God’s Word Translation
Matthew 3:6
6As they confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River.
Matthew 3:6 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.
- New International Version (NIV)Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.
- English Standard Version (ESV)and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.
- New King James Version (NKJV)and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.
Context of Matthew 3:6
4John wore clothes made from camel’s hair and had a leather belt around his waist. His diet consisted of locusts and wild honey. 5Jerusalem, all Judea, and the whole Jordan Valley went to him. As they confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River. 7But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming to be baptized, he said to them, “You poisonous snakes! Who showed you how to flee from God’s coming anger? 8Do those things that prove you have turned to God and have changed the way you think and act.
Read all of Matthew 3Matthew 3:6 word by word
καὶ ἐβαπτίζοντο ἐν τῷ Ἰορδάνῃ ποταμῷ ὑπ᾽ αὐτοῦ ἐξομολογούμενοι τὰς ἁμαρτίας αὐτῶν.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Matthew 3:6
- Matthew 3:11I 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.
- Ezekiel 36:25I will sprinkle clean water on you and make you clean instead of unclean. Then I will cleanse you from all your idols.
- Mark 1:8I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
- Luke 3:16John replied to all of them, “I baptize you with water. But the one who is more powerful than I is coming. I am not worthy to untie his sandal straps. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
- John 1:25They asked John, “Why do you baptize if you’re not the Messiah or Elijah or the prophet?”
- John 3:23John was baptizing in Aenon, near Salim. Water was plentiful there. (People came to John to be baptized,
- Acts 1:5John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
- Acts 2:38Peter answered them, “All of you must turn to God and change the way you think and act, and each of you must be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins will be forgiven. Then you will receive the Holy Spirit as a gift.
- Acts 10:36God sent his word to the people of Israel and brought them the Good News of peace through Jesus Christ. This Jesus Christ is everyone’s Lord.
- Acts 11:16I remembered that the Lord had said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized by the Holy Spirit.’
- Acts 19:4Paul said, “John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. John told people to believe in Jesus, who was coming later.”
- 1 Corinthians 10:2They were all united with Moses by baptism in the cloud and in the sea.
- Colossians 2:12This happened when you were placed in the tomb with Christ through baptism. In baptism you were also brought back to life with Christ through faith in the power of God, who brought him back to life.
- Hebrews 6:2We shouldn’t repeat the basic teachings about such things as baptisms, setting people apart for holy tasks, dead people coming back to life, and eternal judgment.
- Hebrews 9:10These gifts and sacrifices were meant to be food, drink, and items used in various purification ceremonies. These ceremonies were required for the body until God would establish a new way of doing things.
- 1 Peter 3:21Baptism, which is like that water, now saves you. Baptism doesn’t save by removing dirt from the body. Rather, baptism is a request to God for a clear conscience. It saves you through Jesus Christ, who came back from death to life.
Commentaries on Matthew 3:6
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 6Were baptized - In what form baptism was originally administered, has been deemed a subject worthy of serious dispute. Were the people dipped or sprinkled? for it is certain and mean both. They were all dipped, say some. Can any man suppose that it was possible for John to dip all the inhabitants of Jerusalem and Judea, and of all the country round about the Jordan? Were both men and women dipped, for certainly both came to his baptism? This could never…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 6Were baptized - The word “baptize” ́ baptizosignifies originally to tinge, to dye, to stain, as those who dye clothes. It here means to cleanse or wash anything by the application of water. See the notes at Mark 7:4. Washing, or ablution, was much in use among the Jews, as one of the rites of their religion, Numbers 19:7; Hebrews 9:10. It was not customary, however, among them to baptize those who were converted to the Jewish religion until after the…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 5-6John's ministry became so popular that many people from Jerusalem and Judea came to hear him. Confessing their sins: Those who listened to John's preaching and turned away from sin were ready to accept the ministry of Jesus (Luke 7:27, 29). they were baptized: John's practice of baptism might have started with the Old Testament idea of purification (see Isaiah 1:16; 4:4; Ezekiel 36:25).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 66. And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins--probably confessing aloud. This baptism was at once a public seal of their felt need of deliverance from sin, of their expectation of the coming Deliverer, and of their readiness to welcome Him when He appeared. The baptism itself startled, and was intended to startle, them. They were familiar enough with the baptism of proselytes from heathenism; but this baptism of Jews themselves was quite…Read the comment
Topics related to Matthew 3:6
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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