Matthew 3

¹And in those days John the Baptist came preaching in the waste land of Judaea,

²Saying, Let your hearts be turned from sin; for the kingdom of heaven is near.

³For this is he of whom Isaiah the prophet said, The voice of one crying in the waste land, Make ready the way of the Lord, make his roads straight.

⁴Now John was clothed in camel's hair, with a leather band about him; and his food was locusts and honey.

⁵Then Jerusalem and all Judaea went out to him, and all the people from near Jordan;

⁶And they were given baptism by him in the river Jordan, saying openly that they had done wrong.

⁷But when he saw a number of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, Offspring of snakes, at whose word are you going in flight from the wrath to come?

⁸Let your change of heart be seen in your works:

⁹And say not to yourselves, We have Abraham for our father; because I say to you that God is able from these stones to make children for Abraham.

¹⁰And even now the axe is put to the root of the trees; every tree then which does not give good fruit is cut down, and put into the fire.

¹¹Truly, I give baptism with water to those of you whose hearts are changed; but he who comes after me is greater than I, whose shoes I am not good enough to take up: he will give you baptism with the Holy Spirit and with fire:

¹²In whose hand is the instrument with which he will make clean his grain; he will put the good grain in his store, but the waste will be burned up in the fire which will never be put out.

¹³Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be given baptism by him.

¹⁴But John would have kept him back, saying, It is I who have need of baptism from you, and do you come to me?

¹⁵But Jesus made answer, saying to him, Let it be so now: because so it is right for us to make righteousness complete. Then he gave him baptism.

¹⁶And Jesus, having been given baptism, straight away went up from the water; and, the heavens opening, he saw the Spirit of God coming down on him as a dove;

¹⁷And a voice came out of heaven, saying, This is my dearly loved Son, with whom I am well pleased.

Matthew 3

¹And in those days John the Baptist came, proclaiming in the wilderness of Judea, saying,

²"Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near!"

³For this is he who was spoken of by Isaiah the prophet, saying, "The voice of one crying in the wilderness, make ready the way of the Lord. Make his paths straight."

⁴Now John himself wore clothing made of camel's hair and with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey.

⁵Then people from Jerusalem, all of Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him,

⁶and they were baptized by him in the Jordan river, confessing their sins.

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?

⁸Therefore bring forth fruit worthy of repentance,

⁹and do not 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.

¹⁰"And even now the axe lies at the root of the trees. Therefore, every tree that does not bring forth good fruit is cut down, and cast into the fire.

¹¹I indeed baptize you in water for repentance, but the one who comes after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit and with fire.

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."

¹³Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him.

¹⁴But John would have hindered him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and you come to me?"

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.

¹⁶And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up directly from the water: and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming on him.

¹⁷And behold, a voice out of the heavens said, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased."