Matthew 3

1

(Isaiah 40:1–5; Mark 1:1–8; Luke 3:1–20; John 1:19–28)

InG1722 thoseG1565 daysG2250 JohnG2491 theG3588 BaptistG910 cameG3854, preachingG2784 inG1722 theG3588 wildernessG2048 of JudeaG2449 2andG2532 sayingG3004, “RepentG3340, forG1063 theG3588 kingdomG932 ofG3588 heavenG3772 is nearG1448.” 3ThisG3778 isG1510 he whoG3588 was spoken ofG2046 throughG1223 theG3588 prophetG4396 IsaiahG2268:

4

JohnG2491 woreG2192 a garmentG1742 ofG575 camel’sG2574 hairG2359, withG2532 a leatherG1193 beltG2223 aroundG4012 hisG846 waistG3751. HisG846 foodG5160 wasG1510 locustsG200 andG2532 wildG66 honeyG3192. 5People went outG1607 toG4314 himG846 from JerusalemG2414 andG2532 allG3956 JudeaG2449 andG2532 theG3588 wholeG3956 region aroundG4066 theG3588 JordanG2446. 6ConfessingG1843 theirG846 sinsG266, they were baptizedG907 byG5259 himG846 inG1722 theG3588 JordanG2446 RiverG4215.

7But whenG1161 John sawG3708 manyG4183 of theG3588 PhariseesG5330 andG2532 SadduceesG4523 comingG2064 toG1909 hisG846 place of baptismG908, he saidG2036 to themG846, “You broodG1081 of vipersG2191, whoG5101 warnedG5263 youG4771 to fleeG5343 fromG575 theG3588 comingG3195 wrathG3709? 8ProduceG4160 fruitG2590, thenG3767, in keeping withG514 repentanceG3341. 9AndG2532 do notG3361 presumeG1380 to sayG3004 toG1722 yourselvesG1438, ‘We haveG2192 AbrahamG11 as our fatherG3962.’ ForG1063 I tellG3004 youG4771 thatG3754 out ofG1537 theseG3778 stonesG3037 GodG2316 canG1410 raise upG1453 childrenG5043 forG3588 AbrahamG11. 10TheG3588 axeG513 lies readyG2235G1161G2749 atG4314 theG3588 rootG4491 of theG3588 treesG1186, andG3767 everyG3956 treeG1186 that does not produceG3361G4160 goodG2570 fruitG2590 will be cut downG1581 andG2532 thrownG906 intoG1519 the fireG4442.

11IG1473 baptizeG907 youG4771 withG1722 waterG52042 forG1519 repentanceG3341, butG1161 afterG3694 meG1473 will comeG2064 One more powerfulG2478 than IG1473, whoseG3739 sandalsG5266 I amG1510 notG3756 worthyG2425 to carryG941. HeG846 will baptizeG907 youG4771 withG1722 the HolyG40 SpiritG4151 andG2532 with fireG4442.3 12HisG3739 winnowing forkG4425 is inG1722 HisG846 handG5495 to clearG1245 HisG846 threshing floorG257 andG2532 to gatherG4863 HisG846 wheatG4621 intoG1519 theG3588 barnG596; butG1161 He will burn upG2618 theG3588 chaffG892 with unquenchableG762 fireG4442.”

The Baptism of Jesus

(Mark 1:9–11; Luke 3:21–22; John 1:29–34)

13At that timeG5119 JesusG2424 cameG3854 fromG575 GalileeG1056 toG1909 theG3588 JordanG2446 to be baptizedG907 byG5259 John. 14ButG1161 JohnG2491 tried to preventG1254 HimG846, sayingG3004, “IG1473 needG2192G5532 to be baptizedG907 byG5259 YouG4771, andG2532 do YouG4771 comeG2064 toG4314 meG1473?”

15“Let it be soG863 nowG737,” JesusG2424 repliedG611G2036G4314G846. “It isG1510 fittingG4241 for usG1473 to fulfillG4137 allG3956 righteousnessG1343 in this wayG3779.” ThenG5119 John permittedG863 HimG846.

16As soon asG1161G2112 Jesus was baptizedG907, HeG2424 went upG305 out ofG575 theG3588 waterG5204. SuddenlyG2400 theG3588 heavensG3772 were openedG455,4 andG2532 He sawG37085 theG3588 SpiritG4151 ofG3588 GodG2316 descendingG2597 likeG5616 a doveG4058 andG2532 restingG2064 onG1909 HimG846. 17AndG2532 a voiceG5456 fromG1537 heavenG3772 saidG3004, “ThisG3778 isG1510 MyG1473 belovedG27 SonG5207, inG1722 whomG3739 I am well pleasedG2106!”