John the Baptist Begins His Ministry

Now in those days John the Baptist came preaching in the Judean wilderness and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near!” For this is the one who was spoken about by the prophet Isaiah, saying,

“The voice of one crying out in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way of the Lord,
    make his paths straight.’”[a]

Now John himself had his clothing made from camel’s hair and a belt made of leather around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the district around the Jordan were going out to him, and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River as they[b] confessed their sins.

But when he[c] saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “Offspring of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Therefore produce fruit worthy of repentance! And do not think to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children for Abraham from these stones! 10 Already now the ax is positioned at the root of the trees; therefore every tree not producing good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 11 I baptize you with water for repentance, but the one who comes after me is more powerful than I am, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing shovel is in his hand, and he will clean out his threshing floor and will gather his wheat into the storehouse, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

The Baptism of Jesus

13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John in order to be baptized by him. 14 But John tried to prevent[d] him, saying, “I need[e] to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” 15 But Jesus answered and[f] said to him, “Permit it now, for in this way it is right for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he permitted him. 16 Now after he[g] was baptized, Jesus immediately went up from the water, and behold, the heavens opened[h] and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove coming[i] upon him. 17 And behold, there was[j] a voice from heaven saying, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 3:3 A quotation from Isa 40:3
  2. Matthew 3:6 Here “as” is supplied as a component of the participle (“confessed”) which is understood as temporal
  3. Matthew 3:7 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“saw”) which is understood as temporal
  4. Matthew 3:14 The imperfect verb is understood as conative (“tried to”)
  5. Matthew 3:14 Literally “I have need”
  6. Matthew 3:15 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“answered”) has been translated as a finite verb
  7. Matthew 3:16 Here “after” is supplied as a component of the participle (“was baptized”) which is understood as temporal
  8. Matthew 3:16 Some manuscripts have “opened to him”
  9. Matthew 3:16 Some manuscripts have “and coming”
  10. Matthew 3:17 The words “there was” are not in the Greek text, but are supplied to make a complete sentence in English

In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,

And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

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.

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.

Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan,

And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.

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?

Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:

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.

Johannes döparen banar väg för Jesus

(Mark 1:2-8; Luk 3:1-18; Joh 1:19-28)

Vid den tiden började Johannes döparen förkunna ute i den judiska ödemarken. Han sa: ”Vänd om! Himmelriket är nära.” Det var honom det talades om genom profeten Jesaja, när han sa:

”En röst ropar i ödemarken:
    ’Bana väg för Herren!
Jämna vägen för honom![a]’ ”

Johannes hade kläder som var gjorda av kamelhår, och han hade ett läderbälte runt midjan. Den mat han åt var gräshoppor och vildhonung. Folk från Jerusalem, från alla delar av Judeen och från hela Jordandalen kom ut till honom, och när de hade bekänt sina synder döpte han dem i Jordanfloden.

Men när Johannes såg att många fariseer och saddukeer[b] kom för att bli döpta, sa han till dem: ”Ni huggormsyngel, tror ni att ni kan klara er undan den kommande vreden? Nej, handla[c] som det anstår en som är omvänd! Inbilla er inte att ni bara kan säga: ’Abraham är vår stamfar.’ Jag säger er att Gud kan förvandla de här stenarna till Abrahams ättlingar! 10 Yxan är redan satt till roten på träden. Varje träd som inte bär god frukt ska huggas ner och kastas i elden.

11 Jag döper er med vatten till omvändelse. Men efter mig kommer en som är starkare än jag. Jag är inte ens värdig att ta av honom hans sandaler.[d] Han ska döpa er i den heliga Anden och eld. 12 Han har kastskoveln i sin hand, färdig att rensa upp sin tröskplats och samla vetet i ladan, men agnarna ska han bränna upp i en eld som aldrig slocknar.”

Jesus blir döpt

13 Jesus lämnade nu Galileen och kom till Jordanfloden för att bli döpt av Johannes, 14 men Johannes ville inte döpa honom. Han sa: ”Det kan inte vara rätt. Jag behöver bli döpt av dig.” 15 Men Jesus svarade: ”Gör det ändå, för vi behöver uppfylla all rättfärdighet.” Då döpte Johannes honom.

16 När Jesus hade blivit döpt, steg han genast upp ur vattnet. Då öppnade sig himlen och han[e] såg Guds Ande komma ner som en duva och stanna över honom. 17 Och en röst från himlen sa: ”Detta är min älskade Son, han är min glädje.”

Footnotes

  1. 3:3 Se Jes 40:3. Den hebreiska texten använder här det heliga gudsnamnet (JHWH), som Nya testamentet här, liksom i flera andra sammanhang, tillämpar på Jesus.
  2. 3:7 Fariseer och saddukeer var två religiösa partier bland judarna. Fariseerna var mycket noga med att följa hela Moses lag och hade dessutom lagt till egna regler och föreskrifter. Saddukeerna var mest intresserade av politik och var lojala mot romarna. De trodde varken på uppståndelsen, änglar eller andar.
  3. 3:8 Ordagrant: Bär då sådan frukt.
  4. 3:11 Detta var en slavs uppgift.
  5. 3:16 Det är oklart vem han syftar på, men enligt Joh 1:33-34 såg Johannes döparen hur Guds Ande sänkte sig över Jesus.