New International Version
Matthew 3:6
6Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.
Matthew 3:6 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.
- 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.
- New Living Translation (NLT)And when they confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River.
Context of Matthew 3:6
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. 5People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. 7But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.
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 3:11“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.
- Ezekiel 36:25I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols.
- Mark 1:8I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
- Luke 3:16John answered them all, “I baptize you with water. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
- John 1:25questioned him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”
- John 3:23Now John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water, and people were coming and being baptized.
- Acts 1:5For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
- 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 10:36You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, announcing the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.
- Acts 11:16Then I remembered what the Lord had said: ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’
- Acts 19:4Paul said, “John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.”
- 1 Corinthians 10:2They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea.
- Colossians 2:12having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.
- Hebrews 6:2instruction about cleansing rites, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.
- Hebrews 9:10They are only a matter of food and drink and various ceremonial washings—external regulations applying until the time of the new order.
- 1 Peter 3:21and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
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
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