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 3,8 Mt 3,8
But what think ye? A man had two {Greek: children.}sons; and he came to the first, and said, {Greek: Child.}Son, go work to-day in the vineyard.
And he answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented himself, and went.
And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel, Amend your ways and your doings, and I will cause you to dwell in this place.
Trust ye not in lying words, saying, The temple of Jehovah, the temple of Jehovah, the temple of Jehovah, are these.
For if ye thoroughly amend your ways and your doings; if ye thoroughly execute justice between a man and his neighbor;
if ye oppress not the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow, and shed not innocent blood in this place, neither walk after other gods to your own hurt:
then will I cause you to dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers, from of old even for evermore.
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.
meekness, self-control; against such there is no law.
Now therefore amend your ways and your doings, and obey the voice of Jehovah your God; and Jehovah will repent him of the evil that he hath pronounced against you.
Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil;
(for the fruit of the light is in all goodness and righteousness and truth),
It may be that the house of Judah will hear all the evil which I purpose to do unto them; that they may return every man from his evil way; that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin.
learn to do well; seek justice, {Or, set right the oppressor}relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.
being filled with the {Greek: fruit.}fruits of righteousness, which are through Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.
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 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.
but declared both to them of Damascus first and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the country of Judæa, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, doing works worthy of {Or, their repentance}repentance.
Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?
but after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up for thyself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;
who will render to every man according to his works:
to them that by {Or, stedfastness}patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and incorruption, eternal life:
For godly sorrow worketh repentance {Or, unto a salvation which bringeth no regret}unto salvation, a repentance which bringeth no regret: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.
For behold, this selfsame thing, that ye were made sorry after a godly sort, what earnest care it wrought in you, yea what clearing of yourselves, yea what indignation, yea what fear, yea what longing, yea what zeal, yea what avenging! In everything ye approved yourselves to be pure in the matter.
whereby he hath granted unto us his precious and exceeding great promises; that through these ye may become partakers of {Or, a}the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world by lust.
Yea, and for this very cause adding on your part all diligence, in your faith supply virtue; and in your virtue knowledge;
and in your knowledge self-control; and in your self-control {Or, stedfastness}patience; and in your {Or, stedfastness}patience godliness;
and in your godliness {Greek: love of the brethren.}brotherly kindness; and in your {Greek: love of the brethren.}brotherly kindness love.
For if these things are yours and abound, they make you to be not idle nor unfruitful unto the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.