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

¹ In these days John the Baptist is present, proclaiming in the desert of Judea; ² And saying, Repent, for the kingdom of the heavens has drawn near. ³ For this is he spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, A voice of him crying in the desert, Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight.

⁴ And this John had his garment from camel's hair, and a leather girdle about his loins, and his food was locusts and wild honey. ⁵ Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judea, and all round about Jordan; ⁶ And they were immersed in Jordan by him, acknowledging their sins.

⁷ And seeing many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his immersion, he said to them, O generation of vipers, who has indicated to you to flee from the wrath about to come? ⁸ Do ye therefore fruit worthy of repentance. ⁹ And think not to say in yourselves we have Abraham a father; for I say to you that God can of these stones raise up children to Abraham. ¹⁰ And now also the axe lies at the root of the trees; therefore every one not making good fruit is cut off and cast into fire.

¹¹ I truly immerse you in water to repentance; but he coming after me is stronger than I, whose shoes I am not fit to lift up; he shall immerse in the Holy Spirit, and fire ¹² Whose winnowing fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his threshing floor, and gather his wheat into the store; but he will burn down the chaff in inextinguishable fire.

¹ The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. ² As it has been written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, who shall prepare thy way before thee. ³ A voice of him crying in the desert, Prepare ye the way of the Lord; make his beaten paths straight.

⁴ John was immersing in the desert, and proclaiming the immersion of repentance for the remission of sins. ⁵ And the Judean country, and the Jerusalemites, were going out to him, and all were being immersed by him in the river Jordan, acknowledging their sins. ⁶ And John was dressed in camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and eating locusts and wild honey; ⁷ And he proclaimed, saying, The stronger than I comes after me, of whom I am not sufficient, having bent the head, to loose the strings of his shoes. ⁸ I truly immersed you in water: but he shall immerse you with the Holy Spirit.

¹ Now in the fifteenth year of the supremacy of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being leader of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and Philip his brother being tetrarch of Iturea and the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the tetrarch of Abilene, ² Upon Annas and Caiaphas being chief priests, the word of And was upon John, son of Zacharias in the desert. ³ And he came into all the country round about Jordan, proclaiming the immersion of repentance for remission of sins; ⁴ As it has been written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, A voice of him crying in the desert, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his footpaths straight. ⁵ Every ravine shall be filled up, and every mount and hill shall be lowered; and the crooked shall be into straightness, and the rough into smooth ways. ⁶ And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.

⁷ Then said he to the crowds coming out to he immersed by him, Generation of vipers, who indicated to you to flee from the anger about to come ⁸ Do ye therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to, say in yourselves, We have a father A braham : for I say to you, That God is able to raise children to Abraham of these stones. ⁹ And also the axe is already laid at the root of the trees: therefore every tree not making good fruit is cut down, and cast into fire.

¹⁰ And the crowds asked him, saying, What therefore shall we do?

¹¹ And he having answered, says to them, He having two coats, let him impart to him having none; and he having food, let him do likewise.

¹² And publicans came to be immersed, and said to him, Teacher, what shall we do?

¹³ And he said to them, Do nothing more than that appointed you

¹⁴ And they making war asked him, saying, And what shall do? And he said to them, Shake none violently, neither make slanderous accusation; and be content with your pay.

¹⁵ And the people awaiting, and all reasoning in their hearts concerning John, whether he may not be the Christ; ¹⁶ John answered to all, saying, I truly immerse you with water; and he stronger than I comes, of whom I am not worthy to loose his shoes' strings: he shall immerse you with the Holy Spirit and fire: ¹⁷ Whose winnowing fan in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his threshing-floor, and gather the wheat into his store; and the chaff he will burn down with inextinguishable fire. ¹⁸ And then truly many other things beseeching, he evangelized the people. ¹⁹ And Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him for Herodias his brother Philip's wife, and for all the evils which Herod did, ²⁰ And he added this to all, and shut up John in prison.