Matthew 3: John the Baptizer and the baptism of Jesus
A free study, verse by verse. Text: World English Bible. Notes come from the Greek. How to read a study
What happens?
John the Baptizer preaches in the wilderness of Judea, and people from Jerusalem and all around come to him and are baptized in the Jordan. He speaks sharply to many Pharisees and Sadducees and says someone mightier is coming after him. Jesus comes from Galilee to be baptized, John tries to stop him, and then the heavens open, the Spirit of God comes down like a dove, and a voice out of the heavens speaks.
Who is speaking?
The narrator tells the story. John speaks in verses 2 and 7 to 12 and in verse 14, and Jesus answers him in verse 15. God speaks in 1 of the 17 verses: the voice out of the heavens in verse 17. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
1In those days, John the Baptizer came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying,
In plain English: In those days John the Baptizer came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea. He said,
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2“Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!”
In plain English: "Repent (or: change your mind), because the Kingdom of Heaven has come near."
The Greek word: "Repent" is metanoeo. The dictionary gives "to think differently or afterwards, i.e. reconsider (morally, feel compunction)". It is in 5 verses of Matthew and in 32 verses of the New Testament, and in all 32 this Bible prints "repent".
How it is translated: This Bible has "repent".
What changes: Read as "repent", the call is to feel sorrow for wrong (the dictionary: "feel compunction"). Read as "change your mind", it is to think differently or to reconsider.
The Greek words: "The Kingdom of Heaven" is he basileia ton ouranon, word for word "the kingdom of the heavens". The dictionary gives basileia as "royalty, i.e. rule, or a realm" and ouranos as "the sky; by extension, heaven (as the abode of God)". In this Bible the words "Kingdom of Heaven" are in 31 verses of Matthew and in none of Mark, Luke or John. has "God's Kingdom is at hand!".
What changes: Read as "rule", the verse says a king's reign has come near. Read as "realm", it says a kingdom that people can enter has come near. The verse does not say which.
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3For this is he who was spoken of by Isaiah the prophet, saying, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness, make the way of the Lord ready! Make his paths straight!”
In plain English: This is the one who was spoken of by Isaiah the prophet, who said, "The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Make the way of the Lord ready! Make his paths straight!"
Good to know: Matthew says the words were spoken by Isaiah the prophet. in this Bible reads: "The voice of one who calls out, 'Prepare the way of Yahweh in the wilderness! Make a level highway in the desert for our God.'" Two things differ. In Isaiah "in the wilderness" goes with "prepare the way", while in Matthew it goes with the voice (Brenton's English of the Greek Old Testament also has "The voice of one crying in the wilderness"). And where Isaiah has "Yahweh", this Bible's Matthew has "the Lord".
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4Now John himself wore clothing made of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey.
In plain English: John himself wore clothing made of camel's hair with a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey.
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5Then people from Jerusalem, all of Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him.
In plain English: Then people from Jerusalem, all of Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him.
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6They were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.
In plain English: They were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.
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7But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for his baptism, he said to them, “You offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
In plain English: But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for his baptism, he said to them, "You offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath that is coming?
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8Therefore produce fruit worthy of repentance!
In plain English: So produce fruit worthy of repentance (or: of a changed mind).
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9Don’t think to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham for our father,’ for I tell you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones.
In plain English: Do not think to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' I tell you that God is able to raise up children for Abraham out of these stones.
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10Even now the ax lies at the root of the trees. Therefore every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit is cut down, and cast into the fire.
In plain English: Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees. So every tree that does not produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
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11“I indeed baptize you in water for repentance, but he who comes after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit.
In plain English: "I baptize you in (or: with) water for repentance. But the one who comes after me is mightier than I am, and I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you in (or: with) the Holy Spirit.
The Greek words: "In water" and "in the Holy Spirit" use the small Greek word en. The dictionary gives it as "in, at, (up-)on, by, etc." It is in 238 verses of Matthew. The English of those verses has "in" in 177 (about 3 times in 4), "by" in 34 and "with" in 29.
How it is translated: This Bible has "in" both times. The word cards on this page show "with".
What changes: Read as "in", the people are put into the water and into the Spirit. Read as "with", they are baptized by means of water and by means of the Spirit.
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12His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his threshing floor. He will gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn up with unquenchable fire.”
In plain English: His winnowing fork (a tool for tossing grain in the air) is in his hand. He will thoroughly clear his threshing floor, and gather his wheat into the barn. But the chaff he will burn up with fire that cannot be put out."
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13Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him.
In plain English: Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan, to John, to be baptized by him.
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14But John would have hindered him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and you come to me?”
In plain English: But John tried to stop him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and you come to me?"
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15But Jesus, answering, said to him, “Allow it now, for this is the fitting way for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed him.
In plain English: Jesus answered him, "Allow it now, because this is the fitting way for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then John allowed him.
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16Jesus, when he was baptized, went up directly from the water: and behold, the heavens were opened to him. He saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming on him.
In plain English: When Jesus was baptized, he came up at once out of the water. And look, the heavens were opened to him. He saw the Spirit of God coming down like a dove and landing on him.
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17Behold, a voice out of the heavens said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”God speaks
In plain English: And a voice out of the heavens said, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."
Good to know: Almost the same words, with "Listen to him" added, come from a cloud at . and also have a voice at the baptism, but there it says "You are my beloved Son". This verse says "This is my beloved Son". "Beloved" is agapetos, which the dictionary gives as "beloved".
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