And in those days cometh John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judæa, saying,
Repent ye; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
For this is he that was spoken of through Isaiah the prophet, saying,
{Isaiah 40:3.}The voice of one crying in the wilderness,
Make ye ready the way of the Lord,
Make his paths straight.
Now John himself had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his food was locusts and wild honey.
Then went out unto him Jerusalem, and all Judæa, and all the region round about the Jordan;
and they were baptized of him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.
But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming {Or, for baptism}to his baptism, he said unto them, Ye offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
Bring forth therefore fruit worthy of {Or, your repentance}repentance:
and 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.
And even now the axe lieth at the root of the trees: every tree therefore that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
I indeed baptize you {Or, with}in water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not {Greek: sufficient.}worthy to bear: he shall baptize you {Or, with}in the Holy Spirit and in fire:
whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his threshing-floor; and he will gather his wheat into the garner, but the chaff he will burn up with unquenchable fire.
Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to the Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.
But John would have hindered him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?
But Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer {Or, me}it now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffereth him.
And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway from the water: and lo, the heavens were opened {Some ancient authorities omit unto him.}unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming upon him;
and lo, a voice out of the heavens, saying, {Or, This is my Son; my beloved in whom I am well pleased. See chapter 12:18}This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
Querverweise zu Matthäus 3,1 Mt 3,1
Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Cæsar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judæa, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituræa and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene,
Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not arisen a greater than John the Baptist: yet he that is {Greek: lesser.}but little in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
The voice of one {Or, that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way &c.}that crieth, Prepare ye in the wilderness the way of Jehovah; make level in the desert a highway for our God.
Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low; and the uneven shall be made level, and the rough places a plain:
and the glory of Jehovah shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together; for the mouth of Jehovah hath spoken it.
The voice of one saying, Cry. And one said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field.
And as these went their way, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to behold? a reed shaken with the wind?
in the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness.
and said unto his servants, This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead; and therefore do these powers work in him.
For Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife.
For John said unto him, It is not lawful for thee to have her.
And when he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet.
But when Herod's birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced in the midst, and pleased Herod.
Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatsoever she should ask.
And she, being put forward by her mother, saith, Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.
And the king was grieved; but for the sake of his oaths, and of them that sat at meat with him, he commanded it to be given;
and he sent and beheaded John in the prison.
And his head was brought on a platter, and given to the damsel: and she brought it to her mother.
And his disciples came, and took up the corpse, and buried him; and they went and told Jesus.
Now when Jesus heard it, he withdrew from thence in a boat, to a desert place apart: and when the multitudes heard thereof, they followed him {Greek: by land.}on foot from the cities.
And he came forth, and saw a great multitude, and he had compassion on them, and healed their sick.
And he preached, saying, There cometh after me he that is mightier than I, the latchet of whose shoes I am not {Greek: sufficient.}worthy to stoop down and unloose.
And now, behold, Jehovah hath kept me alive, as he spake, these forty and five years, from the time that Jehovah spake this word unto Moses, while Israel walked in the wilderness: and now, lo, I am this day fourscore and five years old.
And they said, Some say John the Baptist; some, Elijah; and others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.
And he shall {Some ancient authorities read come nigh before his face.}go before his face in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to walk in the wisdom of the just; to make ready for the Lord a people prepared for him.
In the wilderness, Beth-arabah, Middin, and Secacah,
but I say unto you, that Elijah is come already, and they knew him not, but did unto him whatsoever they would. Even so shall the Son of man also suffer of them.
and Nibshan, and the City of Salt, and En-gedi; six cities with their villages.
Then understood the disciples that he spake unto them of John the Baptist.
And when the messengers of John were departed, he began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to behold? a reed shaken with the wind?
The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven or from men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say unto us, Why then did ye not believe him?
But if we shall say, From men; we fear the multitude; for all hold John as a prophet.
And they answered Jesus, and said, We know not. He also said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.
For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not; but the {See marginal note on chapter 5:46.}publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye saw it, did not even repent yourselves afterward, that ye might believe him.
John came, who baptized in the wilderness and preached the baptism of repentance unto remission of sins.
and saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe in the {Or, good tidings: and so elsewhere.}gospel.
But Herod, when he heard thereof, said, John, whom I beheaded, he is risen.
For Herod himself had sent forth and laid hold upon John, and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife; for he had married her.
For John said unto Herod, It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother's wife.
And Herodias set herself against him, and desired to kill him; and she could not;
for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and kept him safe. And when he heard him, he was much perplexed; and he heard him gladly.
And when a convenient day was come, that Herod on his birthday made a supper to his lords, and the {Or, military tribunes Greek: chiliarchs.}high captains, and the chief men of Galilee;
and when {Some ancient authorities read his daughter Herodias.}the daughter of Herodias herself came in and danced, {Or, it}she pleased Herod and them that sat at meat with him; and the king said unto the damsel, Ask of me whatsoever thou wilt, and I will give it thee.
And he sware unto her, Whatsoever thou shalt ask of me, I will give it thee, unto the half of my kingdom.
And she went out, and said unto her mother, What shall I ask? And she said, The head of John the Baptizer.
And she came in straightway with haste unto the king, and asked, saying, I will that thou forthwith give me on a platter the head of John the Baptist.
And the king was exceeding sorry; but for the sake of his oaths, and of them that sat at meat, he would not reject her.
