Matthew 3:1-12

Disciples’ Literal New Testament

In Fulfillment of Isaiah, John The Baptist Prepares The Nation For The Messiah

3 Now during those days John the Baptist comes^[a], proclaiming in the wilderness of Judea ² and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of the heavens has drawn-near”. ³ For this one is the one having been spoken of through Isaiah the prophet saying [in Isa 40:3], “A voice of one shouting in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, be making His paths straight’”. ⁴ Now John himself was having^[b] his clothing [made] of camel’s hair, and a belt made-of-leather around his waist. And his food was locusts and wild honey. ⁵ At that time Jerusalem and all Judea and all the surrounding-region of the Jordan was going out to him. ⁶ And they were being baptized in the Jordan River by him while confessing-out^[c] their sins.

John Says To Produce Fruit Worthy of Repentance, Because The Chaff Will Be Burned

⁷ But having seen many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to^[d] his baptism, he said to them, “Brood of vipers— who showed^[e] you to flee from the coming wrath? ⁸ Therefore produce fruit worthy of repentance. ⁹ And do not think that you may say within^[f] yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father’. For I say to you that God is able to raise-up children for Abraham from these stones! ¹⁰ And the axe is already lying^[g] at the root of the trees. Therefore every tree not producing good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. ¹¹ I am baptizing you with^[h] water for repentance, but the One coming after me is more powerful than me, of Whom I am not fit to carry the sandals. He will baptize you with^[i] the Holy Spirit and fire^[j]— ¹² Whose winnowing-tool is in His hand, and He will cleanse-out His threshing floor and gather His wheat into the barn. But He will burn up the chaff with an inextinguishable fire”.