Christian Standard Bible
Matthew 3:2
2and saying, “Repent, because the kingdom of heaven has come near!”
Matthew 3:2 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
- New International Version (NIV)and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)"Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."
- New King James Version (NKJV)and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!”
Context of Matthew 3:2
1In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea and saying, “Repent, because the kingdom of heaven has come near!” 3For he is the one spoken of through the prophet Isaiah, who said: A voice of one crying out in the wilderness: Prepare the way for the Lord; make his paths straight! 4Now John had a camel-hair garment with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey.
Read all of Matthew 3Matthew 3:2 word by word
καὶ λέγων· μετανοεῖτε· ἤγγικεν γὰρ ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Matthew 3:2
- Matthew 4:17From then on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, because the kingdom of heaven has come near.”
- Matthew 11:20Then he proceeded to denounce the towns where most of his miracles were done, because they did not repent:
- Matthew 12:41The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at Jonah’s preaching; and look — something greater than Jonah is here.
- Matthew 21:29“He answered, ‘I don’t want to,’ but later he changed his mind and went.
- 1 Kings 8:47and when they come to their senses in the land where they were deported and repent and petition you in their captors’ land: “We have sinned and done wrong; we have been wicked,”
- Job 42:6Therefore, I reject my words and am sorry for them; I am dust and ashes.
- Ezekiel 18:30“Therefore, house of Israel, I will judge each one of you according to his ways.” This is the declaration of the Lord God. “Repent and turn from all your rebellious acts, so they will not become a sinful stumbling block to you.
- Ezekiel 33:11Tell them, ‘As I live — this is the declaration of the Lord God — I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked person should turn from his way and live. Repent, repent of your evil ways! Why will you die, house of Israel?’
- Mark 1:4John came baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
- Mark 6:12So they went out and preached that people should repent.
- Luke 13:3No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as well.
- Luke 15:7I tell you, in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who don’t need repentance.
- Luke 16:30“‘No, father Abraham,’ he said. ‘But if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’
- Luke 24:47and repentance for forgiveness of sins will be proclaimed in his name to all the nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
- Acts 2:38Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
- Acts 3:19Therefore repent and turn back, so that your sins may be wiped out,
Commentaries on Matthew 3:2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2Repent - . This was the matter of the preaching. The verb is either compounded of , after, and to understand, which signifies that, after hearing such preaching, the sinner is led to understand, that the way he has walked in was the way of misery, death, and hell. Or the word may be derived from after, and , madness, which intimates that the whole life of a sinner is no other than a continued course of madness and folly: and if to live in a constant…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2Repent ye - Repentance implies sorrow for past offences 2 Corinthians 7:10; a deep sense of the evil of sin as committed against God Psalm 51:4; and a full purpose to turn from transgression and to lead a holy life. A true penitent has sorrow for sin, not only because it is ruinous to his soul, but chiefly because it is an offence against God, and is that abominable thing which he hates, Jeremiah 44:4. It is produced by seeing the great danger and misery…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2The prophetic call to return to God means turning away from pride and sin and choosing humble obedience to God (compare Isaiah 1:16–20 and Jeremiah 3:11–22). John’s message included specific practical advice (Luke 3:11–14).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. And saying, Repent ye--Though the word strictly denotes a change of mind, it has respect here (and wherever it is used in connection with salvation) primarily to that sense of sin which leads the sinner to flee from the wrath to come, to look for relief only from above, and eagerly to fall in with the provided remedy. for the kingdom of heaven is at hand--This sublime phrase, used in none of the other Gospels, occurs in this peculiarly Jewish Gospel…Read the comment
Topics related to Matthew 3:2
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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