Matthew 3

The Preaching of John the Baptist

1NowG1161 1in thoseG1565 daysG2250 2JohnG2491 the BaptistG910 3cameG3854, 4preachingG2784 in the 5wildernessG2048 of JudeaG2449, sayingG3004, 2“6RepentG3340, for 7the kingdomG932 of heavenG3772 hasG1448 comeG1448 nearG1448.” 3For thisG3778 is the 8one referredG3004 to 9by IsaiahG2268 the prophetG4396 when he saidG3004, “10The voiceG5456 of one 11callingG994 12outG994 in the wildernessG2048, ‘13PrepareG2090 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. 5AtG5119 thatG5119 timeG5119 JerusalemG2414 17was goingG1607 outG1607 to him, and allG3956 JudeaG2449 and allG3956 18the regionG4066 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 22baptismG908, he saidG3004 to them, “You 2324offspringG1081 of vipersG2191, whoG5101 warnedG5263 you to fleeG5343 from 25the wrathG3709 toG3195 comeG3195? 826ThereforeG3767 produceG4160 fruitG2590 27consistentG514 with repentanceG3341; 9and do not assumeG1380 that you can sayG3004 to yourselvesG1438, ‘28We haveG2192 AbrahamG11 as our fatherG3962’; for I tellG3004 you that GodG2316 is ableG1410, from theseG3778 stonesG3037, to raiseG1453 upG1453 childrenG5043 for AbrahamG11. 10And the 29axeG513 is alreadyG2235 laidG2749 at the rootG4491 of the treesG1186; thereforeG3767, 30everyG3956 treeG1186 that does not bearG4160 goodG2570 fruitG2590 is being cutG1581 downG1581 and thrownG906 into the fireG4442.

11“As for me, 31I baptizeG907 you 32with waterG5204 for repentanceG3341, but He who is comingG2064 afterG3694 me is mightierG2478 than I, and I amG1510 not fitG2425 to removeG941 His sandalsG5266; 33He will baptizeG907 you 34with the HolyG40 SpiritG4151 and fireG4442. 12His 35winnowingG4425 forkG4425 is in His handG5495, and He will thoroughlyG1245 clearG1245 His threshingG257 floorG257; and He will 36gatherG4863 His wheatG4621 into the barnG596, but He will burnG2618 upG2618 the 37chaffG892 with 38unquenchableG762 fireG4442.”

The Baptism of Jesus

1339ThenG5119 JesusG2424 arrivedG3854 40from GalileeG1056 at the JordanG2446, coming to JohnG2491 to be baptizedG907 by him. 14But JohnG2491 tried to preventG1254 Him, sayingG3004, “I haveG2192 the needG5532 to be baptizedG907 by You, and yet You are comingG2064 to me?” 15But JesusG2424, answeringG611, saidG3004 to him, “AllowG863 it at thisG737 timeG737; for in thisG3779 wayG3779 it is fittingG4241 for us 41to fulfillG4137 allG3956 righteousnessG1343.” ThenG5119 he allowedG863 Him. 16After He was baptizedG907, JesusG2424 cameG305 upG305 immediatelyG2117 from the waterG5204; and beholdG2400, the heavensG3772 were openedG455, and 4243he sawG3708 the SpiritG4151 of GodG2316 descendingG2597 as a doveG4058 and 44settlingG2064 on Him, 17and beholdG2400, a voiceG5456 from the heavensG3772 saidG3004, “45ThisG3778 is 46My belovedG27 SonG5207, with whomG3739 I amG2106 wellG2106 pleasedG2106.”