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].
In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,
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].”
And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
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!]
For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
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.
And the same John had his raiment of camel’s hair, and a leather belt about his loins; and his food was locusts and wild honey.
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].
Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region about Jordan,
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.
And were baptized by him in Jordan, confessing their sins.
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]
But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said to them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
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]}.
Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance:
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].’
And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham for our father: for I say to you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children to Abraham.
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].”
And now also the axe is laid to the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
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)
I indeed baptize you in water to repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you in the Holy Spirit, and in fire:
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].”
Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his floor, and gather his wheat into the barn; but he will burn the chaff with unquenchable fire.
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}.
Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan to John, to be baptized by him.
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]?)”
But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized by thee, and comest thou to me?
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.
And Jesus answering said to him, Permit it to be so now: for thus it is befitting for us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he allowed him.
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.
And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up immediately out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:
17 Then [God] [SYN] spoke from heaven, saying, “This is my Son. I love him. I am very pleased with him.”
And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
