New King James Version
Matthew 3:14
14And John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?”
Matthew 3:14 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?
- New International Version (NIV)But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”
- English Standard Version (ESV)John would have prevented him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?"
- New Living Translation (NLT)But John tried to talk him out of it. “I am the one who needs to be baptized by you,” he said, “so why are you coming to me?”
Context of Matthew 3:14
12His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” 13Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. And John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?” 15But Jesus answered and said to him, “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed Him. 16When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him.
Read all of Matthew 3Matthew 3:14 word by word
ὁ δὲ Ἰωάννης διεκώλυεν αὐτὸν λέγων· ἐγὼ χρείαν ἔχω ὑπὸ σοῦ βαπτισθῆναι, καὶ σὺ ἔρχῃ πρός με;Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Butδέde · thenG1161
- JohnἸωάννηςIōannēs · JohnG2491
- forbadδιακωλύωdiakōluō · to hinderG1254
- himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- sayingλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- Iἐγώegō · I/weG1473
- haveἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
- needχρείαchreia · needG5532
- to be baptizedβαπτίζωbaptizō · to baptizeG907
- ofὑπόhupo · by/under: byG5259
- theeσύsu · youG4771
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- comestἔρχομαιerchomai · to come/goG2064
- toπρόςpros · to/withG4314
Cross-references for Matthew 3:14
- Luke 1:43But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
- John 13:6Then He came to Simon Peter. And Peter said to Him, “Lord, are You washing my feet?”
- John 1:16And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace.
- John 3:3Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
- Acts 1:5for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”
- Romans 3:23for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
- Galatians 3:22But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.
- Galatians 4:6And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!”
- Ephesians 2:3among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.
- Revelation 7:9After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands,
Commentaries on Matthew 3:14
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 14John forbad him - Earnestly and pressingly opposed him: this is the proper import of the words . I have observed that , in composition, most frequently, if not always, strengthens the signification in classic authors. - Wakefield.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 14John forbade him - Refused him. I have need - It is more suitable that I should be baptized with thy baptism, the Holy Spirit, than that thou shouldest be baptized in water by me. I am a sinner, and unworthy to administer this to the Messiah.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 13-17Verses 13-17 Christ's gracious condescensions are so surprising, that even the strongest believers at first can hardly believe them; so deep and mysterious, that even those who know his mind well, are apt to start objections against the will of Christ. And those who have much of the Spirit of God while here, see that they need to apply to Christ for more. Christ does not deny that John had need to be baptized of him, yet declares he will now be baptized…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 14John had already admitted (Matthew 3:11–12) that he was less important than the Messiah, so he felt unworthy to baptize him.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1414. But John forbade him--rather, "was (in the act of) hindering him," or "attempting to hinder him." saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?--(How John came to recognize Him, when he says he knew Him not, see on John 1. 31-34.) The emphasis of this most remarkable speech lies all in the pronouns: "What! Shall the Master come for baptism to the servant--the sinless Saviour to a sinner?" That thus much is in the Baptist's words…Read the comment
Topics related to Matthew 3:14
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries