Matthew 3:1

Matthew 3:1 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judea,
• New International Version (NIV)In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea
• English Standard Version (ESV)In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea,
• New King James Version (NKJV)In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea,

Context of Matthew 3:1

Later, John the Baptizer appeared in the desert of Judea. His message was, 2“Turn to God and change the way you think and act, because the kingdom of heaven is near.” 3Isaiah the prophet spoke about this man when he said, “A voice cries out in the desert: ‘Prepare the way for the Lord! Make his paths straight!’ ”

Matthew 3:1 word by word

Ἐν δὲ ταῖς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις παραγίνεται Ἰωάννης ὁ βαπτιστὴς κηρύσσων ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ τῆς ἸουδαίαςRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• ·δέde · thenG1161
• Inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• thoseἐκεῖνοςekeinos · thatG1565
• daysἡμέραhēmera · dayG2250
• cameπαραγίνομαιparaginomai · to comeG3854
• JohnἸωάννηςIōannēs · JohnG2491
• the BaptistΒαπτιστήςBaptistēs · one who baptizesG910
• preachingκηρύσσωkērussō · to preachG2784
• the wildernessἔρημοςerēmos · desertedG2048
• of JudeaἸουδαίαIoudaia · JudeaG2449

Cross-references for Matthew 3:1

• Luke 3:1It was the fifteenth year in the reign of the Emperor Tiberius. Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea. Herod ruled Galilee, and his brother Philip ruled Iturea and Trachonitis. Lysanias was the ruler of Abilene.
• Matthew 11:11“I can guarantee this truth: Of all the people ever born, no one is greater than John the Baptizer. Yet, the least important person in the kingdom of heaven is greater than John.
• Matthew 14:2He said to his officials, “This is John the Baptizer! He has come back to life. That’s why he has the power to perform these miracles.”
• Matthew 16:14They answered, “Some say you are John the Baptizer, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
• Matthew 17:12Actually, I can guarantee that Elijah has already come. Yet, people treated him as they pleased because they didn’t recognize him. In the same way they’re going to make the Son of Man suffer.”
• Matthew 21:25Did John’s right to baptize come from heaven or from humans?” They discussed this among themselves. They said, “If we say, ‘from heaven,’ he will ask us, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’
• Mark 1:4John the Baptizer was in the desert telling people about a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
• Mark 6:16But when Herod heard about it, he said, “I had John’s head cut off, and he has come back to life!”
• Luke 1:13The angel said to him, “Don’t be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer. Your wife Elizabeth will have a son, and you will name him John.
• Luke 3:2It was at the time when Annas and Caiaphas were chief priests that God spoke to John, son of Zechariah, in the desert.
• John 1:6God sent a man named John to be his messenger.
• John 3:27John answered, “People can’t receive anything unless it has been given to them from heaven.
• Acts 1:22This person must have been with us from the time that John was baptizing people to the day that Jesus was taken from us.”
• Acts 13:24Before Jesus began his ministry, John ⌞the Baptizer⌟ told everyone in Israel about the baptism of repentance.
• Acts 19:3Paul asked them, “What kind of baptism did you have?” They answered, “John’s baptism.”
• Isaiah 40:3A voice cries out in the desert: “Clear a way for the Lord. Make a straight highway in the wilderness for our God.

Commentaries on Matthew 3:1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1John the Baptist - John, surnamed The Baptist, because he required those to be baptized who professed to be contrite because of their sins, was the son of a priest named Zacharias, and his wife Elisabeth, and was born about A. M. 3999, and about six months before our blessed Lord. Of his almost miraculous conception and birth, we have a circumstantial account in the Gospel of Luke, chap. 1: to which, and the notes there, the reader is requested to refer…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1In those days - The days here referred to cannot be those mentioned in the preceding chapter, for John was but six months older than Christ. Perhaps Matthew intended to embrace in his narrative the whole time that Jesus lived at Nazareth; and the meaning is, “in those days while Jesus still dwelt at Nazareth,” John began to preach. It is not probable that John began to baptize or preach long before the Saviour entered on his ministry; and, consequently…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1John the Baptist, His preaching, manner of life, and baptism. (1-6) John reproves the Pharisees and Sadducees. (7-12) The baptism of Jesus. (13-17) Verses 1-6 After Malachi there was no prophet until John the Baptist came. He appeared first in the wilderness of Judea. This was not an uninhabited desert, but a part of the country not thickly peopled, nor much enclosed. No place is so remote as to shut us out from the visits of Divine grace. The doctrine he…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1John the Baptist announced the arrival of Jesus (see Mark 1:1–11; Luke 3:1–22; John 1:6–8, 19–34). John helped people get ready to welcome him (Matt 3:3). John drew large crowds (3:5) and gathered a group of followers (9:14). This group continued for a short time as a movement, even after the Christian church began (see Acts 18:24–28). John lived in the Judean wilderness. This was symbolic because the wilderness linked to God giving the law (see Exodus…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-12For the proper introduction to this section, we must go to Lu 3:1, 2. Here, as Bengel well observes, the curtain of the New Testament is, as it were, drawn up, and the greatest of all epochs of the Church commences. Even our Lord's own age is determined by it (Lu 3:23). No such elaborate chronological precision is to be found elsewhere in the New Testament, and it comes fitly from him who claims it as the peculiar recommendation of his Gospel, that "he…Read the comment

Topics related to Matthew 3:1

• John
• Judea

In the dictionaries

• John the Baptist
• Judea
• Judaea, or Judea
• Judea, Judah
• Judah, Tribe of
• Kingdom
• Meet
• Please
• Region
• Repentance

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