Matthew 3  Modern English Version

The Preaching of John the Baptist^(A)

3 In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, ² and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” ³ For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying:

⁴ This same John had clothing made of camel’s hair, a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. ⁵ Then Jerusalem, and all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him, ⁶ and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.

⁷ But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said to them, “O generation of vipers, who has warned you to escape from the wrath to come? ⁸ Therefore, bear fruit worthy of repentance, ⁹ and do not think to say within yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I say to you that God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. ¹⁰ Even now the axe is put to the tree roots. Therefore, every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

¹¹ “I indeed baptize you with water to repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. ¹² His fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean His floor and gather His wheat into the granary, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

The Baptism of Jesus^(B)

¹³ Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. ¹⁴ But John prohibited Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?”

¹⁵ But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he permitted Him.

¹⁶ And when Jesus was baptized, He came up immediately out of the water. And suddenly the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending on Him like a dove. ¹⁷ And a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”