Matthew 3
The Preaching of John the Baptist
1Now ain those days bJohn the Baptist ▼▼ Or arrived, or appeared
came, ▼▼ Or proclaiming as a herald
preaching in the ewilderness of Judea, saying, 2 f“Repent, for gthe kingdom of heaven ▼▼ Lit has come near
is at hand.” 3For this is the ione referred to ▼▼ Or through
by Isaiah the prophet when he said, k“The voice of one ▼▼ Or shouting
crying in the wilderness,‘ m Make ready the way of the Lord,
Make His paths straight!’”
4Now John himself had ▼
▼ Lit his garment
,
oa garment of camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist; and his food was plocusts and wild honey. 5Then Jerusalem qwas going out to him, and all Judea and all rthe district around the Jordan; 6and they were being sbaptized by him in the Jordan River, as they confessed their sins. 7But when he saw many of the tPharisees and uSadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, “You vbrood of vipers, who warned you to flee from wthe wrath to come? 8 x“Therefore bear fruit yin keeping with repentance; 9and do not suppose that you can say to yourselves, ‘ zWe have Abraham for our father’; for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children to Abraham. 10“The aaaxe is already laid at the root of the trees; therefore abevery tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 11“As for me, acI baptize you ▼▼ The Gr here can be translated in, with or by
with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; aeHe will baptize you ▼▼ The Gr here can be translated in, with or by
with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12“His agwinnowing fork is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear His threshing floor; and He will ahgather His wheat into the barn, but He will burn up the aichaff with ajunquenchable fire.” The Baptism of Jesus
13 akThen Jesus arrived alfrom Galilee at the Jordan coming to John, to be baptized by him. 14But John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I have need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?” 15But Jesus answering said to him, “Permit it at this time; for in this way it is fitting for us amto fulfill all righteousness.” Then he permitted Him. 16After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and ▼▼ Or He
,
aohe saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and ▼▼ Lit coming upon Him
lighting on Him, 17and behold, a voice out of the heavens said, aq“This is ▼▼ Or My Son, the Beloved
My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.”
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