Matthew 3

The message of John the Baptist

The preaching of John the Baptist

(Mark 1.1-8; Luke 3.1-18; John 1.19-28)

₁Years later, John the Baptist started preaching in the desert of Judea. ₂He said, “Turn back to God! The kingdom of heaven will soon be here.”

₃John was the one the prophet Isaiah was talking about, when he said,

“In the desert someone

is shouting,

‘Get the road ready

for the Lord!

Make a straight path

for him.’ ”

₄John wore clothes made of camel's hair. He had a leather strap around his waist and ate grasshoppers and wild honey.

₅From Jerusalem and all Judea and from the River Jordan Valley crowds of people went to John. ₆They told how sorry they were for their sins, and he baptized them in the river.

₇Many Pharisees and Sadducees also came to be baptized. But John said to them:

You snakes! Who warned you to run from the coming judgment? ₈Do something to show that you have really given up your sins. ₉And don't start telling yourselves that you belong to Abraham's family. I tell you that God can turn these stones into children for Abraham. ₁₀An axe is ready to cut the trees down at their roots. Any tree that doesn't produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into a fire.

₁₁I baptize you with water so that you will give up your sins. But someone more powerful is going to come, and I am not good enough even to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. ₁₂His threshing fork is in his hand, and he is ready to separate the wheat from the husks. He will store the wheat in a barn and burn the husks in a fire that never goes out.

The baptism and temptation of Jesus

The baptism of Jesus

(Mark 1.9-11; Luke 3.21,22)

₁₃Jesus left Galilee and went to the River Jordan to be baptized by John. ₁₄But John kept objecting and said, “I ought to be baptized by you. Why have you come to me?”

₁₅Jesus answered, “For now this is how it should be, because we must do all that God wants us to do.” Then John agreed.

₁₆So Jesus was baptized. And as soon as he came out of the water, the sky opened, and he saw the Spirit of God coming down on him like a dove. ₁₇Then a voice from heaven said, “This is my own dear Son, and I am pleased with him.”