English Standard Version
Matthew 3:11
11"I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
Matthew 3:11 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:
- New International Version (NIV)“I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
- New King James Version (NKJV)I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
- New Living Translation (NLT)“I baptize with water those who repent of their sins and turn to God. But someone is coming soon who is greater than I am—so much greater that I’m not worthy even to be his slave and carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.
Context of Matthew 3:11
9And do not presume to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father,' for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. 10Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. "I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire." 13Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him.
Read all of Matthew 3Matthew 3:11 word by word
ἐγὼ μὲν ὑμᾶς βαπτίζω ἐν ὕδατι εἰς μετάνοιαν, ὁ δὲ ὀπίσω μου ἐρχόμενος ἰσχυρότερός μού ἐστὶν οὗ οὐκ εἰμὶ ἱκανὸς τὰ ὑποδήματα βαστάσαι· αὐτὸς ὑμᾶς βαπτίσει ἐν πνεύματι ἁγίῳ καὶ πυρί·Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Iἐγώegō · I/weG1473
- indeedμένmen · on the other handG3303
- baptizeβαπτίζωbaptizō · to baptizeG907
- youσύsu · youG4771
- withἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- waterὕδωρhudōr hudatos · waterG5204
- untoεἰςeis · towardG1519
- repentanceμετάνοιαmetanoia · repentanceG3341
- butδέde · thenG1161
- he thatὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- comethἔρχομαιerchomai · to come/goG2064
- afterὀπίσωopisō · afterG3694
- isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- mightier thanἰσχυρόςischuros · strongG2478
- whoseὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
- shoesὑπόδημαhupodēma · sandalG5266
- notοὐou · noG3756
- worthyἱκανόςhikanos · sufficientG2425
- to bearβαστάζωbastazō · to carryG941
- heαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- the Holyἅγιοςhagios · holyG40
- Ghostπνεῦμαpneuma · spirit/breath: spiritG4151
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- fireπῦρpur · fireG4442
Cross-references for Matthew 3:11
- Matthew 3:6and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.
- Mark 1:4John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
- Luke 3:3And he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
- John 1:26John answered them, "I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know,
- Acts 1:5for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now."
- Acts 11:16And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, 'John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.'
- Acts 13:24Before his coming, John had proclaimed a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.
- Acts 19:4And Paul said, "John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus."
- Luke 1:17and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared."
- John 1:15(John bore witness about him, and cried out, "This was he of whom I said, 'He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.'")
- John 3:23John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because water was plentiful there, and people were coming and being baptized
- Mark 1:7And he preached, saying, "After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie.
- Luke 7:6And Jesus went with them. When he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends, saying to him, "Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof.
- Acts 13:25And as John was finishing his course, he said, 'What do you suppose that I am? I am not he. No, but behold, after me one is coming, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.'
- Ephesians 3:8To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,
- 1 Peter 5:5Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."
Commentaries on Matthew 3:11
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 11But he that cometh after me - Or, I coming after me, who is now on his way, and will shortly make his appearance. Jesus Christ began his ministry when he was thirty years of age, Luke 3:23, which was the age appointed by the law, Numbers 4:3. John the Baptist was born about six months before Christ; and, as he began his public ministry when thirty years of age, then this coming after refers to six months after the commencement of John's public preaching…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 11Whose shoes I am not worthy to bear - The word translated here as “shoes” has a signification different from what it has in our language. At first, in order to keep the feet from the sharp stones or the burning sand, small pieces of wood were fastened to the soles of the feet, called “sandals.” Leather, or skins of beasts dressed, afterward were used. The foot was not covered at all, but the sandal, or piece of leather or wood, was bound by thongs. The…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 7-12Verses 7-12 To make application to the souls of the hearers, is the life of preaching; so it was of John's preaching. The Pharisees laid their chief stress on outward observances, neglecting the weightier matters of the moral law, and the spiritual meaning of their legal ceremonies. Others of them were detestable hypocrites, making their pretences to holiness a cloak for iniquity. The Sadducees ran into the opposite extreme, denying the existence of…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 11One more powerful than I: Even though he was popular and many people continued to follow him, John knew he was less important than the Messiah. whose sandals I am not worthy to carry: In Jewish culture, removing and carrying sandals was a task for slaves. Not even a rabbi's disciple would do it. with the Holy Spirit and with fire: This happened at Pentecost (see Joel 2:28–29; Acts 2:1–47). This may include the ministry of Jesus, empowered by the Holy…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1111. I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance--(See on Mt 3:6); but he that cometh after me is mightier than I--In Mark and Luke this is more emphatic--"But there cometh the Mightier than I" (Mr 1:7; Lu 3:16). whose shoes--sandals. I am not worthy to bear--The sandals were tied and untied, and borne about by the meanest servants. he shall baptize you--the emphatic "He": "He it is," to the exclusion of all others, "that shall baptize you." with the…Read the comment
Topics related to Matthew 3:11
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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