Matthew 3

John the Baptist Prepares the Way for the Lord’s Coming (3:1–6)

₁ In these days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, ₂ saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of the heavens has drawn near.” ₃ For this John is the person spoken of by the prophet Isaiah: “A voice of one crying in the wilderness, prepare the way for the Lord, make his paths straight” [Isa. 40:3]. ₄ John himself had a garment of camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. ₅ Then Jerusalem was going out to him, and all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan, ₆ and they were baptized by him in the Jordan River after they confessed their sins.

John Rebukes the Pharisees and Sadducees (3:7–12)

₇ When he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the furious wrath that is coming? ₈ Therefore, bear fruit worthy of repentance, ₉ and do not think to say to yourselves, ‘We are the children of Abraham,’ for I say to you that from these stones, God is able to raise up children unto Abraham. ₁₀ Now the axe is already laid at the root of the trees; therefore, every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. ₁₁ I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but he who is coming after me is more powerful than I, and I am not fit to remove his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire, ₁₂ whose winnowing fork is in his hand. He will thoroughly purge his threshing floor, and he will gather his wheat into the barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

Jesus Is Baptized by John (3:13–17)

₁₃ Then Jesus arrived from Galilee at the Jordan unto John, to be baptized by him, ₁₄ but John refused him, saying, “I have need to be baptized by you. Why do you come to me?” ₁₅ But Jesus answering said unto him, “Permit it now, for it is appropriate for us to fulfill all righteousness in this way.” Then John permitted him. ₁₆ While being baptized, Jesus came immediately up out of the water, and lo! the heavens were opened unto John, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and gently landing upon Jesus. ₁₇ And lo! a voice out of the heavens said, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”