God’s Word Translation
Matthew 3:11
11I baptize you with water so that you will change the way you think and act. But the one who comes after me is more powerful than I. I am not worthy to remove his sandals. 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.
- English Standard Version (ESV)"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.
- 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.
Context of Matthew 3:11
9Don’t think you can say, ‘Abraham is our ancestor.’ I can guarantee that God can raise up descendants for Abraham from these stones. 10The ax is now ready to cut the roots of the trees. Any tree that doesn’t produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into a fire. I baptize you with water so that you will change the way you think and act. But the one who comes after me is more powerful than I. I am not worthy to remove his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12His winnowing shovel is in his hand, and he will clean up his threshing floor. He will gather his wheat into a barn, but he will burn the husks in a fire that can never be put out.” 13Then Jesus appeared. He came from Galilee to the Jordan River to be baptized by John.
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 3:6As they confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River.
- Mark 1:4John the Baptizer was in the desert telling people about a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
- Luke 3:3John traveled throughout the region around the Jordan River. He told people about a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
- John 1:26John answered them, “I baptize with water. Someone you don’t know is standing among you.
- Acts 1:5John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
- Acts 11:16I remembered that the Lord had said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized by the Holy Spirit.’
- Acts 13:24Before Jesus began his ministry, John ⌞the Baptizer⌟ told everyone in Israel about the baptism of repentance.
- Acts 19:4Paul said, “John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. John told people to believe in Jesus, who was coming later.”
- Luke 1:17He will go ahead of the Lord with the spirit and power that Elijah had. He will change parents’ attitudes toward their children. He will change disobedient people so that they will accept the wisdom of those who have God’s approval. In this way he will prepare the people for their Lord.”
- John 1:15(John declared the truth about him when he said loudly, “This is the person about whom I said, ‘The one who comes after me was before me because he existed before I did.’ ”)
- John 3:23John was baptizing in Aenon, near Salim. Water was plentiful there. (People came to John to be baptized,
- Mark 1:7He announced, “The one who comes after me is more powerful than I. I am not worthy to bend down and untie his sandal straps.
- Luke 7:6Jesus went with them. He was not far from the house when the officer sent friends to tell Jesus, “Sir, don’t bother. I don’t deserve to have you come into my house.
- Acts 13:25When John was finishing his work, he said, ‘Who do you think I am? I’m not the person you’re looking for. He will come later. I’m not even good enough to untie his sandals.’
- Ephesians 3:8I am the least of all God’s people. Yet, God showed me his kindness by allowing me to spread the Good News of the immeasurable wealth of Christ to people who are not Jewish.
- 1 Peter 5:5Young people, in a similar way, place yourselves under the authority of spiritual leaders. Furthermore, all of you must serve each other with humility, because God opposes the arrogant but favors 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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