Matthew 3

King James Version

Full text for Matthew Chapter 3

1¶ In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,

2And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

3For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

4And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey.

5Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan,

6And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.

7¶ But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

8Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:

9And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to [our] father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.

10And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

11I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and [with] fire:

12Whose fan [is] in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.

13¶ Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.

14But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?

15And Jesus answering said unto him, ‹Suffer [it to be so] now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness.› Then he suffered him.

16And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:

17And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

John the Baptist begins his ministry in the wilderness, preaching repentance and baptizing many in the Jordan. He warns the religious leaders of impending judgment and prophesies of a mightier one who will baptize with the Holy Ghost and fire. Jesus then comes to John to be baptized, fulfilling all righteousness. Upon Jesus' baptism, the heavens open, the Spirit descends like a dove, and a voice from heaven proclaims Him as God's beloved Son.

Medium Summary

John the Baptist emerges in the Judaean wilderness, proclaiming a message of repentance as the kingdom of heaven draws near, fulfilling Esaias' prophecy. Dressed in camel's hair, he baptizes many who confess their sins in the Jordan. John confronts the Pharisees and Sadducees, admonishing them to produce genuine fruits of repentance rather than relying on their lineage, warning of divine judgment. He contrasts his water baptism with the more powerful baptism of the coming Messiah, who will baptize with the Holy Ghost and fire, and execute thorough judgment. Subsequently, Jesus arrives from Galilee to be baptized by John. Though John initially demurs, Jesus affirms the necessity to fulfill all righteousness. Following Jesus' baptism, the heavens open, the Spirit of God descends upon Him like a dove, and a heavenly voice declares Him to be God's beloved Son.

Long Summary

Matthew chapter three introduces John the Baptist, who commences his ministry in the wilderness of Judaea, preaching a message of repentance and announcing that the kingdom of heaven is at hand. He is identified as the prophetic "voice of one crying in the wilderness" foretold by Esaias, preparing the way for the Lord. John's ascetic lifestyle is described, characterized by raiment of camel's hair and a diet of locusts and wild honey. His preaching draws vast crowds from Jerusalem, Judaea, and the region around Jordan, who come to him, confess their sins, and are baptized. However, John confronts the arriving Pharisees and Sadducees, denouncing them as a "generation of vipers" and urging them to demonstrate true repentance through their actions, rather than presuming salvation based on their Abrahamic heritage. He warns of imminent judgment, likening it to an axe laid at the root of trees, where unproductive trees will be cut down and cast into fire. John then distinguishes his baptism with water for repentance from the baptism of the one who is to come after him, whom he declares to be far mightier. This coming one, he explains, will baptize with the Holy Ghost and with fire, and will execute a thorough separation, gathering the wheat into the garner and burning the chaff with unquenchable fire. Finally, Jesus travels from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. John initially hesitates, feeling unworthy to baptize Jesus, suggesting he himself needs to be baptized by Jesus. Yet, Jesus instructs him to "suffer it to be so now," explaining that it is fitting for them to fulfill all righteousness. After John complies and baptizes Jesus, the heavens are opened, and the Spirit of God is seen descending upon Jesus in the form of a dove. Concurrently, a voice from heaven proclaims, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased," thereby confirming Jesus' divine identity and mission.

Core Concepts

  • John the Baptist's MinistryJohn preaches repentance in the wilderness of Judaea, preparing the way for the Lord and baptizing those who confess their sins. His unique appearance and message mark him as a prophetic figure.
  • Repentance and JudgmentJohn calls for genuine "fruits meet for repentance," warning against relying on lineage and declaring that unfruitful trees will face divine judgment and be cast into fire.
  • The Coming MessiahJohn prophesies about a mightier one who will follow him, whose shoes he is unworthy to bear, and who will baptize with the Holy Ghost and with fire. This Messiah will also execute a thorough judgment, separating the righteous from the wicked.
  • Jesus' BaptismJesus comes to John to be baptized, asserting that this act fulfills "all righteousness." This event marks the public commencement of Jesus' ministry.
  • Divine AffirmationUpon Jesus' baptism, the heavens open, the Spirit of God descends like a dove upon Him, and a voice from heaven declares, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." This trinity of events confirms Jesus' divine identity and God's approval.
  • Fulfilling RighteousnessJesus' statement to John, "thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness," highlights the importance of obedience to God's will and the establishment of a new covenant through His actions.
  • Baptism with Holy Ghost and FireJohn distinguishes his water baptism from the Messiah's, who will baptize with the Holy Ghost for spiritual renewal and with fire for purification and judgment.