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Matthew 3:1-11
English Standard Version
Matthew 3:1-11
English Standard Version
John the Baptist Prepares the Way
3 (A)In those days (B)John the Baptist came preaching in (C)the wilderness of Judea, 2 (D)“Repent, for (E)the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”[a] 3 For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said,
(F)“The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
(G)‘Prepare[b] the way of the Lord;
make his paths straight.’”
4 Now John wore (H)a garment of camel's hair and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was (I)locusts and (J)wild honey. 5 Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan were going out to him, 6 and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, (K)confessing their sins.
7 But when he saw many of (L)the Pharisees and (M)Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, (N)“You brood of (O)vipers! Who warned you to flee from (P)the wrath to come? 8 Bear fruit (Q)in keeping with repentance. 9 And do not presume to say to yourselves, (R)‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God is able from (S)these stones to raise up children for Abraham. 10 Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. (T)Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
11 (U)“I baptize you with water (V)for repentance, but (W)he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you (X)with the Holy Spirit and (Y)fire.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Matthew 3:2 Or the kingdom of heaven has come near
- Matthew 3:3 Or crying: Prepare in the wilderness
Matthew 3:1-11
New International Version
Matthew 3:1-11
New International Version
John the Baptist Prepares the Way(A)
3 In those days John the Baptist(B) came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea 2 and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven(C) has come near.” 3 This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah:
“A voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
make straight paths for him.’”[a](D)
4 John’s(E) clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist.(F) His food was locusts(G) and wild honey. 5 People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. 6 Confessing their sins, they were baptized(H) by him in the Jordan River.
7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: “You brood of vipers!(I) Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?(J) 8 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.(K) 9 And do not think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’(L) I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. 10 The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.(M)
11 “I baptize you with[b] water for repentance.(N) But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with[c] the Holy Spirit(O) and fire.(P)
Footnotes
- Matthew 3:3 Isaiah 40:3
- Matthew 3:11 Or in
- Matthew 3:11 Or in
Luke 3:2-16
English Standard Version
Luke 3:2-16
English Standard Version
2 during (A)the high priesthood of Annas and (B)Caiaphas, (C)the word of God came to (D)John the son of Zechariah in (E)the wilderness. 3 And he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming (F)a baptism of repentance (G)for the forgiveness of sins. 4 As it is written in (H)the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet,
(I)“The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
(J)‘Prepare the way of the Lord,[a]
make his paths straight.
5 (K)Every valley shall be filled,
(L)and every mountain and hill shall be made low,
(M)and the crooked shall become straight,
and the rough places shall become level ways,
6 (N)and all flesh shall see (O)the salvation of God.’”
7 He said therefore to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, (P)“You brood of (Q)vipers! Who warned you to flee from (R)the wrath to come? 8 Bear fruits (S)in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, (T)‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you, God is able from (U)these stones to raise up children for Abraham. 9 Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. (V)Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”
10 And the crowds asked him, (W)“What then shall we do?” 11 And he answered them, (X)“Whoever has two tunics[b] is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.” 12 (Y)Tax collectors also came to be baptized and said to him, “Teacher, (Z)what shall we do?” 13 And he said to them, (AA)“Collect no more than you are authorized to do.” 14 Soldiers also asked him, “And we, (AB)what shall we do?” And he said to them, (AC)“Do not extort money from anyone by threats or by false accusation, and be content with your (AD)wages.”
15 As the people were in expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, (AE)whether he might be (AF)the Christ, 16 (AG)John answered them all, saying, “I baptize you with water, but (AH)he who is mightier than I is coming, (AI)the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you (AJ)with the Holy Spirit and (AK)fire.
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Luke 3:2-16
New International Version
Luke 3:2-16
New International Version
2 during the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas,(A) the word of God came to John(B) son of Zechariah(C) in the wilderness. 3 He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.(D) 4 As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet:
“A voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
make straight paths for him.
5 Every valley shall be filled in,
every mountain and hill made low.
The crooked roads shall become straight,
the rough ways smooth.
6 And all people will see God’s salvation.’”[a](E)
7 John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers!(F) Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?(G) 8 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’(H) For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. 9 The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”(I)
10 “What should we do then?”(J) the crowd asked.
11 John answered, “Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same.”(K)
12 Even tax collectors came to be baptized.(L) “Teacher,” they asked, “what should we do?”
13 “Don’t collect any more than you are required to,”(M) he told them.
14 Then some soldiers asked him, “And what should we do?”
He replied, “Don’t extort money and don’t accuse people falsely(N)—be content with your pay.”
15 The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John(O) might possibly be the Messiah.(P) 16 John answered them all, “I baptize you with[b] water.(Q) But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with[c] the Holy Spirit and fire.(R)
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.