And straightway the king sent forth a soldier of his guard, and commanded to bring his head: and he went and beheaded him in the prison,
and brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the damsel; and the damsel gave it to her mother.
And when his disciples heard thereof, they came and took up his corpse, and laid it in a tomb.
But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: because thy supplication is heard, and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.
And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth.
For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and he shall drink no wine nor {Greek: sikera.}strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb.
And many of the children of Israel shall he turn unto the Lord their God.
And he shall {Some ancient authorities read come nigh before his face.}go before his face in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to walk in the wisdom of the just; to make ready for the Lord a people prepared for him.
Yea and thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Most High:For thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to make ready his ways;
in the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness.
And he came into all the region round about the Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance unto remission of sins;
as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, {Isaiah 40:3 ff.}The voice of one crying in the wilderness,Make ye ready the way of the Lord,Make his paths straight.
Every valley shall be filled,And every mountain and hill shall be brought low;And the crooked shall become straight,And the rough ways smooth;
And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.
He said therefore to the multitudes that went out to be baptized of him, Ye offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
Bring forth therefore fruits worthy {Or, your repentance}of repentance, and begin 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.
And even now the axe also lieth at the root of the trees: every tree therefore that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
And the multitudes asked him, saying, What then must we do?
And he answered and said unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath food, let him do likewise.
And there came also {That is collectors or renters of Roman taxes.}publicans to be baptized, and they said unto him, Teacher, what must we do?
And he said unto them, Extort no more than that which is appointed you.
And {Greek: soldiers on service.}soldiers also asked him, saying, And we, what must we do? And he said unto them, Extort from no man by violence, neither accuse any one wrongfully; and be content with your wages.
And as the people were in expectation, and all men reasoned in their hearts concerning John, whether haply he were the Christ;
John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but there cometh he that is mightier than I, the latchet of whose shoes I am not {Greek: sufficient.}worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you {Or, with}in the Holy Spirit and in fire:
whose fan is in his hand, thoroughly to cleanse his threshing-floor, and to gather the wheat into his garner; but the chaff he will burn up with unquenchable fire.
With many other exhortations therefore preached he {Or, the gospel}good tidings unto the people;
but Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him for Herodias his brother's wife, and for all the evil things which Herod had done,
added this also to them all, that he shut up John in prison.
There came a man, sent from God, whose name was John.
The same came for witness, that he might bear witness of the light, that all might believe through him.
He was not the light, but came that he might bear witness of the light.
John beareth witness of him, and crieth, saying, {Some ancient authorities read (this was he that said).}This was he of whom I said, He that cometh after me is become before me: for he was {Greek: first in regard of me.}before me.
For of his fulness we all received, and {Or, grace upon grace.}grace for grace.
For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
No man hath seen God at any time; {Many very ancient authorities read God only begotten.}the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
And this is the witness of John, when the Jews sent unto him from Jerusalem priests and Levites to ask him, Who art thou?
And he confessed, and denied not; and he confessed, I am not the Christ.
And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elijah? And he saith, I am not. Art thou the prophet? And he answered, No.
They said therefore unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself?
He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as {Isaiah 40:3.}said Isaiah the prophet.
{Or, And certain had been sent from among the Pharisees.}And they had been sent from the Pharisees.
And they asked him, and said unto him, Why then baptizest thou, if thou art not the Christ, neither Elijah, neither the prophet?
John answered them, saying, I baptize {Or, with}in water: in the midst of you standeth one whom ye know not,
even he that cometh after me, the latchet of whose shoe I am not worthy to unloose.
These things were done in {Many ancient authorities read Bethabarah, some Betharabah. Compare Joshua 15:6, 61; 18:22.}Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
On the morrow he seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold, the Lamb of God, that {Or, beareth the sin}taketh away the sin of the world!
This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man who is become before me: for he was {Greek: first in regard of me.}before me.
And I knew him not; but that he should be made manifest to Israel, for this cause came I baptizing {Or, with}in water.
And John bare witness, saying, I have beheld the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven; and it abode upon him.
And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize {Or, with}in water, he said unto me, Upon whomsoever thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and abiding upon him, the same is he that baptizeth {Or, with}in the Holy Spirit.
And I have seen, and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.
Again on the morrow John was standing, and two of his disciples;
and he looked upon Jesus as he walked, and saith, Behold, the Lamb of God!
John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it have been given him from heaven.
Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but, that I am sent before him.
He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, that standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is made full.
He must increase, but I must decrease.
He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is of the earth, and of the earth he speaketh: {Some ancient authorities read he that cometh from heaven beareth witness of what he hath seen and heard.}he that cometh from heaven is above all.
What he hath seen and heard, of that he beareth witness; and no man receiveth his witness.
He that hath received his witness hath set his seal to this, that God is true.
For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for he giveth not the Spirit by measure.
The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand.
He that believeth on the Son hath eternal life; but he that {Or, believeth not}obeyeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him.
beginning from the baptism of John, unto the day that he was received up from us, of these must one become a witness with us of his resurrection.
when John had first preached {Greek: before the face of his entering in.}before his coming the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.
And as John was fulfilling his course, he said, What suppose ye that I am? I am not he. But behold, there cometh one after me the shoes of whose feet I am not worthy to unloose.
And he said, Into what then were ye baptized? And they said, Into John's baptism.
And Paul said, John baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people that they should believe on him that should come after him, that is, on Jesus.