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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1" /><title>Matthew 3 NLT</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/chapnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="../spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/print.css" type="text/css" media="Print" /></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../cmenus/matthew/3.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="../topmenuchap/matthew/3-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="http://biblehub.com">Bible</a> > <a href="../">NLT</a> > Matthew 3</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../matthew/2.htm" title="Matthew 2">◄</a> Matthew 3 <a href="../matthew/4.htm" title="Matthew 4">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="99%" valign="top">New Living Translation</td><td width="1%" valign="top"><a href="/p/nlt/esv/matthew/3.shtml" style="color:#001320" title="Parallel Chapters"> Par ▾ </a></td></tr></table></div><div class="chap"><p class="hdg">John the Baptist Prepares the Way</p><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/matthew/3-1.htm"><b>1</b></a></span>In those days John the Baptist came to the Judean wilderness and began preaching. His message was, <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/matthew/3-2.htm"><b>2</b></a></span>“Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.<a href="#footnotes"><span class="fn">a</span></a>” <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/matthew/3-3.htm"><b>3</b></a></span>The prophet Isaiah was speaking about John when he said,</p><p class="b"/><p class="line1">“He is a voice shouting in the wilderness,</p><p class="line1">‘Prepare the way for the LORD’s coming!</p><p class="line2">Clear the road for him!’”<a href="#footnotes"><span class="fn">b</span></a></p><p class="b"/><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/matthew/3-4.htm"><b>4</b></a></span>John’s clothes were woven from coarse camel hair, and he wore a leather belt around his waist. For food he ate locusts and wild honey. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/matthew/3-5.htm"><b>5</b></a></span>People from Jerusalem and from all of Judea and all over the Jordan Valley went out to see and hear John. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/matthew/3-6.htm"><b>6</b></a></span>And when they confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River.</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/matthew/3-7.htm"><b>7</b></a></span>But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming to watch him baptize,<a href="#footnotes"><span class="fn">c</span></a> he denounced them. “You brood of snakes!” he exclaimed. “Who warned you to flee the coming wrath? <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/matthew/3-8.htm"><b>8</b></a></span>Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/matthew/3-9.htm"><b>9</b></a></span>Don’t just say to each other, ‘We’re safe, for we are descendants of Abraham.’ That means nothing, for I tell you, God can create children of Abraham from these very stones. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/matthew/3-10.htm"><b>10</b></a></span>Even now the ax of God’s judgment is poised, ready to sever the roots of the trees. Yes, every tree that does not produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire.</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/matthew/3-11.htm"><b>11</b></a></span>“I baptize with<a href="#footnotes"><span class="fn">d</span></a> water those who repent of their sins and turn to God. But someone is coming soon who is greater than I am—so much greater that I’m not worthy even to be his slave and carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.<a href="#footnotes"><span class="fn">e</span></a> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/matthew/3-12.htm"><b>12</b></a></span>He is ready to separate the chaff from the wheat with his winnowing fork. Then he will clean up the threshing area, gathering the wheat into his barn but burning the chaff with never-ending fire.”</p><p class="hdg">The Baptism of Jesus</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/matthew/3-13.htm"><b>13</b></a></span>Then Jesus went from Galilee to the Jordan River to be baptized by John. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/matthew/3-14.htm"><b>14</b></a></span>But John tried to talk him out of it. “I am the one who needs to be baptized by you,” he said, “so why are you coming to me?”</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/matthew/3-15.htm"><b>15</b></a></span>But Jesus said, <span class="red">“It should be done, for we must carry out all that God requires.<a href="#footnotes"><span class="fn">f</span></a>”</span> So John agreed to baptize him.</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/matthew/3-16.htm"><b>16</b></a></span>After his baptism, as Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened<a href="#footnotes"><span class="fn">g</span></a> and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and settling on him. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/matthew/3-17.htm"><b>17</b></a></span>And a voice from heaven said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.”</p><A name="footnotes"></a><hr size="1" color="DDEEFF"><span class="mainfootnotes"><span class="mainfootnoteshdg">Footnotes:</span><br><span class="fn">a</span><note caller="+" style="f"><span class="fr">3:2 </span><span class="ft">Or </span><span class="it">has come,</span><span class="ft"> or </span><span class="it">is coming soon.</span><br><span class="fn">b</span><note caller="+" style="f"><span class="fr">3:3 </span><span class="ft">Isa 40:3 (Greek version).</span><br><span class="fn">c</span><note caller="+" style="f"><span class="fr">3:7 </span><span class="ft">Or </span><span class="it">coming to be baptized.</span><br><span class="fn">d</span><note caller="+" style="f"><span class="fr">3:11a </span><span class="ft">Or </span><span class="it">in.</span><br><span class="fn">e</span><note caller="+" style="f"><span class="fr">3:11b </span><span class="ft">Or </span><span class="it">in the Holy Spirit and in fire.</span><br><span class="fn">f</span><note caller="+" style="f"><span class="fr">3:15 </span><span class="ft">Or </span><span class="it">for we must fulfill all righteousness.</span><br><span class="fn">g</span><note caller="+" style="f"><span class="fr">3:16 </span><span class="ft">Some manuscripts read </span><span class="it">opened to him.</span><br></span></div></div><div id="botbox"><div class="padbot"><div align="center"><em>Holy Bible</em>, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of <a href="http://www.tyndale.com">Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.</a>, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/">Bible Hub</a></div></div></div></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="left"><a href="../matthew/2.htm" onmouseover='lft.src="/leftgif.png"' onmouseout='lft.src="/left.png"' title="Matthew 2"><img src="/left.png" name="lft" border="0" alt="Matthew 2" /></a></div><div id="right"><a href="../matthew/4.htm" onmouseover='rght.src="/rightgif.png"' onmouseout='rght.src="/right.png"' title="Matthew 4"><img src="/right.png" name="rght" border="0" alt="Matthew 4" /></a></div><div id="botleft"><a href="#" onmouseover='botleft.src="/botleftgif.png"' onmouseout='botleft.src="/botleft.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botleft.png" name="botleft" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="botright"><a href="#" onmouseover='botright.src="/botrightgif.png"' onmouseout='botright.src="/botright.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botright.png" name="botright" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="rightbox"><div class="padright"><div id="pic"><iframe width="100%" height="860" scrolling="no" src="//biblescan.com/mpc/matthew/3-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></div></div><div id="rightbox4"><div class="padright2"><div id="spons1"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tr><td class="sp1"><iframe width="122" height="860" scrolling="no" src="../sidemenu.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></div><div id="bot"><iframe width="100%" height="1500" scrolling="no" src="/botmenubhchap.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></td></tr></table></div></body></html>