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

¹ At that time appeared John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, ² and saying, "Repent ye: for the kingdom of the Messiah draws nigh." ³ for it is of John the prophet Esaias spoke, when he said, "The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths clear."

⁴ now John wore a coat made of camels hair, with a leathern girdle about his waist; and his food was locusts and wild hony. ⁵ Then the inhabitants of Jerusalem, of all Judea, and the whole country about Jordan, came to him: ⁶ and having confess'd their sins, they were baptized by him in Jordan.

⁷ but when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadduces come to his baptism, he said to them, "Ye brood of vipers, who has warned you to fly from the wrath to come? ⁸ Let your actions then show your repentance: ⁹ and don't pretend to say within your selves, We have Abraham for our father: for I tell you, that God is able out of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham: ¹⁰ the ax is already laid to the root of the trees: every tree then which does not produce good fruit, will be hewn down, and cast into the fire.

¹¹ I indeed baptize you with water to lead you to repentance; but he that cometh after me, is my superiour, whose shoes I am not worthy to carry: he shall baptize you with the effusion of the holy Ghost, in the appearance of fire: ¹² and with the fan in his hand, he will throughly cleanse his floor, and gather the wheat into his grainery, but the chaff will he burn with unquenchable fire."

¹ The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ the son of God. ² It is written in the prophet, "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 accordingly, John baptized in the desart, and preach'd the baptism of repentance, for the remission of sins. ⁵ all Judea, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, went out to meet him, and having confess'd their sins, he baptized them in the river Jordan. ⁶ now John was clothed with camels hair, with a leathern girdle about his waist: and his food was locusts and wild honey. ⁷ among other things he said, there comes one after me, who is superiour to me, I am not worthy to stoop down and untie his shoes. ⁸ I indeed have baptized you with water, but he shall baptize you with the effusion of the holy Ghost.

¹ In the fifteenth year of the emperor Tiberius, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea; Herod tetrarch of Gallilee: Philip his brother tetrarch of Iturea and Trachonitis: and Lysanias the tetrarch of Abilene: ² under the pontificate of Annas and Caiaphas, JOHN, the son of Zacharias, received his divine commission in the wilderness. ³ in pursuance of which, he went into all the country about Jordan, exhorting all to repent and be baptized, in order to obtain the remission of their sins. ⁴ as it is written in the book of the prophecies of Esaias, "the voice of one crying in the desart, prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths clear. ⁵ every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be level'd: the crooked shall be made strait, and the rough ways shall be made smooth, ⁶ and all men shall behold the divine saviour."

⁷ he said therefore to the people that crowded to be baptized by him, ye brood of vipers, who has prompted you to flee from approaching wrath? ⁸ let your actions therefore show your repentance, and don't pretend to say within yourselves, "we have Abraham for our father:" for I tell you that God is able of these stones to raise up children to Abraham. ⁹ the ax is already laid to the root of the trees: every tree then, which does not produce good fruit, shall be hewn down, and cast into the fire.

¹⁰ Upon which the people asked him, what then shall we do?

¹¹ he answer'd them, let him that hath two coats give one to him that hath none; and let him that has plenty of provisions act in like manner.

¹² the Publicans likewise came to be baptized, and said to him, master, how are we to act?

¹³ exact, said he, no more than what the law requires.

¹⁴ the soldiers too made the same demand, how are we to act? he answer'd them, injure no man either by violence or by fraud, and be content with your pay.

¹⁵ As the people were in suspence, every man imagining in his own mind that John might be the Messiah; ¹⁶ he address'd himself to them all, saying, I indeed baptize you with water; but there is one coming, who is superiour to me, whose shoes I am unworthy to untie: he shall baptize you with the holy spirit, under the appearance of fire. ¹⁷ and with the fan in his hand he will thoroughly cleanse his floor, and will lay up the wheat in his grainery: but the chaff he will burn with inextinguishable fire. ¹⁸ many other things he delivered to the people in his exhortations. ¹⁹ but having reproved Herod the tetrarch upon account of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, and for all the mischiefs that Herod had done; ²⁰ to compleat all the rest, Herod confin'd John in prison.