Matthew 3
1 While [Jesus was still in Nazareth town], John, [whom the people called] the Baptizer, went to a desolate place in Judea [district].
ⲁ̅ϩⲣⲁⲓ ⲇⲉ ϩⲛⲛⲉϩⲟⲟⲩ ⲉⲧⲙⲙⲁⲩ ⲁϥⲉⲓ ⲛϭⲓⲓⲱϩⲁⲛⲛⲏⲥ ⲡⲃⲁⲡⲧⲓⲥⲧⲏⲥ ⲉϥⲧⲁϣⲉⲟⲉⲓϣ ϩⲣⲁⲓ ϩⲙⲡϫⲁⲓⲉ ⲛϯⲟⲩⲇⲁⲓⲁ
2 He was preaching [to the people who came there]. He kept saying, “[You need to] turn away from your sinful behavior, because God [MET] will soon begin to rule [over people, and he will reject you if you do not turn away from your sinful life].”
ⲃ̅ⲉϥϫⲱ ⲙⲙⲟⲥ. ϫⲉ ⲙⲉⲧⲁⲛⲟⲓ. ⲁⲥϩⲱⲛ ⲅⲁⲣ ⲉϩⲟⲩⲛ ⲛϭⲓⲧⲙⲛⲧⲣⲣⲟ ⲛⲙⲡⲏⲩⲉ.
3 John was the person who [fulfilled] what was said by Isaiah the prophet {what Isaiah the prophet [predicted] when he said}, long ago: In a desolate area ([people will hear someone/someone will be heard]) shouting [to the people who pass by], Prepare [yourselves to receive] the Lord when he comes! [Make yourselves ready so that you will be prepared when he comes] [MET, DOU], just like people [improve and] straighten out the road [for an important official!]
ⲅ̅ⲡⲁⲓ ⲅⲁⲣ ⲡⲉⲛⲧⲁⲩϫⲟⲟϥ ϩⲓⲧⲛⲏⲥⲁⲓⲁⲥ ⲡⲉⲡⲣⲟⲫⲏⲧⲏⲥ ⲉϥϫⲱ ⲙⲙⲟⲥ. ϫⲉ ⲧⲉⲥⲙⲏ ⲙⲡⲉⲧⲱϣ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲓⲡϫⲁⲓⲉ ϫⲉ ⲥⲃⲧⲉⲧⲉϩⲓⲏ ⲙⲡϫⲟⲉⲓⲥ ⲛⲧⲉⲧⲛⲥⲟⲟⲩⲧⲛ ⲛⲛⲉϥⲙⲁ ⲛⲙⲟⲟϣⲉ.
4 John wore [coarse] clothing made from camel’s hair. And [as the prophet Elijah did long ago], he wore a leather belt around his waist. His food was [only] grasshoppers and honey [that he found] in that desolate area.
ⲇ̅ⲛⲧⲟϥ ⲇⲉ ⲓⲱϩⲁⲛⲛⲏⲥ ⲛⲉⲣⲉⲧⲉϥϩⲃⲥⲱ ϣⲟⲟⲡ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲛϩⲉⲛⲃⲱ ⲛϭⲁⲙⲟⲩⲗ. ⲉⲣⲉⲟⲩⲙⲟϫϩ ⲛϣⲁⲁⲣ ϭⲟⲟⲗⲉ ⲉⲧⲉϥϯⲡⲉ. ⲧⲉϥϩⲣⲉ ⲇⲉ ⲛⲉϩⲉⲛϣϫⲉ ⲛⲉ ⲙⲛⲟⲩⲉⲃⲓⲉ ϩⲟⲟⲩⲧ.
5 [People who lived in] Jerusalem [city] [MTY], many [HYP] [people who lived in other places in] Judea [district] [MTY], and many [HYP] [people who lived in] the area around the Jordan [River] [MTY] came to John [to hear him preach].
