New Living Translation
Matthew 3:6
6And when they confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River.
Matthew 3:6 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.
- New International Version (NIV)Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.
- 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.
Context of Matthew 3:6
4John’s clothes were woven from coarse camel hair, and he wore a leather belt around his waist. For food he ate locusts and wild honey. 5People from Jerusalem and from all of Judea and all over the Jordan Valley went out to see and hear John. And when they confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River. 7But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming to watch him baptize, he denounced them. “You brood of snakes!” he exclaimed. “Who warned you to flee the coming wrath? 8Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God.
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 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.
- Ezekiel 36:25“Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. Your filth will be washed away, and you will no longer worship idols.
- Mark 1:8I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit!”
- Luke 3:16John answered their questions by saying, “I baptize you with water; but someone is coming soon who is greater than I am—so much greater that I’m not even worthy to be his slave and untie the straps of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.
- John 1:25asked him, “If you aren’t the Messiah or Elijah or the Prophet, what right do you have to baptize?”
- 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.
- Acts 1:5John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
- Acts 2:38Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
- Acts 10:36This is the message of Good News for the people of Israel—that there is peace with God through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.
- 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 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.”
- 1 Corinthians 10:2In the cloud and in the sea, all of them were baptized as followers of Moses.
- Colossians 2:12For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized. And with him you were raised to new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead.
- Hebrews 6:2You don’t need further instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.
- Hebrews 9:10For that old system deals only with food and drink and various cleansing ceremonies—physical regulations that were in effect only until a better system could be established.
- 1 Peter 3:21And that water is a picture of baptism, which now saves you, not by removing dirt from your body, but as a response to God from a clean conscience. It is effective because of 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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