Matthew · Catholic Public Domain Version
Matthew 3 Catholic Public Domain Version
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Notes on this text (3)
- Esther and Daniel are the Vulgate books (Esther 1–16 with the Greek additions as chapters 10:4–16; Daniel 1–14 with the Song of the Three, Susanna and Bel). Baruch 6 is the Letter of Jeremiah.
- The translator's footnotes, cross-references, chapter summaries and book introductions in the CrossWire module are not shown.
- No imprimatur; single translator.
1 Now in those days, John the Baptist arrived, preaching in the desert of Judea,
1 Ἐν δὲ ταῖς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις παραγίνεται Ἰωάννης ὁ βαπτιστὴς κηρύσσων ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ τῆς Ἰουδαίας
2 and saying: “Repent. For the kingdom of heaven has drawn near.”
2 καὶ λέγων· μετανοεῖτε· ἤγγικε γὰρ ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν.
3 For this is the one who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah, saying: “A voice crying out in the desert: Prepare the way of the Lord. Make straight his paths.”
3 οὗτος γάρ ἐστιν ὁ ῥηθεὶς ὑπὸ Ἡσαΐου τοῦ προφήτου λέγοντος· φωνὴ βοῶντος ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ, ἑτοιμάσατε τὴν ὁδὸν Κυρίου, εὐθείας ποιεῖτε τὰς τρίβους αὐτοῦ.
4 Now the same John had a garment made from the hair of camels, and a leather belt around his waist. And his food was locusts and wild honey.
4 Αὐτὸς δὲ ὁ Ἰωάννης εἶχε τὸ ἔνδυμα αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ τριχῶν καμήλου καὶ ζώνην δερματίνην περὶ τὴν ὀσφὺν αὐτοῦ, ἡ δὲ τροφὴ αὐτοῦ ἦν ἀκρίδες καὶ μέλι ἄγριον.
5 Then Jerusalem, and all Judea, and the entire region around the Jordan went out to him.
5 Τότε ἐξεπορεύετο πρὸς αὐτὸν Ἱεροσόλυμα καὶ πᾶσα ἡ Ἰουδαία καὶ πᾶσα ἡ περίχωρος τοῦ Ἰορδάνου,
6 And they were baptized by him in the Jordan, acknowledging their sins.
6 καὶ ἐβαπτίζοντο ἐν τῷ Ἰορδάνῃ ὑπ᾽ αὐτοῦ ἐξομολογούμενοι τὰς ἁμαρτίας αὐτῶν.
7 Then, seeing many of the Pharisees and Sadducees arriving for his baptism, he said to them: “Progeny of vipers, who warned you to flee from the approaching wrath?
7 ἰδὼν δὲ πολλοὺς τῶν Φαρισαίων καὶ Σαδδουκαίων ἐρχομένους ἐπὶ τὸ βάπτισμα αὐτοῦ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· γεννήματα ἐχιδνῶν, τίς ὑπέδειξεν ὑμῖν φυγεῖν ἀπὸ τῆς μελλούσης ὀργῆς;
8 Therefore, produce fruit worthy of repentance.
8 ποιήσατε οὖν καρπὸν ἄξιον τῆς μετανοίας,
9 And do not choose to say within yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that God has the power to raise up sons to Abraham from these stones.
9 καὶ μὴ δόξητε λέγειν ἐν ἑαυτοῖς, πατέρα ἔχομεν τὸν Ἀβραάμ. λέγω γὰρ ὑμῖν ὅτι δύναται ὁ Θεὸς ἐκ τῶν λίθων τούτων ἐγεῖραι τέκνα τῷ Ἀβραάμ.
10 For even now the axe has been placed at the root of the trees. Therefore, every tree that does not produce good fruit shall be cut down and cast into the fire.
10 ἤδη δὲ καὶ ἡ ἀξίνη πρὸς τὴν ῥίζαν τῶν δένδρων κεῖται· πᾶν οὖν δένδρον μὴ ποιοῦν καρπὸν καλὸν ἐκκόπτεται καὶ εἰς πῦρ βάλλεται.
11 Indeed, I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who will come after me is more powerful than me. I am not worthy to carry his shoes. He will baptize you with the fire of the Holy Spirit.
11 ἐγὼ μὲν βαπτίζω ὑμᾶς ἐν ὕδατι εἰς μετάνοιαν· ὁ δὲ ὀπίσω μου ἐρχόμενος ἰσχυρότερός μού ἐστιν, οὗ οὐκ εἰμὶ ἱκανὸς τὰ ὑποδήματα βαστάσαι· αὐτὸς ὑμᾶς βαπτίσει ἐν Πνεύματι Ἁγίῳ καὶ πυρί.
12 His winnowing fan is in his hand. And he will thoroughly cleanse his threshing floor. And he will gather his wheat into the barn. But the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”
12 οὗ τὸ πτύον ἐν τῇ χειρὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ διακαθαριεῖ τὴν ἅλωνα αὐτοῦ, καὶ συνάξει τὸν σῖτον αὐτοῦ εἰς τὴν ἀποθήκην, τὸ δὲ ἄχυρον κατακαύσει πυρὶ ἀσβέστῳ.