ⲉ̅ⲧⲟⲧⲉ ⲛⲉⲥⲛⲏⲩ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲉⲣⲁⲧϥ ⲛϭⲓⲑⲓⲉⲣⲟⲥⲟⲗⲩⲙⲁ ⲧⲏⲣⲥ. ⲙⲛϯⲟⲩⲇⲁⲓⲁ ⲙⲛⲧⲡⲉⲣⲓⲭⲱⲣⲟⲥ ⲧⲏⲣⲥ ⲙⲡⲉⲓⲟⲣⲇⲁⲛⲛⲏⲥ.
6 After [they heard him tell them to turn away from their sinful behavior], they [openly] confessed their sins, and as a result they were baptized by John {John baptized them} in the Jordan River.
ⲋ̅ⲉⲩϫⲓⲃⲁⲡⲧⲓⲥⲙⲁ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲓⲧⲟⲟⲧϥ ϩⲙⲡⲉⲓⲟⲣⲇⲁⲛ(ⲛ)ⲏⲥ ⲡⲉⲓⲉⲣⲟ ⲉⲩⲉⲝⲟⲙⲟⲗⲟⲅⲉⲓ ⲛⲛⲉⲩⲛⲟⲃⲉ.
7 After John noted that many men of the Pharisee [religious group] and of the Sadducee [religious group] were coming [to him] to be baptized {in order that he would baptize them}, he said to them, “You people are [evil like poisonous] snakes [MET]! I warn you that God will some day punish [MTY] everyone who sins. (And do not think that you can escape from his punishing you [MTY] [if you do not turn from your sinful behavior]!/Did someone tell you that you can escape from his punishing you [MTY] [if you do not turn from your sinful behavior]?) [RHQ]
ⲍ̅ⲛⲧⲉⲣⲉϥⲛⲁⲩ ⲇⲉ ⲉϩⲁϩ ϩⲛⲛⲉⲫⲁⲣⲓⲥⲥⲁⲓⲟⲥ ⲙⲛⲛⲥⲁⲇⲇⲟⲩⲕⲁⲓⲟⲥ ⲉⲩⲛⲏⲩ ⲉϫⲙⲡⲃⲁⲡⲧⲓⲥⲙⲁ ⲡⲉϫⲁϥ ⲛⲁⲩ. ϫⲉ ⲛⲉϫⲡⲟ ⲛⲛⲉϩⲃⲟⲩⲓ. ⲛⲓⲙ ⲡⲉⲛⲧⲁϥⲧⲥⲁⲃⲉⲧⲏⲩⲧⲛ ⲉⲡⲱⲧ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲏⲧⲥ ⲛⲧⲟⲣⲅⲏ ⲉⲧⲛⲏⲩ.
8 Do what is appropriate [IDM] for people who have truly turned away from their sinful behavior [before you come to me in order to be baptized] {[that I baptize you]}.
ⲏ̅ⲁⲣⲓⲣⲉ ϭⲉ ⲛⲟⲩⲕⲁⲣⲡⲟⲥ ⲉϥⲙⲡϣⲁ ⲛⲧⲙⲉⲧⲁⲛⲟⲓⲁ.
9 [God promised to give Abraham many descendants. In order to fulfill that promise], God [does not need you! I] tell you that he can change these stones to make them descendants of Abraham. So do not start to say to yourselves, ‘Since we are descendants of [our ancestor] Abraham, [God will not punish us even though we have sinned].’
ⲑ̅ⲛⲧⲉⲧⲛⲧⲙⲙⲉⲉⲩⲉ ⲉϫⲟⲟⲥ ⲛϩⲏⲧⲧⲏⲩⲧⲛ. ϫⲉ ⲟⲩⲛⲧⲁⲛ ⲙⲙⲁⲩ ⲙⲡⲉⲛⲉⲓⲱⲧ ⲁⲃⲣⲁϩⲁⲙ. ϯϫⲱ ⲅⲁⲣ ⲙⲙⲟⲥ ⲛⲏⲧⲛ ϫⲉ ⲟⲩⲛϭⲟⲙ ⲙⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲉⲧⲟⲩⲛⲉⲥϩⲉⲛϣⲏⲣⲉ ⲛⲁⲃⲣⲁϩⲁⲙ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲛⲛⲉⲓⲱⲛⲉ.
