English Standard Version
Matthew 3:14
14John would have prevented him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?"
Matthew 3:14 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?
- New International Version (NIV)But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”
- New King James Version (NKJV)And John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?”
- New Living Translation (NLT)But John tried to talk him out of it. “I am the one who needs to be baptized by you,” he said, “so why are you coming to me?”
Context of Matthew 3:14
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. John would have prevented him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?" 15But Jesus answered him, "Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he consented. 16And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him;
Read all of Matthew 3Matthew 3:14 word by word
ὁ δὲ Ἰωάννης διεκώλυεν αὐτὸν λέγων· ἐγὼ χρείαν ἔχω ὑπὸ σοῦ βαπτισθῆναι, καὶ σὺ ἔρχῃ πρός με;Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Butδέde · thenG1161
- JohnἸωάννηςIōannēs · JohnG2491
- forbadδιακωλύωdiakōluō · to hinderG1254
- himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- sayingλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- Iἐγώegō · I/weG1473
- haveἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
- needχρείαchreia · needG5532
- to be baptizedβαπτίζωbaptizō · to baptizeG907
- ofὑπόhupo · by/under: byG5259
- theeσύsu · youG4771
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- comestἔρχομαιerchomai · to come/goG2064
- toπρόςpros · to/withG4314
Cross-references for Matthew 3:14
- Luke 1:43And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
- John 13:6He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, "Lord, do you wash my feet?"
- John 1:16For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.
- John 3:3Jesus answered him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God."
- Acts 1:5for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now."
- Romans 3:23for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
- Galatians 3:22But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.
- Galatians 4:6And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!"
- Ephesians 2:3among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.
- Revelation 7:9After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands,
Commentaries on Matthew 3:14
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 14John forbad him - Earnestly and pressingly opposed him: this is the proper import of the words . I have observed that , in composition, most frequently, if not always, strengthens the signification in classic authors. - Wakefield.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 14John forbade him - Refused him. I have need - It is more suitable that I should be baptized with thy baptism, the Holy Spirit, than that thou shouldest be baptized in water by me. I am a sinner, and unworthy to administer this to the Messiah.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 13-17Verses 13-17 Christ's gracious condescensions are so surprising, that even the strongest believers at first can hardly believe them; so deep and mysterious, that even those who know his mind well, are apt to start objections against the will of Christ. And those who have much of the Spirit of God while here, see that they need to apply to Christ for more. Christ does not deny that John had need to be baptized of him, yet declares he will now be baptized…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 14John had already admitted (Matthew 3:11–12) that he was less important than the Messiah, so he felt unworthy to baptize him.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1414. But John forbade him--rather, "was (in the act of) hindering him," or "attempting to hinder him." saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?--(How John came to recognize Him, when he says he knew Him not, see on John 1. 31-34.) The emphasis of this most remarkable speech lies all in the pronouns: "What! Shall the Master come for baptism to the servant--the sinless Saviour to a sinner?" That thus much is in the Baptist's words…Read the comment
Topics related to Matthew 3:14
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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