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
Matthew 3
3
John’s Witness to Israel’s Leaders
1In those days, John the Immerser came proclaiming in the wilderness of Judea,
2“Turn away from your sins, for the kingdom of heaven is near!”
3For he is the one Isaiah the prophet spoke about, saying, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way of Adonai, and make His paths straight.’”
4Now John wore clothing from camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey.
5Then Jerusalem was going out to him, and all Judea and all the region around the Jordan.
6Confessing their sins, they were being immersed by him in the Jordan River.
7But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his immersion, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?
8Therefore produce fruit worthy of repentance;
9and do not think that you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father’! For I tell you that from these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.
10Already the axe is laid at the root of the trees; therefore every tree that does not produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire!
11“As for me, I immerse you in water for repentance. But the One coming after me is mightier than I am; I am not worthy to carry His sandals. He will immerse you in the Ruach ha-Kodesh and fire.
12His winnowing fork is in His hand, and He shall clear His threshing floor and gather His wheat into the barn; but the chaff He shall burn up with inextinguishable fire.”
The Heavens Open at Yeshua’s Mikveh
13Then Yeshua came from the Galilee to John, to be immersed by him in the Jordan.
14But John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I need to be immersed by You, and You are coming to me?”
15But Yeshua responded, “Let it happen now, for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” So John yielded to Him.
16After being immersed, Yeshua rose up out of the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Ruach Elohim descending like a dove and coming upon Him.
17And behold, a voice from the heavens said, “This is My Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased!”
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