10 [God is] ready [to punish you if you do not turn away from your sinful behavior, just like] a man who lays his axe at the roots of a [fruit] tree [in order to] chop it down and throw it into the fire if it does not produce good fruit [MET].”
ⲓ̅ϫⲓⲛⲧⲉⲛⲟⲩ ⲇⲉ ⲡⲕⲉⲗⲉⲃⲓⲛ ⲕⲏ ϩⲁⲧⲛⲟⲩⲛⲉ ⲛⲛϣⲏⲛ. ϣⲏⲛ ϭⲉ ⲛⲓⲙ ⲉⲧⲉⲛϥⲛⲁⲉⲓⲣⲉ ⲁⲛ ⲛⲟⲩⲕⲁⲣⲡⲟⲥ ⲉⲛⲁⲛⲟⲩϥ ⲥⲉⲛⲁⲕⲟⲟⲣⲉϥ ⲛⲥⲉⲛⲟϫϥ ⲉⲧⲥⲁⲧⲉ.
11 “As for me, I [am not very important, because] I baptize you [only] with water. I [baptize you] because of your feeling sorry that you have sinned. But someone else will come soon who is very great; [he will do powerful deeds] (OR, [act powerfully]). [Because he is] superior to me, I am not worthy [even to do a menial task for him, such as] to carry his sandals. He will put [his] Holy Spirit [within] you [to truly change] the way you live [MET], and [he will judge others of you and punish you in] the fire [in hell]. (questioned)
ⲓ̅ⲁ̅ⲁⲛⲟⲕ ⲙⲉⲛ ⲉⲓⲃⲁⲡⲧⲓⲍⲉ ⲙⲙⲱⲧⲛ ϩⲛⲟⲩⲙⲟⲟⲩ ⲉⲩⲙⲉⲧⲁⲛⲟⲓⲁ. ⲡⲉⲧⲛⲏⲩ ⲇⲉ ϥϫⲟⲟⲣ ⲉⲣⲟⲓ ⲡⲁⲓ ⲛϯⲙⲡϣⲁ ⲁⲛ ⲛϥⲓ ϩⲁⲡⲉϥⲧⲟⲟⲩⲉ. ⲛⲧⲟϥ ⲡⲉⲧⲛⲁⲃⲁⲡⲧⲓⲍⲉ ⲙⲙⲱⲧⲛ ϩⲛⲟⲩⲡⲛⲁ ⲉϥⲟⲩⲁⲁⲃ ⲙⲛⲟⲩⲥⲁⲧⲉ.
12 [He is like a farmer who wants to clear away the grain that is on the ground where it has been threshed] {[they have threshed it]}. [That farmer uses a] huge fork to throw the grain into the air [to separate the wheat from the chaff] [MET], and then he cleans up the threshing area. [Similarly], God will [separate righteous people from the evil people like a farmer who] gathers the wheat into his storage area, and then [God] will burn the [people who are like] chaff with a fire that will never be put out [MET].”
ⲓ̅ⲃ̅ⲡⲁⲓ ⲉⲧⲉⲣⲉⲡⲉϥϩⲁ ϩⲛⲧⲉϥϭⲓϫ ⲉϥⲛⲁⲧⲃⲃⲟ ⲙⲡⲉϥϫⲛⲟⲟⲩ. ⲛϥⲥⲱⲟⲩϩ ⲉϩⲟⲩⲛ ⲙⲡⲉϥⲥⲟⲩⲟ ⲉⲧⲁⲡⲟⲑⲏⲕⲏ. ⲡⲧⲱϩ ⲇⲉ ⲛϥⲣⲟⲕϩϥ ϩⲛⲟⲩⲥⲁⲧⲉ ⲉⲙⲉⲥⲱϣⲙ.
13 During that time, Jesus went from Galilee [District] to the Jordan [River], where John was. [He did that] in order to be baptized by John {in order to ask that John would baptize him}.
ⲓ̅ⲅ̅ⲧⲟⲧⲉ ⲁϥⲉⲓ ⲛϭⲓⲓ̅ⲥ̅ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲛⲧⲅⲁⲗⲓⲗⲁⲓⲁ ⲉϩⲣⲁⲓ ⲉϫⲙⲡⲓⲟⲣⲇⲁⲛⲏⲥ ϣⲁⲓⲱϩⲁⲛⲛⲏⲥ ⲉⲧⲣⲉϥⲃⲁⲡⲧⲓⲍⲉ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲓⲧⲟⲟⲧϥ.
