Matthew 3:1-12 - John The Baptist Begins His Ministry

¹ And in those days John the Baptist came preaching in the waste land of Judaea, ² Saying, Let your hearts be turned from sin; for the kingdom of heaven is near. ³ For 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.

⁴ Now John was clothed in camel's hair, with a leather band about him; and his food was locusts and honey. ⁵ Then Jerusalem and all Judaea went out to him, and all the people from near Jordan; ⁶ And they were given baptism by him in the river Jordan, saying openly that they had done wrong.

⁷ But 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? ⁸ Let your change of heart be seen in your works: ⁹ And 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. ¹⁰ And 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.

¹¹ Truly, 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: ¹² In 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.

¹ The first words of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. ² Even as it is said in the book of Isaiah the prophet, See, I send my servant before your face, who will make ready your way; ³ The voice of one crying in the waste land, Make ready the way of the Lord, make his roads straight;

⁴ John came, and gave baptism in the waste land, preaching baptism as a sign of forgiveness of sin for those whose hearts were changed. ⁵ And there went out to him all the people of Judaea, and all those of Jerusalem, and they were given baptism by him in the river Jordan, saying that they were sinners. ⁶ And John was clothed in camel's hair, with a leather band about him; and his food was locusts and honey. ⁷ And he said to them all, There is one coming after me who is greater than I, whose shoes I am not good enough to undo. ⁸ I have given you baptism with water, but he will give you baptism with the Holy Spirit.

¹ Now in the fifteenth year of the rule of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being ruler of Judaea, and Herod being king of Galilee, his brother Philip king of the country of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias king of Abilene, ² When Annas and Caiaphas were high priests, the word of the Lord came to John, the son of Zacharias, in the waste land. ³ And he came into all the country round about Jordan, preaching baptism as a sign of forgiveness of sin for those whose hearts were changed. ⁴ As it says in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, The voice of one crying in the waste land, Make ready the way of the Lord, make his roads straight. ⁵ Every valley will be lifted up, and all the mountains and hills made low, and the twisted will be made straight, and the rough ways smooth; ⁶ And all flesh will see the salvation of God.

⁷ So he said to the people who went out to him for baptism: You offspring of snakes, at whose word are you going in flight from the wrath to come? ⁸ Make clear by your acts that your hearts have been changed; and do not say to yourselves, We have Abraham for our father: for I say to you that God is able from these stones to make children of Abraham. ⁹ And even now the axe is put to the root of the trees; and every tree which does not have good fruit will be cut down and put into the fire.

¹⁰ And the people put questions to him, saying, What have we to do?

¹¹ And he made answer and said to them, He who has two coats, let him give to him who has not even one; and he who has food, let him do the same.

¹² Then tax-farmers came to him for baptism and said to him, Master, what have we to do?

¹³ And he said to them, Do not make an attempt to get more money than the right amount.

¹⁴ And men of the army put questions to him, saying, And what have we to do? And he said to them, Do no violent acts to any man, and do not take anything without right, and let your payment be enough for you.

¹⁵ And while the people were waiting, and all men were questioning in their hearts about John, if he was the Christ or not, ¹⁶ John made answer, saying to them all, Truly, I give you baptism with water, but one is coming who is greater than I, whose shoes I am not good enough to undo: he will give you baptism with the Holy Spirit, and with fire: ¹⁷ In 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 in the fire which will never be put out. ¹⁸ And so comforting them with these and other words, he gave the good news to the people; ¹⁹ But Herod the king, because John had made a protest on account of Herodias, his brother's wife, and other evil things which Herod had done, ²⁰ Did this most evil thing of all, and had John shut up in prison.