3:9 The faith of the fathers availeth their unbelieving children nothing at all: and yet for all that God playeth not the liar, nor dealeth unfaithfully in his league which he made with the holy fathers.
- Matthew 3:9 Think not that you have any cause to be proud of Abraham.
- Matthew 3:9 In your hearts.
- Matthew 3:11 We may neither dwell upon the signs which God hath ordained as means to lead us unto our salvation, neither upon them: but we must climb up to the matter itself, that is to say, to Christ, who inwardly worketh that effectually, which is outwardly signified unto us.
- Matthew 3:11 The outward sign putteth us in mind of this, that we must change our lives and become better, assuring us as by a seal, that we are engrafted into Christ; whereby our old man dieth and the new man riseth up, Rom. 6:4.
- Matthew 3:12 The triumphs of the wicked shall end in everlasting torment.
- Matthew 3:12 Will cleanse it thoroughly, and make a full riddance.
- Matthew 3:13 Christ sanctified our baptism in himself.
- Matthew 3:15 All such things as it hath appointed us to keep.
- Matthew 3:16 To John.
- Matthew 3:17 Christ’s full consecration and authorizing to the office of mediatorship, is showed by the father’s own voice, and a visible sign of the holy Ghost.
- Matthew 3:17 The Greek word betokeneth a thing of great account, and such as highly pleaseth a man. So then the Father saith, that Christ only is the man whom when he beholdeth, look what opinion he had conceived of us, he layeth it clean aside.
Matthew 3
Authorized (King James) Version
3 In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judæa, 2 and saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. 3 For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. 4 And the same John had his raiment of camel’s hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey. 5 Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judæa, and all the region round about Jordan, 6 and were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.
7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: 9 and think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. 10 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: 12 whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.
13 Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. 14 But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? 15 And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him. 16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: 17 and lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
2001 by Terence P. Noble
Copyright © 2016 by Ruth Magnusson (Davis). Includes emendations to February 2022. All rights reserved.
Geneva Bible, 1599 Edition. Published by Tolle Lege Press. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in articles, reviews, and broadcasts.
KJV reproduced by permission of Cambridge University Press, the Crown’s patentee in the UK.