New Living Translation
Matthew 3:11
11“I baptize with water those who repent of their sins and turn to God. But someone is coming soon who is greater than I am—so much greater that I’m not worthy even to be his slave and carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.
Matthew 3:11 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:
- New International Version (NIV)“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.
- English Standard Version (ESV)"I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
- New King James Version (NKJV)I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
Context of Matthew 3:11
9Don’t just say to each other, ‘We’re safe, for we are descendants of Abraham.’ That means nothing, for I tell you, God can create children of Abraham from these very stones. 10Even now the ax of God’s judgment is poised, ready to sever the roots of the trees. Yes, every tree that does not produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire. “I baptize with water those who repent of their sins and turn to God. But someone is coming soon who is greater than I am—so much greater that I’m not worthy even to be his slave and carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. 12He is ready to separate the chaff from the wheat with his winnowing fork. Then he will clean up the threshing area, gathering the wheat into his barn but burning the chaff with never-ending fire.” 13Then Jesus went from Galilee to the Jordan River to be baptized by John.
Read all of Matthew 3Matthew 3:11 word by word
ἐγὼ μὲν ὑμᾶς βαπτίζω ἐν ὕδατι εἰς μετάνοιαν, ὁ δὲ ὀπίσω μου ἐρχόμενος ἰσχυρότερός μού ἐστὶν οὗ οὐκ εἰμὶ ἱκανὸς τὰ ὑποδήματα βαστάσαι· αὐτὸς ὑμᾶς βαπτίσει ἐν πνεύματι ἁγίῳ καὶ πυρί·Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Iἐγώegō · I/weG1473
- indeedμένmen · on the other handG3303
- baptizeβαπτίζωbaptizō · to baptizeG907
- youσύsu · youG4771
- withἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- waterὕδωρhudōr hudatos · waterG5204
- untoεἰςeis · towardG1519
- repentanceμετάνοιαmetanoia · repentanceG3341
- butδέde · thenG1161
- he thatὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- comethἔρχομαιerchomai · to come/goG2064
- afterὀπίσωopisō · afterG3694
- isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- mightier thanἰσχυρόςischuros · strongG2478
- whoseὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
- shoesὑπόδημαhupodēma · sandalG5266
- notοὐou · noG3756
- worthyἱκανόςhikanos · sufficientG2425
- to bearβαστάζωbastazō · to carryG941
- heαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- the Holyἅγιοςhagios · holyG40
- Ghostπνεῦμαpneuma · spirit/breath: spiritG4151
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- fireπῦρpur · fireG4442
Cross-references for Matthew 3:11
- Matthew 3:6And when they confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River.
- Mark 1:4This messenger was John the Baptist. He was in the wilderness and preached that people should be baptized to show that they had repented of their sins and turned to God to be forgiven.
- Luke 3:3Then John went from place to place on both sides of the Jordan River, preaching that people should be baptized to show that they had repented of their sins and turned to God to be forgiven.
- John 1:26John told them, “I baptize with water, but right here in the crowd is someone you do not recognize.
- Acts 1:5John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
- Acts 11:16Then I thought of the Lord’s words when he said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’
- Acts 13:24Before he came, John the Baptist preached that all the people of Israel needed to repent of their sins and turn to God and be baptized.
- Acts 19:4Paul said, “John’s baptism called for repentance from sin. But John himself told the people to believe in the one who would come later, meaning Jesus.”
- Luke 1:17He will be a man with the spirit and power of Elijah. He will prepare the people for the coming of the Lord. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and he will cause those who are rebellious to accept the wisdom of the godly.”
- John 1:15John testified about him when he shouted to the crowds, “This is the one I was talking about when I said, ‘Someone is coming after me who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before me.’”
- John 3:23At this time John the Baptist was baptizing at Aenon, near Salim, because there was plenty of water there; and people kept coming to him for baptism.
- Mark 1:7John announced: “Someone is coming soon who is greater than I am—so much greater that I’m not even worthy to stoop down like a slave and untie the straps of his sandals.
- Luke 7:6So Jesus went with them. But just before they arrived at the house, the officer sent some friends to say, “Lord, don’t trouble yourself by coming to my home, for I am not worthy of such an honor.
- Acts 13:25As John was finishing his ministry he asked, ‘Do you think I am the Messiah? No, I am not! But he is coming soon—and I’m not even worthy to be his slave and untie the sandals on his feet.’
- Ephesians 3:8Though I am the least deserving of all God’s people, he graciously gave me the privilege of telling the Gentiles about the endless treasures available to them in Christ.
- 1 Peter 5:5In the same way, you who are younger must accept the authority of the elders. And all of you, dress yourselves in humility as you relate to one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
Commentaries on Matthew 3:11
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 11But he that cometh after me - Or, I coming after me, who is now on his way, and will shortly make his appearance. Jesus Christ began his ministry when he was thirty years of age, Luke 3:23, which was the age appointed by the law, Numbers 4:3. John the Baptist was born about six months before Christ; and, as he began his public ministry when thirty years of age, then this coming after refers to six months after the commencement of John's public preaching…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 11Whose shoes I am not worthy to bear - The word translated here as “shoes” has a signification different from what it has in our language. At first, in order to keep the feet from the sharp stones or the burning sand, small pieces of wood were fastened to the soles of the feet, called “sandals.” Leather, or skins of beasts dressed, afterward were used. The foot was not covered at all, but the sandal, or piece of leather or wood, was bound by thongs. The…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 7-12Verses 7-12 To make application to the souls of the hearers, is the life of preaching; so it was of John's preaching. The Pharisees laid their chief stress on outward observances, neglecting the weightier matters of the moral law, and the spiritual meaning of their legal ceremonies. Others of them were detestable hypocrites, making their pretences to holiness a cloak for iniquity. The Sadducees ran into the opposite extreme, denying the existence of…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 11One more powerful than I: Even though he was popular and many people continued to follow him, John knew he was less important than the Messiah. whose sandals I am not worthy to carry: In Jewish culture, removing and carrying sandals was a task for slaves. Not even a rabbi's disciple would do it. with the Holy Spirit and with fire: This happened at Pentecost (see Joel 2:28–29; Acts 2:1–47). This may include the ministry of Jesus, empowered by the Holy…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1111. I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance--(See on Mt 3:6); but he that cometh after me is mightier than I--In Mark and Luke this is more emphatic--"But there cometh the Mightier than I" (Mr 1:7; Lu 3:16). whose shoes--sandals. I am not worthy to bear--The sandals were tied and untied, and borne about by the meanest servants. he shall baptize you--the emphatic "He": "He it is," to the exclusion of all others, "that shall baptize you." with the…Read the comment
Topics related to Matthew 3:11
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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