13 Then Jesus came from Galilee, to John at the Jordan, in order to be baptized by him.
13 Τότε παραγίνεται ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἀπὸ τῆς Γαλιλαίας ἐπὶ τὸν Ἰορδάνην πρὸς τὸν Ἰωάννην τοῦ βαπτισθῆναι ὑπ᾽ αὐτοῦ.
14 But John refused him, saying, “I ought to be baptized by you, and yet you come to me?”
14 ὁ δὲ Ἰωάννης διεκώλυεν αὐτὸν λέγων· ἐγὼ χρείαν ἔχω ὑπὸ σοῦ βαπτισθῆναι, καὶ σὺ ἔρχῃ πρός με;
15 And responding, Jesus said to him: “Permit this for now. For in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all justice.” Then he allowed him.
15 ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἶπε πρὸς αὐτόν· ἄφες ἄρτι· οὕτω γὰρ πρέπον ἐστὶν ἡμῖν πληρῶσαι πᾶσαν δικαιοσύνην. τότε ἀφίησιν αὐτόν·
16 And Jesus, having been baptized, ascended from the water immediately, and behold, the heavens were opened to him. And he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and alighting on him.
16 καὶ βαπτισθεὶς ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἀνέβη εὐθὺς ἀπὸ τοῦ ὕδατος· καὶ ἰδοὺ ἀνεῴχθησαν αὐτῷ οἱ οὐρανοί, καὶ εἶδε τὸ Πνεῦμα τοῦ Θεοῦ καταβαῖνον ὡσεὶ περιστερὰν καὶ ἐρχόμενον ἐπ᾽ αὐτόν·
17 And behold, there was a voice from heaven, saying: “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
17 καὶ ἰδοὺ φωνὴ ἐκ τῶν οὐρανῶν λέγουσα· οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ υἱός μου ὁ ἀγαπητός, ἐν ᾧ εὐδόκησα.
People & places in this chapter
From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.
People
John the Baptist
Son of Zechariah, who preached in the wilderness and baptized in the Jordan, pointed to Jesus as the Lamb of God, rebuked Herod over Herodias and was imprisoned and beheaded.
Cited in the guide: Matthew 3:1; Matthew 14:3; Luke 1:13
Cross references (17)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Isaiah 40:3–6; John 1:6–8; Luke 1:13–17; Luke 1:76; Luke 3:1–20
- 2 Mark 1:15; Matthew 4:17; Daniel 2:44; 2 Corinthians 7:10; Luke 24:47
- 3 Isaiah 40:3; Malachi 3:1; John 1:23; Luke 1:76; Mark 1:3
- 4 2 Kings 1:8; Mark 1:6; Matthew 11:8; Zechariah 13:4; Leviticus 11:22
- 5 Mark 1:5; John 5:35; Matthew 11:7–12; John 3:23; Luke 3:7
- 6 Acts 19:18; Matthew 3:13–16; 1 John 1:9; John 1:25–28; Ezekiel 36:25
- 7 Matthew 12:34; 1 Thessalonians 1:10; Matthew 22:23; Romans 5:9; Matthew 23:33
- 8 Luke 3:8; Acts 26:20; 2 Peter 1:4–8; Galatians 5:22–23; Ephesians 5:9
- 9 Luke 3:8; Romans 9:7–8; Galatians 3:27–29; John 8:33; Acts 13:26
- 10 John 15:6; Luke 3:9; Matthew 7:19; John 15:2; Luke 13:6–9
- 11 Isaiah 4:4; Luke 3:16; Acts 1:5; Zechariah 13:9; Malachi 3:2–4
- 12 Malachi 4:1; Matthew 13:30; Luke 3:17; Isaiah 41:16; Jeremiah 51:2
- 13 John 1:32–34; Matthew 2:22; Mark 1:9–11; Luke 3:21–22
- 14 John 3:3–7; Acts 1:5–8; John 13:6–8; John 1:16; Ephesians 2:3–5
- 15 John 4:34; Isaiah 42:21; John 13:15; John 15:10; Philippians 2:7–8
- 16 Isaiah 11:2; Luke 3:21–22; Mark 1:10; John 1:31–34; Isaiah 42:1
- 17 Isaiah 42:1; Matthew 17:5; Psalm 2:7; Luke 9:35; Matthew 12:18
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
How "in those days"? For not then, surely, when He was a child, and came to Nazareth, but thirty years after, John cometh; as Luke also testifies. How then is it said, "in those days"?
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough into smooth ways; and all flesh shall see the salvation of God." There is therefore one and the same God, the Father of our Lord, who also promised, through the prophets, that He would send His forerunner; and …
For Thou correctest man for iniquity, and "Thy judgments are a great deep." But because Thy Spirit was "borne over the waters," Thy mercy forsook not our misery, and Thou saidst, "Let there be light," "Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." Repent ye, let there be light.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 1 (1886)
… a better country." And again, "These all died in faith, not having obtained the promises, but having seen them afar off, and embraced them." And John too said unto those that were coming to him, "Think not to say, We have Abraham to our father." And Paul again, "For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel; neither they, …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
This man was baptizing in Jordan, and there went out unto him all Jerusalem, to enjoy the first-fruits of baptisms: for in Jerusalem is the prerogative of all things good.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)