Matthew 3 WBT
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).
1In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judea,
2And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
3For 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.
4And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his food was locusts and wild honey.
5Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judea, and all the region about Jordan,
6And were baptized by him in Jordan, confessing their sins.
7But 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?
8Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:
9And 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.
10And now also the ax 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.
11I indeed baptize you with 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 with the Holy Spirit, and [with] fire:
12Whose fan [is] in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his floor, and gather his wheat into the granary; but he will burn the chaff with unquenchable fire.
13Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan to John, to be baptized by him.
14But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized by thee, and comest thou to me?
15And Jesus answering said to him, Suffer [it to be so] now: for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness. Then he suffered him.
16And 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:
17And lo, a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
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