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

¹ In those days John the Baptist came, and preached in the wilderness of Jewry, ² saying, "Repent: the kingdom of heaven is at hand." ³ This is he of whom it is spoken by the Prophet Isaiah, which sayeth, "The voice of a crier in wilderness, 'Prepare the Lord's way and make his paths straight.'"

⁴ This John had his garment of camel's hair, and a girdle of a skin about his loins; his meat was locusts and wild honey. ⁵ Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Jewry, and all the regions round about Jordan, ⁶ and were baptised of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.

⁷ When he saw many of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, "O generation of vipers, who hath taught you to flee from the vengeance to come? ⁸ Bring forth therefore the fruits belonging to repentance: ⁹ And see that you think not to say to 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. ¹⁰ Even now is the axe put unto the root of the trees: so that every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

¹¹ I baptise you in water in token of repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptise you with the holy ghost and with fire: ¹² Which hath also his fan in his hand, and will purge his floor, and gather the wheat into His garner; and will burn the chaff with unquenchable fire."

¹ The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ the son of God. ² As it is written in the prophets, "Behold, I send my messenger before thy face which shall prepare thy way before thee;" ³ "The voice of a crier in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight."

⁴ John did baptise in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance, for the remission of sins. ⁵ And all the land of Jewry, and they of Jerusalem went out unto him, and were all baptised of him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. ⁶ John was clothed with camel's hair, and with a girdle of a beast's skin about his loins. And he did eat locusts and wild honey, ⁷ and preached, saying, "A stronger than I cometh after me, whose shoe latchet I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose. ⁸ I have baptised you with water: but he shall baptise you with the holy ghost."

¹ In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius the Emperor, Pontius Pilate being leftenant of Jewry, and Herod being Tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip Tetrarch in Ituraea, and in the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the Tetrarch of Abilene: ² When Annas and Caiaphas were the high priests: The word of God came unto John, the son of Zacharias, in the wilderness. ³ And he came into all the coasts about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins, ⁴ as it is written in the book of the sayings of Isaiah the prophet, which sayeth, "The voice of a crier in wilderness, prepare 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 crooked things shall be made straight: and the rough ways shall be made smooth. ⁶ And all flesh shall see the saviour sent of God."

⁷ Then said he to the people that were come to be baptised of him, "O generation of vipers: who hath taught you to fly away from the wrath to come? ⁸ Bring forth due fruits of repentance; And begin not to say in yourselves, we have Abraham to our father. For I say unto you: God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. ⁹ Now also is the axe laid unto the root of the trees: So that every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit shall be 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 hath two coats, let him part with him that hath none: And he that hath meat, let him do likewise."

¹² Then came there publicans to be baptised, and said unto him, "Master, what shall we do?"

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

¹⁴ The soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, "And what shall we do?" And he said to them, "Do violence to no man: neither trouble any man wrongfully: But be content with your wages."

¹⁵ As the people were in a doubt, and all men disputed in their hearts of John: Whether he were very Christ; ¹⁶ John answered and said to them all, "I baptise you with water, but a stronger than I cometh after me, whose shoe latchet I am not worthy to unloose: he will baptise you with the holy ghost, and with fire, ¹⁷ which hath his fan in his hand, and will purge his floor, and will gather the corn into his barn: But the chaff will he burn with fire that never shall be quenched." ¹⁸ And many other things in his exhortation preached he unto the people. ¹⁹ Then Herod the Tetrarch; when he was rebuked of him for Herodias his brother Philip's wife, and for all the evils which Herod had done; ²⁰ added this above all, and laid John in prison.