New International Version
Matthew 3:2
2and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”
Matthew 3:2 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
- English Standard Version (ESV)"Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."
- New King James Version (NKJV)and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!”
- New Living Translation (NLT)“Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.”
Context of Matthew 3:2
1In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” 3This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’ ” 4John’s clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey.
Read all of Matthew 3Matthew 3:2 word by word
καὶ λέγων· μετανοεῖτε· ἤγγικεν γὰρ ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Matthew 3:2
- Matthew 4:17From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”
- Matthew 11:20Then Jesus began to denounce the towns in which most of his miracles had been performed, because they did not repent.
- Matthew 12:41The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now something greater than Jonah is here.
- Matthew 21:29“ ‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went.
- 1 Kings 8:47and if they have a change of heart in the land where they are held captive, and repent and plead with you in the land of their captors and say, ‘We have sinned, we have done wrong, we have acted wickedly’;
- Job 42:6Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.”
- Ezekiel 18:30“Therefore, you Israelites, I will judge each of you according to your own ways, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall.
- Ezekiel 33:11Say to them, ‘As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die, people of Israel?’
- Mark 1:4And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
- Mark 6:12They went out and preached that people should repent.
- Luke 13:3I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.
- Luke 15:7I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.
- Luke 16:30“ ‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’
- Luke 24:47and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
- Acts 2:38Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
- Acts 3:19Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,
Commentaries on Matthew 3:2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2Repent - . This was the matter of the preaching. The verb is either compounded of , after, and to understand, which signifies that, after hearing such preaching, the sinner is led to understand, that the way he has walked in was the way of misery, death, and hell. Or the word may be derived from after, and , madness, which intimates that the whole life of a sinner is no other than a continued course of madness and folly: and if to live in a constant…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2Repent ye - Repentance implies sorrow for past offences 2 Corinthians 7:10; a deep sense of the evil of sin as committed against God Psalm 51:4; and a full purpose to turn from transgression and to lead a holy life. A true penitent has sorrow for sin, not only because it is ruinous to his soul, but chiefly because it is an offence against God, and is that abominable thing which he hates, Jeremiah 44:4. It is produced by seeing the great danger and misery…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2The prophetic call to return to God means turning away from pride and sin and choosing humble obedience to God (compare Isaiah 1:16–20 and Jeremiah 3:11–22). John’s message included specific practical advice (Luke 3:11–14).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. And saying, Repent ye--Though the word strictly denotes a change of mind, it has respect here (and wherever it is used in connection with salvation) primarily to that sense of sin which leads the sinner to flee from the wrath to come, to look for relief only from above, and eagerly to fall in with the provided remedy. for the kingdom of heaven is at hand--This sublime phrase, used in none of the other Gospels, occurs in this peculiarly Jewish Gospel…Read the comment
Topics related to Matthew 3:2
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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