THE
BOOK OF MATTHEW
Matthew Chapter 3
1
¶ In those days John the Baptist appeared, preaching
in the
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And saying, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at
hand.
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For he is the one that the prophet Isaiah spoke of, saying, The voice of one
crying in the wilderness, Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
4
Now this John wore a garment of camel’s hair, and had a leather belt around his
waist; and his food consisted of locusts and wild honey.
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Then Jerusalem, all of Judea, and the entire region round about the
Jordan went out to him,
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And were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.
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¶ But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said to them, O generation of vipers, who has
warned you to flee from the coming wrath?
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Bring forth fruit that is consistent with repentance:
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And do not rationalize by saying within yourselves, We
have Abraham as our father: for I am telling you, that God is able to
raise up children to Abraham from these stones.
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And the axe already lies at the root of the trees: therefore every tree that
does not bring forth good fruit is chopped down, and thrown into the fire.
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I indeed baptize you with water for repentance: but the one who comes after me,
whose shoes I am not worthy to carry, is mightier than I: he will baptize you
with the Holy Spirit, and with fire:
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Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly clear his threshing
floor, and gather his wheat into the silo; but he will burn up the chaff with
unquenchable fire.
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¶ Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan, to be baptized by John.
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But John protested, saying, I have need to be baptized
by you, and you come to me?
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But answering Jesus said to him, Allow it to be so
now: for it is fitting in this way for us to fulfill all righteousness. Then he
permitted him.
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And having been baptized, Jesus immediately went up out of the water: and, the
heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a
dove, and lighting upon him:
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And a voice from heaven, said, This is my beloved Son,
in whom I am well pleased.