Matthew 3
1 Some time later John the Baptist appeared on the scene, proclaiming in the Judean desert,
In those days came John the Baptist preaching in the desert of Judea;
2 “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has arrived!”
"Repent," said he, "for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."
3 He was the one Isaiah spoke about when he said, “A voice is heard crying out in the desert, ‘Prepare the way of the Lord. Make the paths straight for him.’”
This Johnit was of whom it was said through Isaiah, the prophet, The voice of one who cries aloud in the desert, "Prepare a way for the Lord, Make the paths straight for him."
4 John had clothes made of camel hair, with a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey.
This Johnwore a garment of camel’s hair, and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey.
5 People came to him from Jerusalem, all of Judea, and the entire Jordan region,
Then Jerusalem began to go out to him, and all Judea, and the whole neighborhood of the Jordan,
6 and were baptized in the Jordan River, publicly admitting their sins.
and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.
7 But when John saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to be baptized, he said to them, “You vipers' brood! Who warned you to run away from the coming judgment?
But when Johnsaw that many of the Pharisees and Sadducees were coming for baptism, he said. "O brood of vipers! Who has warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
8 Show by what you do that you have truly repented,
Then bring forth fruit worthy of repentance.
9 and don't presume to say proudly to yourselves, ‘Abraham is our father.’ I tell you that God could make children of Abraham from these stones.
And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father’-I tell you that out of these very stones God is able to raise up descendants for Abraham.
10 In fact the ax is ready to chop down the trees. Every tree that doesn't produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire.
And already the axe is lying at the roots of the trees. Any tree, therefore, that does not bear good fruit is cut down and cast into the fire.
11 Yes, I baptize you in water to show repentance, but after me is coming one who is greater than I am. I'm not worthy even to remove his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.
I indeed am baptizing you in water, unto repentance; but One is coming after me, mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit and in fire.
12 He has his winnowing tool ready in his hand. He will clean up the threshing floor and gather the wheat into the storehouse, but he will burn the chaff with fire that can't be put out.”
His winnowing-fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse the threshing-floor. He will store his wheat in the granary, but will burn up the chaff in unquenchable fire."
13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan River to be baptized by John.
At that very time Jesus was on his way from Galilee to the Jordan, to John, to be baptized by him.
14 But John tried to change his mind. He told Jesus, “I need to be baptized by you, and you come to me to baptize you?”
But he tried to prevent him. "It is I," he said, "who need to be baptized by you, and are you coming to me?"
15 “Please do so, because it's good for us to do what God says is right,” Jesus told him. So John agreed to do it.
But Jesus answered, "Permit it now, for so it is fitting for us to fulfill every religious duty."
16 Immediately after he was baptized, Jesus came out of the water. The heavens were opened, and he saw God's Spirit like a dove descending, landing on him.
Then he consented. And after Jesus was baptized, as soon as he rose out of the water, lo! the heavens opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon him,
17 A voice from heaven said, “This is my son whom I love, who pleases me.”
while a voice from heaven said, "This is my son, the beloved, In whom I delight."
