Matthew 3
3
John the Baptist Prepares the Way
1In those days John the Baptist came and preached in the Desert of Judea. 2He said, “Turn away from your sins! The kingdom of heaven has come near.” 3John is the one Isaiah the prophet had spoken about. He had said,
“A messenger is calling out in the desert,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord.
Make straight paths for him.’ ” (Isaiah 40:3)
4John’s clothes were made out of camel’s hair. He had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. 5People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea. They also came from the whole area around the Jordan River. 6When they confessed their sins, John baptized them in the Jordan.
7John saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing. He said to them, “You are like a nest of poisonous snakes! Who warned you to escape the coming of God’s anger? 8Live in a way that shows you have turned away from your sins. 9Don’t think you can say to yourselves, ‘Abraham is our father.’ I tell you, God can raise up children for Abraham even from these stones. 10The ax is ready to cut the roots of the trees. All the trees that don’t produce good fruit will be cut down. They will be thrown into the fire.
11“I baptize you with water, calling you to turn away from your sins. But after me, someone is coming who is more powerful than I am. I’m not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12His pitchfork is in his hand to clear the straw from his threshing floor. He will gather his wheat into the storeroom. But he will burn up the husks with fire that can’t be put out.”
Jesus Is Baptized
13Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan River. He wanted to be baptized by John. 14But John tried to stop him. So he told Jesus, “I need to be baptized by you. So why do you come to me?”
15Jesus replied, “Let it be this way for now. It is right for us to do this. It carries out God’s holy plan.” Then John agreed.
16As soon as Jesus was baptized, he came up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened. Jesus saw the Spirit of God coming down on him like a dove. 17A voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, and I love him. I am very pleased with him.”
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Matthew 3: NIrV
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Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version®, NIrV®
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Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Matthew 3
3
1Some time later John the Baptist appeared on the scene, proclaiming in the Judean desert, 2“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has arrived!”#3:2. “Has arrived.” The verb used here is in the perfect (i.e. past) tense, indicating the event has already happened. The word itself means “to approach,” or in older language, “draw near.” However, if something “has approached” then it “has arrived.” Also in 4:17, 10:7. 3He was the one Isaiah spoke about when he said, “A voice is heard crying out in the desert, ‘Prepare the way of the Lord. Make the paths straight for him.’”#3:3. See Isaiah 40:3.
4John had clothes made of camel hair, with a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts#3:4. Probably locust beans. and wild honey. 5People came to him from Jerusalem, all of Judea, and the entire Jordan region, 6and were baptized in the Jordan River, publicly admitting their sins.
7But when John saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to be baptized, he said to them, “You vipers' brood! Who warned you to run away from the coming judgment?#3:7. Literally, “wrath.” 8Show by what you do that you have truly repented,#3:8. Literally, “Produce fruit worthy of repentance.” 9and don't presume to say proudly to yourselves, ‘Abraham is our father.’ I tell you that God could make children of Abraham from these stones. 10In fact the ax is ready to chop down the trees. Every tree that doesn't produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire.
11Yes, I baptize you in water to show repentance, but after me is coming one who is greater than I am. I'm not worthy even to remove his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. 12He has his winnowing tool#3:12. Used after harvest to separate the grain from the chaff. ready in his hand. He will clean up the threshing floor and gather the wheat into the storehouse, but he will burn the chaff with fire that can't be put out.”
13Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan River to be baptized by John. 14But John tried to change his mind. He told Jesus, “I need to be baptized by you, and you come to me to baptize you?”
15“Please do so, because it's good for us to do what God says is right,” Jesus told him. So John agreed to do it.
16Immediately after he was baptized, Jesus came out of the water. The heavens were opened, and he saw God's Spirit like a dove descending, landing on him. 17A voice from heaven said, “This is my son whom I love,#3:17. Or “This is my son, the beloved one.” who pleases me.”
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Dr. Jonathan Gallagher. Released under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 Unported License. Version 4.3. For corrections send email to jonathangallagherfbv@gmail.com