1 Now AMatt 3:1-12: Mark 1:3-8; Luke 3:2-17; John 1:6-8, 19-28in those days BMatt 11:11-14; 16:14John the Baptist *1Or arrived, or appearedcame, 2Or proclaiming as a heraldpreaching in the CJosh 15:61; Judg 1:16wilderness of Judea, saying, 2 “AMatt 4:17Repent, for BDan 2:44; Matt 4:17, 23; 6:10; 10:7; Mark 1:15; Luke 10:9f; 11:20; 21:31the kingdom of heaven 1Lit has come nearis at hand.” 3 For this is the ALuke 1:17, 76one referred to 1Or throughby Isaiah the prophet when he said,

7 But when he saw many of the AMatt 16:1ff; 23:13, 15Pharisees and BMatt 22:23; Acts 4:1; 5:17; 23:6ffSadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, “You CMatt 12:34; 23:33brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from D1 Thess 1:10the wrath to come? 8  “ALuke 3:8; Eph 5:8, 9Therefore bear fruit BActs 26:20in keeping with repentance; 9 and do not suppose that you can say to yourselves, ‘ALuke 3:8; 16:24; John 8:33, 39, 53; Acts 13:26; Rom 4:1; 9:7, 8; Gal 3:29We have Abraham for our father’; for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children to Abraham. 10  “The ALuke 3:9axe is already laid at the root of the trees; therefore BPs 92:12-14; Matt 7:19; John 15:2every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

11 “As for me, AMark 1:4, 8; Luke 3:16; John 1:26f; Acts 1:5; 8:36, 38; 11:16I baptize you 1The Gr here can be translated in, with or bywith water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; BJohn 1:33; Acts 2:3, 4; Titus 3:5He will baptize you 1The Gr here can be translated in, with or bywith the Holy Spirit and fire. 12  “His AIs 30:24; 41:16; Jer 15:7; 51:2; Luke 3:17winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear His threshing floor; and He will BMatt 13:30gather His wheat into the barn, but He will burn up the CPs 1:4chaff with DIs 66:24; Jer 7:20; Matt 13:41, 42; Mark 9:43, 48unquenchable fire.”

13 AMatt 3:13-17: Mark 1:9-11; Luke 3:21, 22;John 1:31-34Then Jesus *arrived BMatt 2:22from Galilee at the Jordan coming to John, to be baptized by him. 14 But John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I have need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?” 15 But Jesus answering said to him, “Permit it at this time; for in this way it is fitting for us APs 40:7, 8; John 4:34; 8:29to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he *permitted Him. 16 After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and 1Or HeAMark 1:10; Luke 3:22; John 1:32; Acts 7:56he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and 2Lit coming upon Himlighting on Him, 17 and behold, a voice out of the heavens said, “APs 2:7; Is 42:1; Matt 12:18; 17:5; Mark 9:7; Luke 9:35; John 12:28This is 1Or My Son, the BelovedMy beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.”