Amplified Bible
Matthew 3:6
6and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, as they confessed their sins.
Matthew 3:6 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.
- New International Version (NIV)Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.
- English Standard Version (ESV)and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.
- New King James Version (NKJV)and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.
Context of Matthew 3:6
4Now this same John had clothing made of camel’s hair and a [wide] leather band around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey. 5At that time Jerusalem was going out to him, and all Judea and all the district around the Jordan; and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, as they confessed their sins. 7But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the [divine] wrath and judgment to come? 8So produce fruit that is consistent with repentance [demonstrating new behavior that proves a change of heart, and a conscious decision to turn away from sin];
Read all of Matthew 3Matthew 3:6 word by word
καὶ ἐβαπτίζοντο ἐν τῷ Ἰορδάνῃ ποταμῷ ὑπ᾽ αὐτοῦ ἐξομολογούμενοι τὰς ἁμαρτίας αὐτῶν.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Matthew 3:6
- Matthew 3:11“As for me, I baptize you with water because of [your] repentance [that is, because you are willing to change your inner self—your old way of thinking, regret your sin and live a changed life], but He (the Messiah) who is coming after me is mightier [more powerful, more noble] than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to remove [even as His slave]; He will baptize you [who truly repent] with the Holy Spirit and [you who remain unrepentant] with fire (judgment).
- Ezekiel 36:25Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your uncleanness and from all your idols.
- Mark 1:8As for me, I baptized you [who came to me] with water [only]; but He will baptize you [who truly repent] with the Holy Spirit.”
- Luke 3:16John answered them all by saying, “As for me, I baptize you [only] with water; but One who is mightier [more powerful, more noble] than I is coming, and I am not fit to untie the strap of His sandals [even as His slave]. He will baptize you [who truly repent] with the Holy Spirit and [you who remain unrepentant] with fire.
- John 1:25They asked him, “Why then are you baptizing, if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”
- John 3:23Now John was also baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because there was an abundance of water there; and people were coming and were being baptized—
- Acts 1:5For John baptized with water, but you will be baptized and empowered and united with the Holy Spirit, not long from now.”
- Acts 2:38And Peter said to them, “Repent [change your old way of thinking, turn from your sinful ways, accept and follow Jesus as the Messiah] and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ because of the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
- Acts 10:36You know the message which He sent to the sons of Israel, announcing the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all—
- Acts 11:16Then I remembered the word of the Lord, how He used to say, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’
- Acts 19:4Paul said, “John performed a baptism of repentance, continually telling the people to believe in Him who was coming after him, that is, [to confidently accept and joyfully believe] in Jesus [the Messiah and Savior].”
- 1 Corinthians 10:2And all [of them] were baptized into Moses [into his safekeeping as their leader] in the cloud and in the sea;
- Colossians 2:12having been buried with Him in baptism and raised with Him [to a new life] through [your] faith in the working of God, [as displayed] when He raised Christ from the dead.
- Hebrews 6:2of teaching about washings (ritual purifications), the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. [These are all important matters in which you should have been proficient long ago.]
- Hebrews 9:10For they [the gifts, sacrifices, and ceremonies] deal only with [clean and unclean] food and drink and various ritual washings, [mere] external regulations for the body imposed [to help the worshipers] until the time of reformation [that is, the time of the new order when Christ will establish the reality of what these things foreshadow—a better covenant].
- 1 Peter 3:21Corresponding to that [rescue through the flood], baptism [which is an expression of a believer’s new life in Christ] now saves you, not by removing dirt from the body, but by an appeal to God for a good (clear) conscience, [demonstrating what you believe to be yours] through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
Commentaries on Matthew 3:6
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 6Were baptized - In what form baptism was originally administered, has been deemed a subject worthy of serious dispute. Were the people dipped or sprinkled? for it is certain and mean both. They were all dipped, say some. Can any man suppose that it was possible for John to dip all the inhabitants of Jerusalem and Judea, and of all the country round about the Jordan? Were both men and women dipped, for certainly both came to his baptism? This could never…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 6Were baptized - The word “baptize” ́ baptizosignifies originally to tinge, to dye, to stain, as those who dye clothes. It here means to cleanse or wash anything by the application of water. See the notes at Mark 7:4. Washing, or ablution, was much in use among the Jews, as one of the rites of their religion, Numbers 19:7; Hebrews 9:10. It was not customary, however, among them to baptize those who were converted to the Jewish religion until after the…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 5-6John's ministry became so popular that many people from Jerusalem and Judea came to hear him. Confessing their sins: Those who listened to John's preaching and turned away from sin were ready to accept the ministry of Jesus (Luke 7:27, 29). they were baptized: John's practice of baptism might have started with the Old Testament idea of purification (see Isaiah 1:16; 4:4; Ezekiel 36:25).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 66. And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins--probably confessing aloud. This baptism was at once a public seal of their felt need of deliverance from sin, of their expectation of the coming Deliverer, and of their readiness to welcome Him when He appeared. The baptism itself startled, and was intended to startle, them. They were familiar enough with the baptism of proselytes from heathenism; but this baptism of Jews themselves was quite…Read the comment
Topics related to Matthew 3:6
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Matthew 3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Catena Aurea
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- John Lightfoot Commentary
- Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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