Matthew 3
3
John the Baptist Prepares the Way
1In those days John the Baptist came and preached in the desert around Judea. 2He said, “Turn away from your sins! The kingdom of heaven is near.” 3John is the one Isaiah the prophet was talking about when he said,
“A messenger is calling out in the desert,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
make straight paths for him.’ ”
4John’s clothes were made out of camel’s hair, and he wore a leather belt around his waist. For food, he ate locusts and wild honey. 5People came out to him from Jerusalem, all of Judea, and the whole area around the Jordan River. 6They confessed their sins, and John baptized them in the Jordan.
7But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming to be baptized, John said to them, “You little snakes! Who warned you to try to escape the punishment that’s coming? 8If you have turned away from your sins, you have to live in a way that shows that. 9Don’t think you’re safe just because you can say, ‘We come from Abraham.’ I tell you, God can raise up children for Abraham even from these stones. 10The ax is already at the tree roots, and any tree that doesn’t produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.
11“I’m baptizing you with water so you can show that you’ve turned away from your sins. But someone is coming after me who’s more powerful than I am. I’m not even worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. 12He’ll have a tool with him and use it to sort out everything on his threshing floor. He’ll gather the wheat into his barn, but he’ll burn up the husks in a fire that can’t be put out.”
Jesus Is Baptized
13Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan River so that John could baptize him. 14But John didn’t want to. He told Jesus, “I need to be baptized by you, so why are you coming to me?”
15Jesus answered, “Please agree to this. It’s right for us to do everything that God is asking of people now.” So then John agreed.
16Right after Jesus was baptized, as he was coming up out of the water, at that moment, heaven was opened and Jesus saw the Spirit of God coming down on him like a dove. 17A voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son. I’m very pleased with him.”
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Matthew 3
3
The Preaching of John the Baptist
Mk 1:1–8; Lk 3:1–9, 15–17; Jn 1:19–28
1#Mt 11:11; 16:14In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, 2#Mt 4:17; Da 2:44; Mt 6:10and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” 3#Isa 40:3; Lk 1:76For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying:
“The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord;
make His paths straight.’ ”#Isa 40:3.
4#Lev 11:22; 2Ki 1:8This same John had clothing made of camel’s hair, a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. 5#Mk 1:5Then Jerusalem, and all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him, 6#Ac 19:18; Mt 3:11and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.
7#Mt 12:34; 23:33But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said to them, “O generation of vipers, who has warned you to escape from the wrath to come? 8#Ac 26:20; Jer 36:3Therefore, bear fruit worthy of repentance, 9#Lk 3:8; 16:24and do not think to say within yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I say to you that God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. 10#Mt 7:19; Jn 15:2Even now the axe is put to the tree roots. Therefore, every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
11#Ac 1:5; Lk 3:16; Isa 4:4“I indeed baptize you with water to repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. 12#Mal 4:1; Mt 13:30His fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean His floor and gather His wheat into the granary, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”
The Baptism of Jesus
Mk 1:9–11; Lk 3:21–22
13#Mt 2:22Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. 14But John prohibited Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?”
15#Ps 40:7–8; Jn 4:34But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he permitted Him.
16#Isa 11:2; 42:1And when Jesus was baptized, He came up immediately out of the water. And suddenly the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending on Him like a dove. 17#Ps 2:7; Mt 17:5; Isa 42:1And a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
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