Matthew 3

The Preaching of John the Baptist

1NowG1161 1in thoseG1565 daysG2250 2JohnG2491 the BaptistG910 3cameG3854, 4preachingG2784 in the 5wildernessG2048 of JudeaG2453, sayingG3004, 2“6RepentG3340, for 7the kingdomG932 of heavenG3772 8is at handG1448.” 3For thisG3778 is the 9one referredG3004 to 10by IsaiahG2268 the prophetG4396 when he saidG3004, “11The voiceG5456 of one 12cryingG994 in the wildernessG2048, ‘13MakeG2090 readyG2090 the wayG3598 of the LordG2962, MakeG4160 His pathsG5147 straightG2117!’” 4NowG1161 JohnG2491 himselfG846 hadG2192 1415a garmentG1742 of camel’sG2574 hairG2359 and a leatherG1193 beltG2223 aroundG4012 his waistG3751; and his foodG5160 was 16locustsG200 and wildG66 honeyG3192. 5ThenG5119 JerusalemG2414 17was goingG1607 out to him, and allG3956 JudeaG2453 and allG3956 18the districtG4066 aroundG4066 the JordanG2446; 6and they were being 19baptizedG907 by him in the JordanG2446 RiverG4215, as they confessedG1843 their sinsG266.

7But when he sawG3708 manyG4183 of the 20PhariseesG5330 and 21SadduceesG4523 comingG2064 for baptismG908, he saidG3004 to them, “You 22broodG1081 of vipersG2191, whoG5101 warnedG5263 you to fleeG5343 from 23the wrathG3709 to comeG3195? 824ThereforeG3767 bearG4160 fruitG2590 25in keepingG514 with repentanceG3341; 9and do not supposeG1380 that you can sayG3004 to yourselvesG1438, ‘26We haveG2192 AbrahamG11 for our fatherG3962’; for I sayG3004 to you that from theseG3778 stonesG3037 GodG2316 is ableG1410 to raiseG1453 up childrenG5043 to AbrahamG11. 10The 27axeG513 is alreadyG2235 laidG2749 at the rootG4491 of the treesG1186; thereforeG3767 28everyG3956 treeG1186 that does not bearG4160 goodG2570 fruitG2590 is cutG1581 downG1581 and thrownG906 into the fireG4442.

11“As for me, 29I baptizeG907 you 30with waterG5204 for repentanceG3341, but He who is comingG2064 afterG3694 me is mightierG2478 than I, and I amG1510 not fitG2425 to removeG941 His sandalsG5266; 31He will baptizeG907 you 32with the HolyG40 SpiritG4151 and fireG4442. 12His 33winnowingG4425 forkG4425 is in His handG5495, and He will thoroughlyG1245 clearG1245 His threshingG257 floorG257; and He will 34gatherG4863 His wheatG4621 into the barnG596, but He will burnG2618 up the 35chaffG892 with 36unquenchableG762 fireG4442.”

The Baptism of Jesus

1337ThenG5119 JesusG2424 arrivedG3854 38from GalileeG1056 at the JordanG2446 coming to JohnG2491, to be baptizedG907 by him. 14But JohnG2491 tried to preventG1254 Him, sayingG3004, “I haveG2192 needG5532 to be baptizedG907 by You, and do You comeG2064 to me?” 15But JesusG2424 answeringG611 saidG3004 to him, “PermitG863 it at thisG737 timeG737; for in thisG3779 wayG3779 it is fittingG4241 for us 39to fulfillG4137 allG3956 righteousnessG1343.” ThenG5119 he permittedG863 Him. 16After being baptizedG907, JesusG2424 cameG305 up immediatelyG2117 from the waterG5204; and beholdG2400, the heavensG3772 were openedG455, and 4041he sawG3708 the SpiritG4151 of GodG2316 descendingG2597 as a doveG4058 and 42lightingG2064 on Him, 17and beholdG2400, a voiceG5456 out of the heavensG3772 saidG3004, “43ThisG3778 is 44My belovedG27 SonG5207, in whomG3739 I amG2106 well-pleasedG2106.”