New Living Translation
Matthew 3:14
14But 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?”
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 King James Version (NKJV)And John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?”
Context of Matthew 3:14
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. 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?” 15But Jesus said, “It should be done, for we must carry out all that God requires.” So John agreed to baptize him. 16After his baptism, as Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and settling on 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 1:43Why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should visit me?
- John 13:6When Jesus came to Simon Peter, Peter said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”
- John 1:16From his abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another.
- John 3:3Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.”
- Acts 1:5John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
- Romans 3:23For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.
- Galatians 3:22But the Scriptures declare that we are all prisoners of sin, so we receive God’s promise of freedom only by believing in Jesus Christ.
- Galatians 4:6And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.”
- Ephesians 2:3All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else.
- Revelation 7:9After this I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes and held 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
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