14 [When Jesus asked John to baptize him], John objected, saying, “I need to be baptized by you {you to baptize me} [because you are superior to me. Since you are not a sinner], ([you(sg)] should not come to me [to be baptized by me] {[to ask that I baptize you(sg)]}!/why do you come to me [to be baptized by me] {[ask that I baptize you(sg)]} [RHQ]?)”
ⲓ̅ⲇ̅ⲛⲧⲟϥ ⲇⲉ ⲁϥⲕⲱⲗⲩ ⲙⲙⲟϥ ⲉϥϫⲱ ⲙⲙⲟⲥ. ϫⲉ ⲁⲛⲟⲕ ⲉⲧⲣⲭⲣⲓⲁ ⲛⲃⲁⲡⲧⲓⲍⲉ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲓⲧⲟⲟⲧⲕ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲛⲧⲟⲕ ⲉⲧⲛⲏⲩ ϣⲁⲣⲟⲓ.
15 But Jesus said to him, “Baptize me at this time, because in this way we [two] will do [everything that God] requires.” Then John consented to baptize him.
ⲓ̅ⲉ̅ⲁⲩⲟⲩⲱϣⲃ ⲇⲉ ⲛϭⲓⲓ̅ⲥ̅ ⲉϥϫⲱ ⲙⲙⲟⲥ ⲛⲁϥ. ϫⲉ ϭⲱ ⲧⲉⲛⲟⲩ. ⲧⲁⲓ ⲅⲁⲣ ⲧⲉ ⲑⲉ ⲉⲧⲉϣϣⲉ ⲉⲣⲟⲛ ⲉϫⲱⲕ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲛⲇⲓⲕⲁⲓⲟⲥⲩⲛⲏ ⲛⲓⲙ. ⲧⲟⲧⲉ ⲁϥⲕⲁⲁϥ.
16 After he was baptized {John baptized Jesus}, Jesus immediately came up out of the water. Just then, [it was as though] the sky was opened {split apart}. Then [Jesus] saw God’s Spirit coming down upon him. He came in the form of a dove.
ⲓ̅ⲋ̅ⲛⲧⲉⲣⲉϥⲃⲁⲡⲧⲓⲍⲉ ϭⲉ ⲛϭⲓⲓ̅ⲥ̅ ⲛⲧⲉⲩⲛⲟⲩ ⲁϥⲉⲓ ⲉϩⲣⲁⲓ ϩⲙⲡⲙⲟⲟⲩ. ⲁⲩⲱ ⲉⲓⲥϩⲏⲏⲧⲉ ⲁⲩⲟⲩⲱⲛ ⲛϭⲓⲙⲡⲏⲩⲉ. ⲁϥⲛⲁⲩ ⲉⲡⲉⲡ̅ⲛ̅ⲁ̅ ⲙⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲉϥⲛⲏⲩ ⲉⲡⲉⲥⲏⲧ ⲛⲑⲉ ⲛⲟⲩϭⲣⲟⲟⲙⲡⲉ ⲉϩⲣⲁⲓ ⲉϫⲱϥ.
17 Then [God] [SYN] spoke from heaven, saying, “This is my Son. I love him. I am very pleased with him.”
ⲓ̅ⲍ̅ⲁⲩⲱ ⲉⲓⲥϩⲏⲏⲧⲉ ⲉⲓⲥⲟⲩⲥⲙⲏ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲛⲙⲡⲏⲩⲉ ⲉⲥϫⲱ ⲙⲙⲟⲥ. ϫⲉ ⲡⲁⲓ ⲡⲉ ⲡⲁϣⲏⲣⲉ ⲡⲁⲙⲉⲣⲓⲧ ⲡⲉⲛⲧⲁⲡⲁⲟⲩⲱϣ ϣⲱⲡⲉ ϩⲣⲁⲓ ⲛϩⲏⲧϥ.
