Matthew 3 DBY
Summary: John the Baptist appears in the Judean wilderness preaching repentance and the nearness of the kingdom of heaven, dressed in camel's hair and eating locusts and wild honey, drawing crowds from Jerusalem and Judea for baptism in the Jordan. He rebukes Pharisees and Sadducees who come as spectators, warning that lineage from Abraham will not spare them from judgment, and describes one coming after him who will baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire. Jesus arrives from Galilee to be baptized by John, who initially objects, but Jesus insists it is fitting to fulfill all righteousness. As Jesus comes up from the water, the Spirit descends like a dove and a voice from heaven declares, 'This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased' (v. 17).
1Now in those days comes John the baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,
2and saying, Repent, for the kingdom of the heavens has drawn nigh.
3For this is he who has been spoken of through Esaias the prophet, saying, Voice of him that crieth in the wilderness: prepare ye the way of [the] Lord, make straight his paths.
4And John himself had his garment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins, and his nourishment was locusts and wild honey.
5Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the country round the Jordan,
6and were baptised by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.
7But seeing many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, Offspring of vipers, who has forewarned you to flee from the coming wrath?
8Produce therefore fruit worthy of repentance.
9And do not think to say within yourselves, We have Abraham for [our] father; for I say unto you, thatGod is able of these stones to raise up children to Abraham.
10And already the axe is applied to the root of the trees; every tree therefore not producing good fruit is cut down and cast into the fire.
11I indeed baptise you with water to repentance, but he that comes after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not fit to bear; he shall baptise you with [the] Holy Spirit and fire;
12whose winnowing fan [is] in his hand, and he shall thoroughly purge his threshing-floor, and shall gather his wheat into the garner, but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable.
13Then comes Jesus from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptised of him;
14but John urgently forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptised of thee; and comest thou to me?
15But Jesus answering said to him, Suffer [it] now; for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffers him.
16And Jesus, having been baptised, went up straightway from the water, and lo, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit ofGod descending as a dove, and coming upon him:
17and behold, a voice out of the heavens saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I have found my delight.
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