Matthew 3
3
CHAPTER 3
1In those days John Baptist came, and preached in the desert of Judea,
2and said, Do ye penance, for the kingdom of heaven shall [come] nigh.
3For this is he, of whom it is said by Isaiah, the prophet, saying, A voice of a crier in desert, [or A voice of a man crying in desert], Make ye ready the ways of the Lord; make ye right the paths of him.
4And this John had clothing [or a cloth] of camel’s hairs, and a girdle of skin about his loins; and his meat was honeysuckles [or locusts], and honey of the wood.
5Then Jerusalem went out to him, and all Judea, and all the country about Jordan;
6and they were washed [or christened] of him in Jordan, acknowledging their sins.
7But 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?
8Therefore do ye worthy fruits of penance,
9and do not ye say within you, We have Abraham to our father [or We have the father Abraham]; for I say to you, that God is mighty to raise up of these stones the sons of Abraham.
10And 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.
11I wash 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 [or christen] you in the Holy Ghost, and [in] fire.
12Whose winnowing cloth, [or tool, or fan], is in his hand, and he shall fully cleanse his cornfloor, and shall gather his wheat into his barn; but the chaff he shall burn with fire that may not be quenched [or that is unquench-able].
13Then Jesus came from Galilee into Jordan to John, to be baptized of him.
14And John forbade him, and said, I owe to be baptized of thee, and thou comest to me?
15But Jesus answered, and said to him, Suffer now, for thus it falleth to us to fulfill all rightwiseness. Then John suffered him [or let him].
16And when Jesus was baptized, anon he went up from the water; and lo! heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God coming down as a dove, and coming [up] on him;
17and lo! a voice from heaven, saying, This is my [be] loved Son, in which I have well pleased to me.
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Matthew 3: WBMS
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Wycliffe’s Bible with Modern Spelling ©2017
Wycliffe’s Apocrypha ©2013, 2015
Wycliffe’s Bible © 2012, 2015
Wycliffe’s New Testament ©2001, 2011
Wycliffe’s Old Testament ©2001, 2010
Matthew 3
3
The message of John the Baptist
The preaching of John the Baptist
(Mark 1.1-8; Luke 3.1-18; John 1.19-28)
1Years later, John the Baptist started preaching in the desert of Judea. 2He said, “Turn back to God! The kingdom of heaven#3.2 kingdom of heaven: In the Gospel of Matthew “kingdom of heaven” is used with the same meaning as “God's kingdom” in Mark and Luke. will soon be here.”#3.2 will soon be here: Or “is already here.”#Mt 4.17; Mk 1.15.
3John was the one the prophet Isaiah was talking about, when he said,#Is 40.3 (LXX).
“In the desert someone
is shouting,
‘Get the road ready
for the Lord!
Make a straight path
for him.’ ”
4John wore clothes made of camel's hair. He had a leather strap around his waist and ate grasshoppers and wild honey.#2 K 1.8.
5From Jerusalem and all Judea and from the River Jordan Valley crowds of people went to John. 6They told how sorry they were for their sins, and he baptized them in the river.
7Many Pharisees and Sadducees also came to be baptized. But John said to them:#Mt 12.34; 23.33.
You snakes! Who warned you to run from the coming judgment? 8Do something to show that you have really given up your sins. 9And don't start telling yourselves that you belong to Abraham's family. I tell you that God can turn these stones into children for Abraham.#Jn 8.33. 10An axe is ready to cut the trees down at their roots. Any tree that doesn't produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into a fire.#Mt 7.19.
11I baptize you with water so that you will give up your sins.#3.11 so that you will give up your sins: Or “because you have given up your sins.” But someone more powerful is going to come, and I am not good enough even to carry his sandals.#3.11 carry his sandals: This was one of the duties of a slave. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. 12His threshing fork is in his hand, and he is ready to separate the wheat from the husks.#3.12 His threshing fork is in his hand, and he is ready to separate the wheat from the husks: After Jewish farmers had trampled out the grain, they used a large fork to pitch the grain and the husks into the air. Wind would blow away the light husks, and the grain would fall back to the ground, where it could be gathered up. He will store the wheat in a barn and burn the husks in a fire that never goes out.
The baptism and temptation of Jesus
The baptism of Jesus
(Mark 1.9-11; Luke 3.21,22)
13Jesus left Galilee and went to the River Jordan to be baptized by John. 14But John kept objecting and said, “I ought to be baptized by you. Why have you come to me?”
15Jesus answered, “For now this is how it should be, because we must do all that God wants us to do.” Then John agreed.
16So Jesus was baptized. And as soon as he came out of the water, the sky opened, and he saw the Spirit of God coming down on him like a dove. 17Then a voice from heaven said, “This is my own dear Son, and I am pleased with him.”#Gn 22.2; Ps 2.7; Is 42.1; Mt 12.18; 17.5; Mk 1.11; Lk 9.35.
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