Matthew 3:1-17 NASB20 - Bible AI

¹Now in those days John the Baptist *[37]came, [38]preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying,

²“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven [39]is at hand.”

³For this is the one referred to [40]by Isaiah the prophet when he said,

³“THE VOICE OF ONE [41]CALLING [42]OUT IN THE WILDERNESS, ‘PREPARE THE WAY OF THE LORD, MAKE HIS PATHS STRAIGHT!’ ”

⁴Now John himself had [43]a garment of camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey.

⁵At that time Jerusalem was going out to him, and all Judea and all the region around the Jordan;

⁶and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, as they confessed their sins.

⁷But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for [44]baptism, he said to them, “You [45]offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

⁸Therefore produce fruit consistent with repentance;

⁹and do not assume that you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father’; for I tell you that God is able, from these stones, to raise up children for Abraham.

¹⁰And the axe is already laid at the root of the trees; therefore, every tree that does not bear good fruit is being cut down and thrown into the fire.

¹¹“As for me, I baptize you [46]with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you [47]with the Holy Spirit and fire.

¹²His winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear His threshing floor; and He will gather His wheat into the barn, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

The Baptism of Jesus

¹³Then Jesus *arrived from Galilee at the Jordan, coming to John to be baptized by him.

¹⁴But John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I have the need to be baptized by You, and yet You are coming to me?”

¹⁵But Jesus, answering, said to him, “Allow it at this time; for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he *allowed Him.

¹⁶After He was baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and [48]he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and [49]settling on Him,

¹⁷and behold, a voice from the heavens said, “This is [50]My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”