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

¹ In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea ² and saying, Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. ³ For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, who said, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord; make his paths straight.

⁴ And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair and a leathern girdle about his loins, and his food was locusts and wild honey. ⁵ Then Jerusalem and all Judaea and all the region round about Jordan went out to him ⁶ and were baptized of him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.

⁷ But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who taught you to flee from the wrath to come? ⁸ Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance ⁹ and think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham as our father, for I say unto you that God is able to raise up children unto Abraham of these stones. ¹⁰ And now the axe is also laid unto the root of the trees; therefore, every tree which does not bring forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire.

¹¹ I indeed baptize you in water unto repentance, but he that comes after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear; he shall baptize you in the Holy Spirit and fire, ¹² whose fan is in his hand; and he will thoroughly purge his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the storehouse, but he will burn up the chaff with fire that shall never be quenched.

¹ The beginning of the gospel of Jesus, the Christ, Son of God, ² as it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, who shall prepare thy way before thee. ³ The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord; make his paths straight.

⁴ John baptized in the wilderness and preached the baptism of repentance for remission of sins. ⁵ And there went out unto him all the land of Judaea and those of Jerusalem and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins. ⁶ John was clothed with camel's hair and with a girdle of a skin about his loins; and he ate locusts and wild honey ⁷ and preached, saying, There comes one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose. ⁸ I indeed have baptized you with water, but he shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit.

¹ Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judaea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of Ituraea and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the tetrarch of Abilene, ² Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came upon John the son of Zachariah in the wilderness. ³ And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins; ⁴ as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord; make his paths straight. ⁵ Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low, and the crooked ways shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth; ⁶ and all flesh shall see the saving health of God.

⁷ Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him, O generation of vipers, who taught you to flee from the wrath to come? ⁸ Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham for our father; for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. ⁹ And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees; every tree therefore which does not bring forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire.

¹⁰ And the people asked him, saying, What shall we do then?

¹¹ He answered and said unto them, He that has two coats, let him impart to him that has none; and he that has food, let him do likewise.

¹² Then the publicans also came to be baptized and said unto him, Master, what shall we do?

¹³ And he said unto them, Exact no more than that which is appointed you.

¹⁴ And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Oppress no one, neither accuse anyone falsely; and be content with your wages.

¹⁵ And as the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of John, whether he were the Christ, or not, ¹⁶ John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you in water, but one mightier than I comes, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose; he shall baptize you in the Holy Spirit and fire; ¹⁷ whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his threshing floor and will gather the wheat into his storehouse, but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable. ¹⁸ And exhorting many other things he announced the gospel unto the people. ¹⁹ Then Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him for Herodias his brother Philip's wife and for all the evils which Herod had done, ²⁰ added yet this above all, that he shut up John in prison.