Matthew · Young's Literal Translation
Matthew 3 Young's Literal Translation
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
1 And in those days cometh John the Baptist, proclaiming in the wilderness of Judea,
1 In those days, John the Baptizer came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying,
2 and saying, 'Reform, for come nigh hath the reign of the heavens,'
2 “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!”
3 for this is he who was spoken of by Isaiah the prophet, saying, 'A voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, straight make ye His paths.'
3 For this is he who was spoken of by Isaiah the prophet, saying, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness, make the way of the Lord ready! Make his paths straight!”
4 And this John had his clothing of camel's hair, and a girdle of skin round his loins, and his nourishment was locusts and honey of the field.
4 Now John himself wore clothing made of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey.
5 Then were going forth unto him Jerusalem, and all Judea, and all the region round about the Jordan,
5 Then people from Jerusalem, all of Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him.
6 and they were baptized in the Jordan by him, confessing their sins.
6 They were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.
7 And having seen many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming about his baptism, he said to them, 'Brood of vipers! who did shew you to flee from the coming wrath?
7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for his baptism, he said to them, “You offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
8 bear, therefore, fruits worthy of the reformation,
8 Therefore produce fruit worthy of repentance!
9 and do not think to say in yourselves, A father we have — Abraham, for I say to you, that God is able out of these stones to raise children to Abraham,
9 Don’t think to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham for our father,’ for I tell you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones.
10 and now also, the axe unto the root of the trees is laid, every tree therefore not bearing good fruit is hewn down, and to fire is cast.
10 Even now the ax lies at the root of the trees. Therefore every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit is cut down, and cast into the fire.
11 'I indeed do baptize you with water to reformation, but he who after me is coming is mightier than I, of whom I am not worthy to bear the sandals, he shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire,
11 “I indeed baptize you in water for repentance, but he who comes after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit.
12 whose fan [is] in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his floor, and will gather his wheat to the storehouse, but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable.'
12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his threshing floor. He will gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn up with unquenchable fire.”
13 Then cometh Jesus from Galilee upon the Jordan, unto John to be baptized by him,
13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him.
14 but John was forbidding him, saying, 'I have need by thee to be baptized — and thou dost come unto me!'
14 But John would have hindered him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and you come to me?”
15 But Jesus answering said to him, 'Suffer now, for thus it is becoming to us to fulfil all righteousness,' then he doth suffer him.
15 But Jesus, answering, said to him, “Allow it now, for this is the fitting way for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed him.
16 And having been baptized, Jesus went up immediately from the water, and lo, opened to him were the heavens, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming upon him,
16 Jesus, when he was baptized, went up directly from the water: and behold, the heavens were opened to him. He saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming on him.
17 and lo, a voice out of the heavens, saying, 'This is My Son — the Beloved, in whom I did delight.'
17 Behold, a voice out of the heavens said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”
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)