Matthew 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

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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